http://www.midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk Dive Medicine - information for divers on different diving medicine subjects: marine animal hazards, the bends, Cardiovascular System and scuba diving, Central Nervous System and the scuba diver, Drugs and Diving, Easy Equalization for scuba divers, Eye Problems for scuba divers, women and scuba diving, Fitness and Diving, Gastrointestinal Problems and scuba diving, trauma and orthopaedic problems for scuba divers, Respiratory Problems and scuba diving. en-us webmaster@e-med.co.uk http://www.midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/ldc_logo_new_small.jpg http://www.midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk 100 50 Hi, I had a diving incident with a friend who I was guiding nearly ten months ago. The incident involved him having a buoyant ascent from 15m in a dry suit. Upon reaching the surface he then (having by this time dumped all the air from his suit) dropped b... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=31&sub_cat=101 Tue, 11 May 2010 03:28:51 +0100 Hi, I wonder if you can help. I had an emergency appendectomy on 4th January. Due to the infection, they had to remove it via a central vertical laparotomy incision. I didn’t have any post op complications or infections and the wound has healed nicely. I ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=15&sub_cat=34 Tue, 11 May 2010 03:27:09 +0100 Hello, I had an emergency operation on 11/11/09 for a testicular torsion. Both testicles are now stitched in place and the wound is still weeping a little and a little painful. However, what I would like to know is when can I go diving again? Or, how long... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=15&sub_cat=34 Tue, 11 May 2010 03:25:19 +0100 My partner snapped his Achilles Tendon four weeks ago and had surgery to fix it. He has had his foot in a hard cast ever since and went back yesterday to get it repositioned. The doctor says that he has to wear the cast for another six weeks. We are booke... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=15&sub_cat=34 Tue, 11 May 2010 03:23:44 +0100 I’m using these shoddy economic times and my recent redundancy as a good excuse to live out one of my dreams and travel through southeast Asia. My golden handshake was more a passionate bearhug (with tongues) so I’m lucky enough to be going on the road fo... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=48 Sun, 09 May 2010 07:09:09 +0100 I am a refined, mature but physically active “coffin-dodger” (one of the more galling nicknames that’s been foisted on me by exuberant grandchildren). I still enjoy sport (tennis, golf and the like) but only recently discovered the joys of diving. My wife... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=165 Sun, 09 May 2010 07:05:03 +0100 There seems to be a big variation in opinion on whether it’s safe to scuba dive whilst taking antidepressant medication. I have a friend who is (I know, everyone says that, but it is honestly a friend and not me!), but she is actually taking it for obsess... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=49 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:55:22 +0100 After a particularly stressful day at work I was driving home and felt a bit unusual. I pulled over and noticed my shirt was drenched. Then my chest became uncomfortable... One heart attack later, I was discharged from hospital on a jarful of pills and wi... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=149 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:51:09 +0100 I’m relatively new to diving (I’ve completed my Open Water course and about 10 additional dives) but notice already that I get bunged up and stuffy after a couple of dives. The wife thinks I’m nuts but my intention was to go away this summer for a 2 week ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=113 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:44:58 +0100 On a recent trip to an unidentified exotic location (I’d rather not say where we were to prevent embarrassment!), we had the opportunity to do some sightseeing from a non-pressurised plane, which we took full advantage of. We then hopped over to another i... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=2&sub_cat=110 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:39:07 +0100 As well as being a keen diver I also have a passion for hang-gliding. I suspect I already know the answer to my question, but I’m going to ask it anyway – would it be safe for me to go hang-gliding after a dive? I’m guessing “no”, but I wondered whether t... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=2&sub_cat=110 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:36:11 +0100 I’ve heard a lot about the mandatory wait before flying home after a dive trip, but is there any advice or issue with the reverse situation, ie. diving after flying? My thinking is that if I’m going on a dive holiday for a week, and know I can’t dive on t... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=2&sub_cat=110 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:34:24 +0100 I was returning from an overseas business trip recently and heard over the tannoy one of the stewardesses asking for a doctor. It turned out that someone was having an angina attack and they wanted some medical help. It all passed off without incident but... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=2&sub_cat=110 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:28:59 +0100 Hi. I’m emailing you on behalf of my dive buddy. We’ve been diving together for 10 years or so, but he’s just been diagnosed with diabetes. He’s 52, and I’m sure he won’t mind me saying, a little bit on the overweight side. His doctor has started him on s... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=18&sub_cat=39 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:12:03 +0100 Last year at my hospital review my diabetes consultant talked to me about an insulin pump, which is supposed to be better than injecting myself several times a day. I’m still thinking about it, and the main reason is because I’m an avid diver and don’t kn... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=18&sub_cat=39 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:10:32 +0100 I am now a 50 year old female, insulin-requiring diabetic, with high blood pressure. I take metformin 3 times daily, inject insulin with meals and at night, and take simvastatin for high cholesterol and quinapril for the blood pressure. My medical was due... