TX and scuba diving

[His way]

I am on my 46 wk of TX for hep c. I did not reach undetectable untill wk 23, so my Doc wants me to go to 70 wks.I am realy starting to worry about long term sx. The coughing and the brain fog especially. I worry that I will not be able to return to the things that I love, scuba & singing. I am wondering if the risk is worth the poss. reward.
Any divers out there, or anyone with an opinion on post tx sx.
Thanks,
Mike

[avidreader]

I lived in Key West and Big Coppit from 1972 to 1984. I went back this year for a quick visit for the first time since I moved North. Although everyone had told me about all of the changes it was still pretty amazing to see.

[travelwhim]

I'm a travel agent and I stick to snorkeling now. It's a shame we can no longer reach our goals. I keep traveling to more and more great reefs but the anxiety has never left me and that's not worth it. I've been on TX 4 different times now and I'm off for at least a year(my decision). I want to at least do a few things I enjoy just in case my days are numbered and enjoy them with as much of my faculties as possible. But you go for it. Let me know and I'll keep you in my prayers.

[His way]

Good advice about informing my dive buddy. My main dive buddy is my wife. We are both nitrox and rescue diver cert. I can not keep my wife out of the water much longer, so even if I find I can not dive or just can not keep up with her, my plan is to get her on a good boat, and I'll take a nap in the shade.
We put our partners through alot when we decide on tx. She has been great but there is a limit to the sacrifice I can expect. 70 weeks is a long time.
My wbc and hgb would have to be alot higher before I would try weaving my way through the surge and sharp reefs of Bonaire.
Regards,
Mike

[madbrad]

Glad  you went...I'm sure when tx is over and your up to speed again strengthwise.You'll be cruising down walls again......BTW where in the Keys??
My brother kept in Sailboat at city marina in KW..I have a friend thats a commercial lobsterman/Spearfisherman....I've had a ton of great time diving all around KW and Marquesas..

[avidreader]

I did some recreational diving in the Caymans about 30 weeks into treatment. My sister was my dive buddy and the DM was a good friend. I didn't have a cough at the time, and I stayed pretty shallow. All that being said, my fatgigue and Brain Fog made for a not entirely enjoyable experience--I was very anxious and I've been diving for years (I spent 12 years in the Florida Keys) so anxiety is not common for me when diving. My doctor okayed it, but after two days w/tanks, I switched to snorkeling and just moseyed around. I missed the grandeur of the wall, but was much more comfortable with myself. Just my experience. I'll definitely dive again off treatment, but age is catching up, so I'm guessing that my days of diving the Brac are over.

[madbrad]

I completely missed that you have a cough......Not good...Have you asked your doc about that cough,and if its just sx of tx?
   I dothink you should be cleared out by then...Heres something to think about,First you have to be Nitrox certified....If you are already then thats no news,its all good....But Nitrox = Energy,Remember that it the o2 that carries fuel to your body,More o2 the less your heart has to work...Just becareful of your Oxygen Window.
  The one thing to keep in mind is something Scuba mentioned about being susceptible to infections....Particularly Respiratory infections....

[His way]

Wow lots of divers out there and lots of good advice. I am planning on finishing tx in Sept. If my brain fog and cough do not get much worse.
I was planning an eazy trip to somewhere like Bonair in Dec. Lots of lugging equip, but eazy diving.
I was under the impression that the drugs would be out of my syst. by 3 months past tx. I like the idea of 38% or 40% nitrox mix. I am  concerned with strain on my heart and how my tissues may off gas.
I did a shallow dive in 1999 in rough, cold ocean while on tx. It was a little rough on the GI syst.

Mike

[madbrad]

  Well if you think about it ,they use the hyperbaric and o2 to treat alot of things. Broken bones and spinal injuries and various things.Because the PP's multiplies the o2 which in turn multiplies the cells which carries the antibodies and nutirients for healing...It actually speeds up the healing process...I do know this for a fact myself...I remember getting cut at work ,and a weekend of diving, air and nitrox( o2 enriched air) for those who aren't familar with nitrox.Whic i'm sure you are though...Atany rate the cut was completely healed over the weekend....W maxed out our dive time.....Tons of bottom time.....But I noticed when I got home from the weekend the cut was healed up....
     I'm already UND...Even better..No HCV RNA detected....I still have 21 weeks to go but I feel heathier then I've felt during the whole tx....As soon as I can get my equipt squared away I'm back in the water....

[hommeworks]

I think you need to be aware of the added risk to your dive buddy and to dive operators which may have to assist you in the event of recovery. I made sure that my dive buddy and the dive boat skipper were well aware of me having HVC and that my INR, RBC WBC were very low. If you were you encounter a bleeding emergency they might have to med-evac you before you bleed out. Plus the risk to other divers of exposure to your tainted blood.

[madbrad]

Thats good advice..For someone partaking in a dive trip.......That wouldn't apply to me since I'm lake diving and my son would be my dive buddy and he knows about the HCV...

But yes definately let the DM know"discreetly" of course,and hopefully he/she would be discreet...And hopefully your dive buddy is someone you know and dive with anyhow....You can tell the stranger dive buddy,but unless that person is a rescue diver they probably wouldn't know what to do in an emergency anyhow, but I agree in being responsible and let them know in the case you may be cut or suffer some God forbid DCS or something......

[scubadiver30]

What a good idea about the PP disolving the meds and taking them inside evrey little tissue in the body...It would be like going into a hyperbaric chamber but it would also boost the SX Right?
I wonder if anybody has done any diving on TX?

regards
scuba

[bobbyullc]

i am 10 months post tx and am selling my scuba gear. with my brain fog and fatigue i would not risk going down even if i had the energy. you are a little late to back out now. the extra weeks should make little difference to sides and may result in svr.
bobby

[madbrad]

Oh and I FORGOT TO ADD......If your a Nitrox diver you might seriously consider diving 40%'s at their MOD's ..To increase o2 and less Nitrogen..Which would maximize the amount of o2 in your blood.
o2 = energy

[madbrad]

Hey fellow diver......I'm a technical diver...I haven't dove in a couple of years....But I do know this...I am getting my stuff tuned up and getting back into...Not technical diving but rec diving...I miss spear fishing.....
    I'm sorry to hear that you did reach UND till late and that you have to extend tx.....If your healthy enough,that is to say can you go thru the physical end of diving? Like carrying your equipt,suiting up,and all that?? If so I WOULD....
   But heres a good question..How does Partial Pressure effect the tx drugs?....It's just supposition on my part and I'm going to research it and find out.....
   But knowing how PP works on the body physically I would think that it would double or triple or quadruple the amount of PEG/Riba in the body who knows...Or it may compress it like gas into a soluable form push it into the tissues and everywhere else,Which to me is a good thing......I'll be back...

[scubadiver30]

Hi there
As you can assume from my nick, I also love diving and I'm on my 21 week of tx. The ribivarin cough & brainfog should go away after you finish (that's waht books say), but 70 weeks is way too long to go back into the water soon. As long as you don't suffer from your ears & your eyeballs pressure you'll be able to go back down to 100 ft.... after let's say 6 -8 months post tx (wild guess but since I'm experiencing your symptoms I know what I can expect if I go back into cold water now. I would finish a tank in 20 minutes and since the WBC is low could get a lung infection from the regulator hose or sea urkin poisoning, in addition to the sensitivity to cold hipotermia....

Since you're going to experience fatigue you should purchase a Tekna DV3 or a diving torpedo to avoid exertion after swimming...
IMHO is 6 to 9 months after your full TX to recover your full diving abilities.
Good diving and best luck with your long course...

saludos
scuba