No Fun

I've been wanting to scuba dive for quite a long time so this week when I went for my yearly follow up I asked my Dr. if I can get my scuba certification and how is my PM rated for this.
Much to my disappointment I received a NO from my Dr. Apparently my Medtronic has a very low rating for scuba diving and with my past complications he really doesn't want to switch my pack unless absolutely necessary. So in another 6.5 yrs when I'm due for a battery change I'm getting a better one so I can scuba dive!!!!!
So then I asked him if I can skydive!? He looked at me like I was crazy, like "we are trying to keep you alive and you want to jump out of a plane" crazy look....BUT he didn't say NO!! There is hope.

6 Comments

100

by Tracey_E - 2013-04-28 09:04:08

I meant 100ft not meters! Never type before coffee

limits

by Tracey_E - 2013-04-28 09:04:24

Check with medtronic to find out exactly how deep you can go. Deep dives are probably not a good idea, but shallow ones should be ok. I think most pm's are good for at least 100m.

Certification is mostly done in a POOL. Surely you can get certified. See if you even like it first, then figure out a way to make it happen if you do. If you are near me (southeast FL), I know a fabulous instructor, former Coast Guard. And I'll introduce you to my dr while you're here, I love him. His attitude is always find a way to make it work, he never tells me no.

I've always gone on the theory it's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. So far it hasn't gotten me into too much trouble. ;o) If he didn't say no, then obviously that is a yes. Post pictures when you try it.

SCUBA Diving Redux!

by donr - 2013-04-28 09:04:49

OK, I put my money where my mouth is & Googled on "scuba diving & pacemakers." Got a ton and a half of great stuff. Even found a link to a PMC thread that had a quote from Medtronics about their testing of their PM's for pressure.

The first one up was by a Navy Physician/qualified Navy diver. The second was a series of posts from this site.

They essentially say the same thing - There is NO reason why you cannot recreationally dive w/ a PM - AS LONG AS you get clearance from your Cardio. Not for the PM, but for the health of your heart & its ability to function under the stress of diving.

That effectively says you need a new cardio - one that will RATIONALLY & realistically examine your situation & advise you on that basis. Yours obviously works on a kneejerk reaction basis.

A few months ago, I faced potential hyperbaric chamber therapy for a messy infection I got post-op. My #2 Daughter is an ER Doc & a certified chamber Doc. She researched her material & found the same data as reported by the diving hits from my search - I was good to 160 ft of sea water equivalent in their chamber.

To the implanted PM, it makes no difference whether it is in water or high pressure air - it's inside your body & isolated from the source of high pressure.

Good searching!

Don

Find another cardio

by donr - 2013-04-28 12:04:27

The PM is inside you. How is the pressure going to affect it? It is in a hermetically sealed titanium can. It should be perfectly safe to dive with - unless, of course, you are going to go deep w/ helium instead of nitrogen.

Go to Medtronics yourself & find out if you can dive. There are many SCUBA divers in here. Have you performed a search of the site yet?

If you've had the PM for a year, you should be able to skydive - especially if you are experienced. Again, search the site for experienced members.

Don

It should be ok

by mtaylor - 2013-05-09 08:05:31

I emailed Medtronic this morning to ask about diving. Shallow dives are fun anyways, you can go for longer!

This is straight from medtronic

by mtaylor - 2013-05-10 05:05:35

Your physician has personal knowledge of your particular medical situation. For this reason, Medtronic recommends activities like scuba diving, be discussed directly with your doctor.

Your physician may suggest you limit certain activities to a level that is more restrictive based on medical concerns rather than the single factor of pressure tolerance of your implanted heart device.

There are many factors associated with scuba diving and specific depth limitations cannot be provided. Some of the factors include:

· Possibility of blows to the area of the device during the time the device is under pressure stress
· The number of pressure cycles the device is exposed to over the implant time of the device
· The activity or exertion level of the individual during the dive

Our heart device pressure testing is conducted for compatibility with hyperbaric chamber therapy. As a result of this testing, Medtronic can share with you that a pressure of two and one-half atmospheres absolute is the maximum pressure recommended for hyperbaric chamber therapy.

If you wish to view this and additional heart device information online, it can be found on our website at: www.medtronic.com/rhythms.

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