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=18&sub_cat=39 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:06:17 +0100 With my work I get the opportunity to have a health screen every 2 years, and I had one last week. I got the usual admonishment for being overweight (my diet is full of fast food, I’ll admit), but on the blood tests they said I had “impaired fasting glyca... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=11&sub_cat=15 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:04:44 +0100 With my work I get the opportunity to have a health screen every 2 years, and I had one last week. I got the usual admonishment for being overweight (my diet is full of fast food, I’ll admit), but on the blood tests they said I had “impaired fasting glyca... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=18&sub_cat=39 Sun, 09 May 2010 06:04:12 +0100 I have been diving since 1988 and have only had to break from diving whilst carrying my twins. During my pregnancy 4 years ago I experienced gestational diabetes and this completely cleared the day I gave birth to my boys. However I was warned that the di... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=57 Sun, 09 May 2010 05:59:50 +0100 I have been diving since 1988 and have only had to break from diving whilst carrying my twins. During my pregnancy 4 years ago I experienced gestational diabetes and this completely cleared the day I gave birth to my boys. However I was warned that the di... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=18&sub_cat=39 Sun, 09 May 2010 05:58:58 +0100 I was born with a cleft lip and palate. I also have a hole in my nasal septum, and have had for around 4 years now. Being totally honest, I used to do cocaine and speed to excess in my London city life. Luckily I saw the light and moved on, and although I... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=57 Sun, 09 May 2010 05:43:24 +0100 As a latecomer to diving I’ve become pretty obsessed with the sport. Having mastered air diving I feel restricted by the 40m depth limit, and would like to take up technical diving so I can get to 40m+, use Trimix, and try wreck and cave diving. But I'm c... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=31&sub_cat=101 Sun, 09 May 2010 05:40:13 +0100 As a latecomer to diving I’ve become pretty obsessed with the sport. Having mastered air diving I feel restricted by the 40m depth limit, and would like to take up technical diving so I can get to 40m+, use Trimix, and try wreck and cave diving. But I'm c... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=128 Sun, 09 May 2010 05:39:48 +0100 As a latecomer to diving I’ve become pretty obsessed with the sport. Having mastered air diving I feel restricted by the 40m depth limit, and would like to take up technical diving so I can get to 40m+, use Trimix, and try wreck and cave diving. But I'm c... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=49 Sun, 09 May 2010 05:39:27 +0100 I’ve had asthma all my life and always thought that meant I could never take up diving. But in the States on holiday recently, I came across a snorkel for asthmatics, with an attachment on the side for an inhaler. I enquired into this and the shop assista... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=14&sub_cat=27 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:46:27 +0000 I have recently signed up to do a PADI diving course and because I have verymild asthma, have been asked to get a medical form signed by my family GP.This she has signed to clear me as Fit for Diving; however she has since contacted me regardi... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=14&sub_cat=27 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:44:53 +0000 My 10 year old daughter Lucy has asthma, which she’s had since birth. In her first few winters it was quite severe and she ended up in hospital on several occasions. Thankfully this has become less frequent as she’s got older, but she still has to take a ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=14&sub_cat=27 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:43:31 +0000 On a recent trip to Australia I went to a locaI diving outfit to book onto a liveaboard. I had asthma as a child but grew out of it years ago so didn’t think it would be a problem. I did mention this to the staff and they took what I thought was a very ha... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=14&sub_cat=27 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:42:28 +0000 Hi. I’m a lifelong asthmatic but in the last couple of years it seems to have got worse, and my GP can’t work out why. I’m 36 now and have been diving for 2 years, never with any lung problems though. My GP referred me to a specialist and they recommended... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=14&sub_cat=27 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:40:30 +0000 I’ve read that diving mammals such as whales have large amounts of body fat, which I suppose is there to keep them warm. So why don’t they get the bends? Isn’t fat partly to blame for decompression sickness? http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=2&sub_cat=90 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:19:44 +0000 I’m due to finish my instructor course in the next couple of months and have got myself into a bit of a panic about my weight. I’ve always been a big lad, a typical rugby forward shape, but I enjoy sport and don’t sit around, so I think I’m quite fit. Thi... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=11&sub_cat=15 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:18:13 +0000 I had weight loss surgery a few years ago. The procedure I had was called gastric bypass. Ironically I sold my dive gear to help pay privately for the procedure, thinking I’d never need it again. But having the surgery gave me a new lease of life and I ha... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=17&sub_cat=24 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:17:27 +0000 I had weight loss surgery a few years ago. The procedure I had was called gastric bypass. Ironically I sold my dive gear to help pay privately for the procedure, thinking I’d never need it again. But having the surgery gave me a new lease of life and I ha... