Scary Crazy PMS-ing Women Divers

[divemistress]

No problem diving with your menstruating buddy -- she ain't gonna attract sharks. But your PMS-ing buddy -- she's may well BE a shark. A moody, unstable, anti-social and not particularly alert shark.

According to DAN, "When severe, the personality and anti-social behavior associated with PMS could be a definite problem in diver interaction on a dive-boat and with a buddy."

What really scary is that 25-50 percent of us women experience PMS, according to DAN. Which means one-quarter to one-half the women on a dive boat are can't be trusted at any given time.

Kind of makes you want to stay away from women divers, doesn't it? But wait -- DAN also says that: "While research has shown that accidents in general are more common among women during PMS ....there is no scientific evidence, however, that they are more susceptible to dive injuries/accidents."

Umm. Perhaps we aren't so crazy scary bad after all.

 

[Jim Ernst]

guess i am real lucky as even at that time of the mounth she is still a real sweet hart, really!!

 

[Zoe83]

I admit to being VERY sensitive and moody during PMS, but i really dont think i would comrpmise anyones safety while diving, while i do go a bit nuts i recognise the situation at hand and my common sense comes through..i know some females who would compromise it though! its a scarey thought lol

 

[drbill]

I first encountered (or at least recognized) PMS in 1981. The woman I was dating (a non-diver but very active athletically) was a sweetheart most of the time. We were considering marriage at the time. However every so often she would literally erupt at me. For example, I drove the 50 miles up to be with her for dinner. Brought her roses which she loved. She was sweet as could be when she greeted me at the door. 15 minutes later she was literally throwing pots and pans at me and trying to hurt me (I had done nothing to trigger it according to her afterwards). I fled the house and drove home with serious questions.

I started looking at our dates (I kept a dating log... only with her though) and realized there was an almost monthly pattern to these outbursts. Within a week of that analysis, I watched an afternoon talk show and one of the topics was PMS. Eureka! I talked to her about it and initially she was in denial. We broke up due to these outbursts and her lack of interest in dealing with them medically. After we broke up, she did seek medical help and got the PMS under control. By the time she came back, I was finishing my consulting work there (Chicago) and heading back to Catalina.

Based on this and a few other experiences, serious PMS- related outbursts could involve safety issues I wouldn't want to deal with underwater. I dive almost exclusively with female buddies. None of them have exhibited such severe symptoms and most do not seem to be affected at all. I will continue to dive with them of course, but it is an issue that might need to be addressed in the future.

Dr. Bill
Not of the Medical Type, but an Observant Scientist

 

[DennisW]

Fortunately, Donna does not get PMS. She does however, get NFS (No Flying Syndrome). If she does not get to fly often, she can get cranky as hell.

 

[divemistress]

Umm. Perhaps we aren't so crazy scary bad after all.

Yah, so maybe one in four or one in three or one in two women have PMS. For most of us, so what?

I'm PMSing this week: A little more tired than usual; a tad more interested in carbs than usual. Less patience for endless tasks such as cleaning the kitchen and shaving my legs.

OTOH: It's 4 a.m. and I'm typing this note; there's fresh pesto to be eaten -- made this weekend from basil I lovingly grew from seed. And not only are the routine tasks finished, I've also cleaned out my closet and dresser.

PMS does not necessarily stop a woman in her tracks. PMS does not necessarily render a woman unfit to dive, or do anything else, for that matter.

OTOH: I've heard enough men talk about PMSing women like the one Dr. Bill mentioned -- from male friends and male doctors -- to believe they exist. They do sound scary, and I certainly wouldn't want to dive with one.

Curiously, I've never actually met or known a woman like this. And many of my best friends are women ......I've also never heard another woman describe describe a woman like this.

Worth noting: There are some men in this world with nasty tempers, and some of them probably dive. And there are other men in this world put down their wives all the time, at least in public -- snapping at the women, interrupting when they try to speak, contradicting, criticizing. I KNOW some of these men dive -- I've seen and heard them on dive boats.

So let's put the PMS-scare note into context: Some people, women as well as men, make less than ideal dive buddies, for a variety of reasons.

Bland, yah, but more accurate? Likely.

DM

 

[Walter]

You sure are, Darlin'.

(I'm gonna regret that one, but sometimes I can't resist the cheap shot)

Speaking of cheap shots, why was is named "PMS?"

 

[Mako Mark]

Speaking of cheap shots, why was is named "PMS?"

because MAD COW DISEASE was already taken???

 

[SueMermaid]

Mark, seriously, you are SUCH a dreamboat. I must have you.

 

[ThatsMe]

guess i am real lucky as even at that time of the mounth she is still a real sweet hart, really!!

ahhh... your wife must come on this forum too.