Then thanks to both of you.
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Then thanks to both of you.
Thanks indeed for the response to my posting. Once again cave divers show their support for a fellow diver. I have learned a lot from this thread and will be seeing one of more physicians regarding the IPE. I agree that my case was no where near as severe as denisegg's and I am glad she was able to make a complete recovery.
One more shot in the dark here. Have you checked the inside of your cylinders? Something like lipoid pneumonia comes to mind. Do you always get your gas from the same source? Not sure if this scenario would clear up as quickly on the surface as your symptoms do, but I would certainly take a peek at the cylinders and gas before selling everything. Best of luck.
Brian
It makes me wonder if it could be related to the small differences in ambient pressure and the pressure in the lungs? I've noticed that at the surface, especially after swimming when I'm breathing hard. That small difference between being neck deep and having my chest out of the water is very clear in how much easier it is to breathe.
IPE that is classically described is not cardiac related, its a diagnosis of exclusion and related to exertion when swimming in cold water and feeling cold. A diver with IPE should have a cardiac workup to insure its not cardiac, because that has far more ominous repercussions.
IPE resolves very quickly, usually once diver is out of water. Warming up helps too.
Will it reoccur? There is no guarantee, I've seen it twice and it hasn't happened to the same patients since. Two things can be done to avoid it in the future:
High fitness level by V02 max and then not reaching that level when swimming, rationale: it hasn't been described if if a diver doesnt' exert onself
Warmth at all times: although there are reports of IPE in 'warm' water, its unclear what warm means. In surveys of cases IPE has occured in 70+F water, but that can cause core heat loss in unprotected bodies. Most cases are clearly water classified as cold, 60+F.