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=11&sub_cat=15 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:16:08 +0000 My doctor has agreed to put me on some medication to help me lose weight. I’ve been overweight for most of my life and whatever I do I can’t seem to shift it. Over the years I’ve lost a bit with crash diets but the weight always ends up piling back on, of... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=11&sub_cat=15 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:14:35 +0000 My girlfriend had a recent family bereavement and she’s started to get panic attacks at random times. She starts hyperventilating and gets palpitations. The attacks last a few minutes and she’s getting better at controlling them with breathing exercises (... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=31&sub_cat=101 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:08:10 +0000 My doctor has recently put me on some treatment for depression. It’s something I’ve suffered with over the years and normally I can get through it without needing medication. This time round it’s been accompanied by (or perhaps resulted from) stress at wo... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=31&sub_cat=101 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:07:29 +0000 My doctor has recently put me on some treatment for depression. It’s something I’ve suffered with over the years and normally I can get through it without needing medication. This time round it’s been accompanied by (or perhaps resulted from) stress at wo... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=49 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:07:11 +0000 I was born with a cleft lip and palate. I also have a hole in my nasal septum, and have had for around 4 years now. Being totally honest, I used to do cocaine and speed to excess in my London city life. Luckily I saw the light and moved on, and although I... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=6&sub_cat=164 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:05:48 +0000 I have a mild form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Basically I get pretty miserable between November and March, which makes me clam up in my shell and interferes with my social life. Diving through this period keeps me going but I prefer solo trips.... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=31&sub_cat=101 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:02:02 +0000 As a latecomer to diving I’ve become pretty obsessed with the sport. Having mastered air diving I feel restricted by the 40m depth limit, and would like to take up technical diving so I can get to 40m+, use Trimix, and try wreck and cave diving. But I'm c... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=31&sub_cat=101 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:01:15 +0000 As a latecomer to diving I’ve become pretty obsessed with the sport. Having mastered air diving I feel restricted by the 40m depth limit, and would like to take up technical diving so I can get to 40m+, use Trimix, and try wreck and cave diving. But I'm c... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=49 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:59:57 +0000 As a latecomer to diving I’ve become pretty obsessed with the sport. Having mastered air diving I feel restricted by the 40m depth limit, and would like to take up technical diving so I can get to 40m+, use Trimix, and try wreck and cave diving. But I'm c... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=128 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:58:54 +0000 What is beer diving? http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=117 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:31:10 +0000 Is there some sort of guide as to how quickly alcohol is eliminated from your system? I’d like to be able to estimate how long it takes for me to be alcohol-free after one beer, two beers, eight beers… If one or two post-dive drinks turns into a big binge... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=117 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:30:23 +0000 Myself and my diving friends are taking our mate to Egypt for his stag night next month. We plan to live it up and party all night and then spend the days taking in the Red Sea highlights. We are bound to still be a bit merry in the morning with what we h... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=117 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:29:57 +0000 I have a question about alcohol and pressure. Although I don’t drink and dive, I’m asking purely from a scientific point of view: if there was alcohol in my blood, would its effects be augmented by depth and pressure, in a similar way to a gas (such as ni... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=117 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:29:36 +0000 I’m really lucky as it seems no matter how much I drink (and being a student that is quite a lot) I never wake up with a hangover or any other problems other than being a bit tired (and usually a few cups of strong coffee sort that out). I’ve just joined ... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=5&sub_cat=117 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:29:12 +0000 Common sense tells me it’s not a good idea to smoke tobacco as a diver, but does that apply to things like shisha pipes and cannabis as well? It’s not that I smoke these things all the time, but I have in the past, and want to know whether this would caus... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=14&sub_cat=163 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:09:34 +0000 I’ve been diving for 30-odd years and was a smoker until five years ago (I’m now 48). Unfortunately I think I left giving up a bit too late: I was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) six months ago. The docs say it’s mild but becau... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=14&sub_cat=163 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:09:03 +0000 I’ve been diving for 30-odd years and was a smoker until five years ago (I’m now 48). Unfortunately I think I left giving up a bit too late: I was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) six months ago. The docs say it’s mild but becau... http://midlandsdivingchamber.co.uk/index.php?id=advice&page=6&cat=14&sub_cat=78 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:08:44 +0000