Scuba Diving and CIDP?

    • Anonymous
      January 6, 2008 at 9:08 am

      I want to learn scuba diving and I need a medical clearance but none of the doctors I go to know anything about my illness except my neurologist and he is hiding from me.

      My regular GP ran away a couple of years ago, funny thing is the GP I go to now isnt interested in learning about my illness yet has got results for me in Physio therapy and other medical procedures while that other useless Doctor I spent 5 years training about my illness never did anything good for me except run away.

      Does anyone have any knowledge of the dangers for CIDP patients? I am leaving in a weeks time so I need to know before then. If I don’t get a satisfactory answer you know I am going to come after you, just send the airfare first.

      Don’t believe everything you see this is not my first post!

    • Anonymous
      January 6, 2008 at 9:27 pm

      My neuro usually tells me, “if you feel like doing it, do it.” I am not a doctor, but I see no harm in doing what you feel safe within your personal limits.

    • Anonymous
      January 7, 2008 at 10:21 pm

      I’m going to give you my five cents worth. I don’t believe there is a medical contraindication. HOWEVER, it depends on what type of strength you have. I went snorkeling and tried to do some free dives and didn’t have the strength to do so.I used a buddy so I didn’t float away:) Even so you have a weight belt and BC for rising and falling, you have to have significant leg strength. Now, you can buddy dive without a problem. They just need to know your limitations as far as mobility. Does that help?

    • Anonymous
      January 10, 2008 at 3:40 am

      Thanks guys,

      I had my infusion yesterday and talking to the nurse who scuba dives she said getting the bends would be disastrous for me with CIDP so I made an appointment with the neurologist tomorrow to see what he knows. I do fatigue easily and its painful moving around anyway so I am reconsidering it. I might try the snorkeling thing first.

    • Anonymous
      January 10, 2008 at 9:51 am

      Just the thought of it scares me to death 😮 You might not have the strength to get back up never mind if you “got into trouble”. I have found that “just swimming” wears me out and the next day, I pay! If they let you dive, I feel, that would be asking your partners to be responsible for an awful lot . . . I would wish for you to enjoy some thrill ~ perhaps skydiving 😀 Good luck!

    • Anonymous
      January 10, 2008 at 9:53 am

      I doubt you would get the bends while learning to dive. They watch you like a hawk. But if you fatigue easily, I can’t express enough how much energy is used unless a buddy is swimming for you. In Florida there are groups that take para and quadraplegic’s out diving, but they are truly buddy supported. Snorkeling is great! You can float around, put a big ugly intertube on you if needed and see quite a bit! Enjoy, and it will probably help your pain a bit too!

    • Anonymous
      January 11, 2008 at 5:58 pm

      I’m with Gabrielle — the odds of getting the bends during recreational scuba diving is highly unlikely. If you don’t the strength to do it, thats one thing. But if you do have enough strength, what about CIDP would make it riskier? And why on would you need a drs release — THAT seems unfair to your neurologist.

      eta I dove regularly with CMT and did just fine. No one dives without a buddy, ever. I’d feel very comfortable still diving with my husband as my partner. BUT, I do wonder these days how much my autonomic system is being effected, which makes me wonder how much is CIDP verses just plain being out of shape.