Helen Butcher
01-03-2005, 17:26
At last a diagnosis - i have (and i quote) a "large" resting right to left shunt, and a "very large" shunt under valsalva provocation.
In some ways i'm really happy - at least there's a reason why i got bent on such a benign dive, and it's something i can get fixed, especially as i have BUPA cover ...however it's quite a mindblower to find out you have a hole in your heart which is shunting all the time even at rest, and not have had it picked up before, but only because i went diving - i've even had 2 general anaesthetics and nothing been queried!
The doctor wouldn't let me watch the scan cos i'm a vet and it might have affected how well i did what he asked me, cos i would have been watching the results rather than concentrating on what he was asking me to do...but he did let me watch the video afterwards, and gave me a pretty picture of all the bubbles in my heart(!) I feel like an expectant mother with a picture of her unborn baby on a scan - i keep pulling it out for people (mainly my dive buddies obviously) to have a look.
I knew there was a hole when he injected my fizzed up blood and said "oooh, thats impressive", at this point i turned and looked at him and said "so there's a hole then?!", and he replied "yep, pretty much".
Got an appointment with Wilmshurst this month sometime, he rang me at home on sunday evening (while the cave diving programme was on - he really does ring at odd times) , and it was reassuring that he asked me questions about my diving - everyone else so far has said "oh, you're a diver then" and not asked anything else - i feel like someone is finally relating my symptom(my bend) to my diagnosis...
allowed back in the water in the meantime, one dive/day, very slow ascent rates, diving richest nitrox mix possible on air tables, 20m max. Medical done by DDRC last tuesday - they didn't even ask if i wanted to dive again - Dr Bryson just said that i knew enough about physiology to decide whether i wanted to take the risk, said i needed to get the PFO angle checked and then said they'd be there for me when i need them! Nice people!
Luckily the club has previous experience of PFO's, as a previous club member had a big hole and had to wait a while before getting it fixed. She took the decision not to dive until it was fixed - i may decide differently, but we'll see. I'm currently coming up with a strategy for any future diving, in conjunction with my DO and TO. Any suggestions gratefully received. We're thinking along the lines of shore diving with a volunteer to carry my kit, no exertion after diving, breathing nitrox for extended periods after the dive, shallow dives, etc, etc.
Helen
In some ways i'm really happy - at least there's a reason why i got bent on such a benign dive, and it's something i can get fixed, especially as i have BUPA cover ...however it's quite a mindblower to find out you have a hole in your heart which is shunting all the time even at rest, and not have had it picked up before, but only because i went diving - i've even had 2 general anaesthetics and nothing been queried!
The doctor wouldn't let me watch the scan cos i'm a vet and it might have affected how well i did what he asked me, cos i would have been watching the results rather than concentrating on what he was asking me to do...but he did let me watch the video afterwards, and gave me a pretty picture of all the bubbles in my heart(!) I feel like an expectant mother with a picture of her unborn baby on a scan - i keep pulling it out for people (mainly my dive buddies obviously) to have a look.
I knew there was a hole when he injected my fizzed up blood and said "oooh, thats impressive", at this point i turned and looked at him and said "so there's a hole then?!", and he replied "yep, pretty much".
Got an appointment with Wilmshurst this month sometime, he rang me at home on sunday evening (while the cave diving programme was on - he really does ring at odd times) , and it was reassuring that he asked me questions about my diving - everyone else so far has said "oh, you're a diver then" and not asked anything else - i feel like someone is finally relating my symptom(my bend) to my diagnosis...
allowed back in the water in the meantime, one dive/day, very slow ascent rates, diving richest nitrox mix possible on air tables, 20m max. Medical done by DDRC last tuesday - they didn't even ask if i wanted to dive again - Dr Bryson just said that i knew enough about physiology to decide whether i wanted to take the risk, said i needed to get the PFO angle checked and then said they'd be there for me when i need them! Nice people!
Luckily the club has previous experience of PFO's, as a previous club member had a big hole and had to wait a while before getting it fixed. She took the decision not to dive until it was fixed - i may decide differently, but we'll see. I'm currently coming up with a strategy for any future diving, in conjunction with my DO and TO. Any suggestions gratefully received. We're thinking along the lines of shore diving with a volunteer to carry my kit, no exertion after diving, breathing nitrox for extended periods after the dive, shallow dives, etc, etc.
Helen