
PFOs?
#1
Posted 16 November 2013 - 11:21 PM
#2
Posted 17 November 2013 - 07:40 AM
Each wreck has a tale to tell about its life and its demise.
If you are observant while diving in dark places listen to the account each has to tell, You cannot come away unaffected.
Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude
#3
Posted 17 November 2013 - 10:03 AM
I am sorry for your PFO (and yes, I had to research a bit to understand what this is and how it affects your ability to enjoy regular diving). One surprising factoid I discovered is that Patent Foramen Ovale, a small hole between the left and right sides of the heart from birth, is relatively common. One article references and study estimating up to 30% of adults have a PFO yet live normal lives unaware they even have the condition.
This article I found speaks positively regarding successful closure surgery, which I would presume is possible with less intrusive arthroscopic procedures. Ironically, the DAN website is actually canvassing for volunteers to help in a risk/benefots study of PFO with or without the closure surgery. Here is a link to the DAN article.
Whatever you choose to do we are all here for you as fellow divers wishing the best possible outcome. As Jerry said, our prayers go out to you and your family.
Finally broken to plow and harnessed to the traces. How may I help you today? Questions welcomed to charlies@singledivers.com
"My secret to maintaining this goofy façade? It ain't no façade." - Brad, the
"I don't make up jokes; I just observe Congress and report the facts." - Will Rogers
#4
Posted 17 November 2013 - 11:31 AM
Brad is right.. DAN will have lots of info as well and we invite you to share with us thru this journey as I'm sure many of us will be shocked with the same 'diagnosis'. And we of course are worried about you so want to know what you find out.

Again we'll keep you in our prayers... please keep us updated! kamala
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#5
Posted 19 November 2013 - 09:53 AM
Good luck.
#6
Posted 21 November 2013 - 01:05 PM
First some history - because I have migraines, I was concerned about whether I should be tested for PFO before I got into technical and cave diving. I did some research and Doug Ebserole's name kept coming up - he is a cardiologist who is actually doing studies on PFO's with DAN and also regularly performs PFO corrective surgeries. I ended up having a couple of PM conversations with him and he was happy to talk with me and very helpful with my questions. The answers I got surprised me...
I've linked below to a thread on another board discussing this very issue (would not normally link to another board but in this case I think it is very important) where the doctor makes a general statement that, "There is no reason to give up diving (or never start) because you have a PFO."
http://www.scubaboar...dition-pfo.html
I apologize if this is a breach in protocol but I did think this was an important issue and couldn't PM it.
#7
Posted 21 November 2013 - 02:18 PM
Kate, thank you for such an insightful and empathetic post.Well I would have PM'ed this but I can't bc I'm not a full member anymore... I hope it is OK to post to this to this thread...
*Snippers*
I apologize if this is a breach in protocol but I did think this was an important issue and couldn't PM it.

P.S. Relax, Angel.


Finally broken to plow and harnessed to the traces. How may I help you today? Questions welcomed to charlies@singledivers.com
"My secret to maintaining this goofy façade? It ain't no façade." - Brad, the
"I don't make up jokes; I just observe Congress and report the facts." - Will Rogers
#8
Posted 21 November 2013 - 02:46 PM
As many have already mentioned DAN will be one of the best resources for this issue. It's interesting that you post this now because I remember reading an article I believe in alert diver that was reviewing PFOs. I would hate to summarize the article incorrectly and I don't think they had a definite determination in the end but overall I don't believe that it was negative towards PFOs. As someone else mentioned I think they are continuing to perform research into the topic.
I'm currently trying to catch up on the Winter issue of Alert Diver so it must have been in the previous ones this past year. Good luck with your search for information and I hope you discover that you are able to continue to dive with either decision you make (to have surgery or not).
#9
Posted 25 November 2013 - 09:49 PM
#10
Posted 26 November 2013 - 07:40 AM
Sundancediver,Thank you for the great responses! I am doing great. I was diagnosed as a result from having air injected into a vein for varicose vein procedures and had bad reactions. That is a bad idea if you have a PFO. I did read the DAN articles and info. I was just curious if there were other up to date experiences out there. If I dive again soon, I will volunteer to be a DAN test subject. One thing I have not seen is if Nitrox would be good to use to minimize nitrogen bubbles. I can't quite get my brain around whether it would matter or not. If its nitrogen, oxygen or air, I don't think it matters if the bubbles go to your brain. But maybe it would help with DCS? I will ask DAN. I will continue diving but plan to dive conservatively and only in places that have access to a chamber. So, Tanzania may be out which we just looked at! Thanks again for the posts!
Just want to preface this post with I'm not a doctor nor am I pretending to be one.
Based on my knowledge of compression theory and Nitrox you may in fact be slightly better off with Nitrox to help prevent DCS while also having the PFO but gas bubbles in the blood would bad (as you know) regardless of the type of gas bubble. The idea behind Nitrox is that the O2 replaces the nitrogen that would typically dissolve into tissues during a dive. The help from Nitrox in terms of decreased surface intervals and increased bottom times comes from the fact that our bodies can actually use any O2 that gets dissolved in tissues when under pressure (diving). All gas dissolves and purges from tissues at different rates so this is why deep divers and tech divers also start to add helium to the mix of gases when they are going longer and deeper for dives (I know there are other reasons for using helium but just wanted to mention it). If there is O2 dissolved in a diver's tissues when the O2 starts to come out of the tissues during decompression the body can actually use some of the O2 that comes out and reducing the amount that has to be exhaled. The rest would just be passed to the lungs and exhaled.
All that said, it would seem to me if you follow conservative dive profiles to prevent bubbles from forming in the blood stream I think using Nitrox would help decrease the chances that bubbles would have the chance to form due to the increased possible usage of them in the body.
If anyone thinks my theories are off please let me know.
Definitely keep us all in the loop on this. I'm curious about the situation and hopefully you will be able to dive again safely with or without the surgery.

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