Any scuba divers out there? Bloating and diving

[Kimberly B]

• Barotraumas of ascent (overexpansion injuries)
• Lung overexpansion injury

Arterial gas embolism: Air or other breathing gas in the blood stream, causing blockage of small blood vessels.
Intestinal gas overexpansion
Middle ear overpressure (reversed ear) (also alternobaric vertigo)
Sinus overpressure (aerosinusitis)
Tooth overpressure (dental barotrauma, barodontalgia)

I am an avid scuba diver, when I am in a location to do so. I am going to Maui in two weeks, but have been struggling with bloating from SIBO, as mentioned in an earlier post. I will have been on flagyl and Keflex three weeks by then but in the middle of the night it hit me that having trapped air in my intestines on descent while scuba diving could be a real problem, as on ascent your lungs, gut, everywhere where there are air spaces that have been compressed due to the depth of the water and the atmospheres of pressure above you, expands. THats why scuba ascents are gradual, and stops are made for three minutes every 15 feet or so, to "off gas"

Does anyone have experience with this? It's probably a rare questions, but I have got to make sure that day I dive I am not bloated, it either ends up in a very painful gut or a rupture....

 

[Ricky136]

Kimberly,

I consulted DAN (divers alert network) and the answer I got was wait at least a year and all should be well. I know that doesn't make you feel any better. I would call them tel:+1-800-446-2671.

I have been a couple times, and I had no problems, but it was definitely in the back of my mind.

Have fun in Maui!

 

[Kimberly B]

HiI have been many times I up am 15 years out...but I have a ton of trapped air in my stomach and am visibly bloated. I'll try DAN thanks for the number....

 

[Ricky136]

I would be interested in the response. I could imagine discomfort, but I would doubt serious injury, due to the gas that is already there is being compressed as you go down and expanding again as you go back up. Off - gassing and safety stops are mainly for blood gasses.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Have you tried going OFF the probiotics for a day or two. My HORRIFIC gas decreased by about 90% in less than 24 hours. Later, I reintroduced that stuff SLOWLY.

 

[Munchkin]

Huh? If that was a likely issue, I would be dead by now. Guts and stomachs can stretch a lot! I have never been big on eating before diving so I usually go down pretty empty. Perhaps that's why I have never had a problem.

 

[bearmom]

Just like you aren't supposed to hold your breath while ascending so lungs won't expand, I'd also not stifle any fart on the way up.

And now that you have me thinking about this, I also won't be doing any cold water dives that require a dry suit, because I DON'T want to be a self contained fart in one of those.

I assume you're talking about dives where it's warm enough to not need wet/dry suits?

 

[Kimberly B]

Yes I was talking about warm water diving I'm going to Maui next week but I actually did a lot of travel last week and changed pressure often, and now have a perforated eardrum! I'm seeing the ENT guy tomorrow I hope that they'll even let me swim!

 

[huskerchad]

Late to this game, but I dive several times a year and have never had an issue. It's conceivable trapped gas could expand during ascent, and in fact while DAN does not address this issue directly, they do in the context of some GI disorders advise that you don't dive when you have distention due to gas.

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/Gastrointestinal_Issues

 

[Sheanie]

Or you could do what I just did in Key West while on a snorkeling trip. Chicken Out. Totally, and without shame. Backed my ass up the steps, flippers, floaties, mask, snorkel and all, in my bikini. Made everyone else back the hell up as well. Because that's just how I roll.

 

[bearmom]

Back yet? How was Hawaii??

 

[Kimberly B]

hi sorry I didn't post before. In hawaii my 15 year old daughter ended up with encephalitis and meningitis, had to be airlifted to another island, leaving two of my other kids behind, etc. But after a 2 week extremely expensive extension, we are home. i went on five incredible dives there, two shore dives no more than 25 feet with my newly resort course certified 10 year old and 18 year old, where we saw a shark, turtle, and 500 pound hawaiin monk seal on my 10 year olds first dive in front of the hotel! I went on two advanced 90 foot at the deepest dives myself with the divemaster. The bloat, all that ? ? no problem. And I am becoming more zenlike and using air much better now than ever before. So diving is even more of a passion of mine now.

 

[newanatomy]

hi sorry I didn't post before. In hawaii my 15 year old daughter ended up with encephalitis and meningitis, had to be airlifted to another island, leaving two of my other kids behind, etc. But after a 2 week extremely expensive extension, we are home. i went on five incredible dives there, two shore dives no more than 25 feet with my newly resort course certified 10 year old and 18 year old, where we saw a shark, turtle, and 500 pound hawaiin monk seal on my 10 year olds first dive in front of the hotel! I went on two advanced 90 foot at the deepest dives myself with the divemaster. The bloat, all that ? ? no problem. And I am becoming more zenlike and using air much better now than ever before. So diving is even more of a passion of mine now.

You were able to dive with a perforated eardrum?

Yes I was talking about warm water diving I'm going to Maui next week but I actually did a lot of travel last week and changed pressure often, and now have a perforated eardrum! I'm seeing the ENT guy tomorrow I hope that they'll even let me swim!

 

[Kimberly B]

Oops I never updated that! The GP said it looked perforated. The ENT guy told me it was TMJ I could dive just fine and I should get my implants crowned because my bite was way off! I've never been diagnosed with TMJ before, though I know I grind my teeth. So that's the answer to that sorry.

 

[newanatomy]

Good to know, glad you had a great time.