You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Can Transplant Patients scuba dive with new Lungs?
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
no they cant.
reasons I have been told by the doctor and the scuba instructor when I tried was
1. the pressure on your lungs is too great, its bad for normal people., worse for us..
2. you wouldnt be able to tell if you were aspirating, apparently with severed nerves you cant tell
3. increase risk of pnemothorax (collapse lung) due to pressure
You also have to fill in a medical questionaire and as soon as they read "transplant" you are immediately denied....
you can however go snorkling, which in my opinion just isnt the same!
Tracy
reasons I have been told by the doctor and the scuba instructor when I tried was
1. the pressure on your lungs is too great, its bad for normal people., worse for us..
2. you wouldnt be able to tell if you were aspirating, apparently with severed nerves you cant tell
3. increase risk of pnemothorax (collapse lung) due to pressure
You also have to fill in a medical questionaire and as soon as they read "transplant" you are immediately denied....
you can however go snorkling, which in my opinion just isnt the same!
Tracy
No. Besides the pervious post, your chance of getting pseudomonas from the regulator is very high. The compressed air can even cause this infection in navy divers. I do know of one TX that was going to go diving.
If my new lungs reject, and I am on the great barrier reef, and I can't get a re-TX, yahoo, I'm going diving. I use to dive and have a card.
For other information call DAN (Divers Alert Network) located in Durham N. C. and use to be associated with Duke University Medical Center.
You can tell when your asperating post TX and the pneumonia is life threatening.
If my new lungs reject, and I am on the great barrier reef, and I can't get a re-TX, yahoo, I'm going diving. I use to dive and have a card.
For other information call DAN (Divers Alert Network) located in Durham N. C. and use to be associated with Duke University Medical Center.
You can tell when your asperating post TX and the pneumonia is life threatening.
I found the statement of not knowing if you were aspirating rediculious, but that was one of the reasons that was told to me by more then one dive instructor.....
I did however have one dive place that was going to refer me to a doctor that does assessments on dive instructors to do some tests, but I never got around to going...just pretty much gave into the idea that it wasnt going to happen
anyway good luck with it
Tracy
I did however have one dive place that was going to refer me to a doctor that does assessments on dive instructors to do some tests, but I never got around to going...just pretty much gave into the idea that it wasnt going to happen
anyway good luck with it
Tracy
I
IG
Guest
Actually since this is a rather *hopeful* dream of mine I can tell you that it's possible, have to go through an awful lot to be able to but *possible*.
When talking to my TX doctor about it he said after a period of 5 years after my transplant I will be tested, PFT's, and a whole bunch of other tests to make sure everything is good, working order, etc. After that, if everything is in tip top shape, I can then discuss it with a dive instructor with regulations placed on me, i.e. a certain diving depth, extremely diligent of the rules, etc.
It might not be possible for me, depending on how well I'm doing in another 3 years or so but if my PFTs and everything else turn out alright then hopefully I can dive. I don't want to become certified or anything such as that but maybe go down to the caribbean and dive once or twice would be awesome enough for me. Of course that was just with my Dallas transplant doctor. Since I have moved my new doctor might say no. So... I don't know I'm just passing on info that my original TX doctor gave me.
When talking to my TX doctor about it he said after a period of 5 years after my transplant I will be tested, PFT's, and a whole bunch of other tests to make sure everything is good, working order, etc. After that, if everything is in tip top shape, I can then discuss it with a dive instructor with regulations placed on me, i.e. a certain diving depth, extremely diligent of the rules, etc.
It might not be possible for me, depending on how well I'm doing in another 3 years or so but if my PFTs and everything else turn out alright then hopefully I can dive. I don't want to become certified or anything such as that but maybe go down to the caribbean and dive once or twice would be awesome enough for me. Of course that was just with my Dallas transplant doctor. Since I have moved my new doctor might say no. So... I don't know I'm just passing on info that my original TX doctor gave me.
Having talked to Navy dive docs. and having been OKed years ago by a pulmonologist, this is unlikely to be a good idea. If you have your own regulator and hoses, etc. you may get away with a couple of dives to around 1 atmosphere (33 feet). This is high risk, yet so is a TX. Have your docs call D. A. N. They have more knowledge and are the best in the world. Past issues of the DAN newletter deal with trying to clean a regulator, you can get past issues from a library or perhaps a dive instructor. Few dive instructors even know of the pseudomonas risk from regulators. NEVER USE A RESORT OR RENTAL REGULATOR unless you want a raging pesudomonas infection (compressed air will penetrate the bacteria into your lung tissue, sort of like injection throughout your lungs any potential bacteria).
In the correct setting, I would take my old equipment, clean the regulator (easy breathing)and octapus plus spare air, and dive. That is why I have not identified myself (post TX).
In the correct setting, I would take my old equipment, clean the regulator (easy breathing)and octapus plus spare air, and dive. That is why I have not identified myself (post TX).