Not diving in paradise...

[BlackLotus]

So here I am, looking for medical and also psychological support, because right now i have no clue whether i should change/cancel my vacation or not. It feels like i'm in some kind of limbo state, because i fear that if i cancel my vacation, the symptoms will be gone 2 days after cancelling/changing and if i go on as planned, the symptoms will stick with me for the rest of the vacation.

I am right now in New Caledonia and not able to dive because of acute bronchitis. The doc i saw prescribed what i'd call "the hardcore stuff":

• Prednisolone 80mg for the 5 days (1x per day)
• Amoxicillin 1g for 8 days (3x per day)
• Acetylcysteine 200mg for 8 days (3x per day)
• Fenoterol/Ipratropiumbromide 100ug/40ug inhaler for 8 days (4x per day)
• I also quit smoking 6 days ago (after 9 years of heavy smoking - it was easier than i first feared).

IMO i got the bronchitis because of a cold i had just before coming here. Cold was gone after a week and i was feeling totally fine except that my breathing sounded like i'm Darth Vader. So far i think the treatment is going well, i'm now at day 6 of medication, breathing improved from deep-pitched, heavy, "bubbly" wheezing to very very minor, high-pitched, "non-bubbly" wheezing with no other symptoms. Considering that i had the same thing already happen to me a year ago and at that time it took 2 months for it to go away, i think this is good progress, because then the medication was not that "hardcore" and i was still smoking. I never had any relevant breathing problems in my life before, no asthma, no allergies, nada...

But anyways, this sucks big time, as this was supposed to be my first "big awesome dive vacation" after mainly diving in the lakes of Switzerland and my original plan was to continue from New Caledonia on to some other pacific islands for 3 or 4 additional weeks of diving. Last week i was able to keep myself more or less busy with other stuff, but the outlook of being stuck "on land" for the next couple of weeks while i am near some awesome diving spots doesn't sound exciting at all and i don't think i could fully enjoy it. Well, some of my non-diver friends tell me: "How can you not enjoy those white, sandy beaches, the warm, clear water while relaxing and sunbathing?" - "Because i cannot dive!" - "You're crazy!"

Any ideas, thoughts, hints would be greatly appreciated!

PS: One option i am considering is to cancel the whole pacific islands part and go explore a bit of the Australian east coast, seeing a dive specialist every week(getting "the works", hardcore medication, x-rays, whatever...) and hoping to be able to do at least some diving on the great barrier reef before i go back home. So, if you have any recommendations for a "mainly want to relax while keeping my mind distracted with new experiences" trip to Australia, feel free to let me know. Oh, and where can i find a list of Australian dive medicine specialists?

 

[Zippsy]

Sorry, I can't help you much but I always figured I'd be able to return to dive another time if I ever sat out a dive when I was not 100%. I might not be able to dive anywhere again if I went ahead with that dive anyway.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi BlackLotus,

That is a bummer, indeed.

Of course you cannot safely return to SCUBA until your condition has completely resolved and you've received clearance from a diving medicine specialist.

If the option to cancel the whole Pcific islands part of your trip and instead go explore a bit of the Australian east coast appeals to you, why not? There's a tremendous amount to do there. I particularly like the greater Daintree Rainforest area.

As for Australian diving medicine specialists, the east coast of OZ covers a lot of area, but if you're intertested in doing the GBR, Cairnes is a good place to launch from, so:

-http://www.spums.org.au/diving_dr/list?cid=3&pid=6827

-http://www.spums.org.au/diving_dr/list?cid=3&pid=6494

-http://www.spums.org.au/diving_dr/list?cid=3&pid=6235

-http://www.spums.org.au/diving_dr/list?cid=3&pid=6461

-http://www.spums.org.au/diving_dr/list?cid=3&pid=7690

-http://www.spums.org.au/diving_dr/list?cid=3&pid=7905

Helpful?

Best of luck.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[TSandM]

Not surprisingly, I agree with Doc Vikingo. The high-pitched wheezing you have is an indication of bronchial obstruction, and it's not a good idea to dive while that is going on, because it puts you at high risk for one of the nastiest forms of DCI: gas embolism.

We had great fun in Australia. Sydney is a gorgeous city with lots to do, and we really enjoyed going up to the Hunter Valley and touring the wineries. Byron Bay is a beautiful beach city with great restaurants. I liked the country and the people so much that, if I went back, I wouldn't spend all my time diving, even if I were well (and for me, that's saying a LOT).

Oh, and BIG kudos to you for quitting smoking -- don't let yourself relapse. From reading your description of the last couple of years, this is a very important step you needed to take for your future well being. But it isn't easy to kick cigarettes, and you should give yourself a lot of credit for getting it done.