Cave Diving fitness

[kieren]

+1,, sounds like brovado but its better to die doing what you love than to live doing what you hate.

It sounds romantic to "die doing what you love" and we hear that a lot in diving. Once you've dragged a couple bodies out of the water, it loses the romance.

Being aware of your limitations based on your health is not just for your wellbeing, but also for those you are entering the water with and the recovery divers who put themselves at risk to clean up the mess. Ask anyone who has had a teammate pass away in front of them in the water if it was a romantic ending.

Sometimes the responsible decision is hard, especially when it might mean giving up what you love most and have dedicated your life to. But you have to consider the impact it could have on those around you and the danger you might be putting them in.

Get an annual medical screening by a physician who truly understands the physiological stress cave/decompression diving has on you. Maintain a level of fitness appropriate for the diving you are doing. Cave diving seems relaxing and peaceful when all is going well, but when things go south, your body needs to be able to handle the additional stress of being underwater with heavy equipment, increased work of breathing/decreased ability to ventilate, and high CO2 levels. Cave diving is dangerous, and there is no excuse to get in the water with your most important piece of equipment already broken.




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[cavewoman]

I don't think it's romantic, nor would I be thankful for someone dying doing what they love especially when those remaining don't get to have a proper goodbye. It's heartbreaking. A long time ago I fully embraced that I won't be able to cave dive forever. I love it, but I also enjoy a lot of other things. There is no shame in just letting go and holding on to the memories.

[Dominick Gheesling]

Do these tanks make my ass look big?

[kensuf]

It sounds romantic to "die doing what you love" and we hear that a lot in diving. Once you've dragged a couple bodies out of the water, it loses the romance.

Being aware of your limitations based on your health is not just for your wellbeing, but also for those you are entering the water with and the recovery divers who put themselves at risk to clean up the mess. Ask anyone who has had a teammate pass away in front of them in the water if it was a romantic ending.

Sometimes the responsible decision is hard, especially when it might mean giving up what you love most and have dedicated your life to. But you have to consider the impact it could have on those around you and the danger you might be putting them in.

Get an annual medical screening by a physician who truly understands the physiological stress cave/decompression diving has on you. Maintain a level of fitness appropriate for the diving you are doing. Cave diving seems relaxing and peaceful when all is going well, but when things go south, your body needs to be able to handle the additional stress of being underwater with heavy equipment, increased work of breathing/decreased ability to ventilate, and high CO2 levels. Cave diving is dangerous, and there is no excuse to get in the water with your most important piece of equipment already broken.




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Having participated in a few recoveries, let me echo the sentiment Jon has written here.

[Me]

Been thinking about this very topic lately. Diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and osteoporosis this year has me seriously considering selling the tanks and sticking to conservative pretty fishy diving.

[FW]

Blood Pressure is controllable with medication, surely this alone would not influence you to stop diving??

I figure that if I have a heart attack on land, they might be able to revive me. Underwater no chance. Like I said I haven't missed anything.

[DogDiver]

Interesting post. I?m 69 years old and 19 months ago I weighed 360 pounds. I had weight loss surgery followed 10 weeks later by a total right knee to match my total left knee 8 years ago. 177 pounds of weight loss, 82 inches lost. Off all medications. Cardiologist complete work up. I swim 1 mile laps weekly in 45 minutes. My bariatric surgeon, orthopedic surgeon and cardiologist (all three divers at U/F) have cleared me for mixed gas stage decompression cave diving. Went to Roatan last spring and did 40 dives in 2 weeks. I only do one deco dive per day. Just too cold. Oh, with all the weight loss I had to start using a dry suit now.
I?m doing my best diving now then I did in 1966.


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[Burke]

Bp is controllable to a point. Just because meds cant get your bp down, doesnt mean its foolproof and safe. BP issues in my opinion are a hidden cause of many of the ?medical incidents?


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Uncontrolled high BP is a serious health issue. BP well-controlled by medication doesn?t preclude rigorous physical activity.

[oya]

You know what I love?

Not drowning. Or being terrified underwater. Or putting other people in senseless danger.

I am really fond of these things. And I hope I die doing it.

If it takes a routine physical confirming that I'm in relatively good health to participate in cave diving (which I also love) in a way that I can be a safe team-member then so be it.

[gschaut]

Uncontrolled high BP is a serious health issue. BP well-controlled by medication doesn?t preclude rigorous physical activity.

Cave diving is how I keep my BP down. When the poop hits the fan, and my heart tries to hit the afterburner, I close my eyes and remember one of the passages i swam thru.

Lowers my BP every time. The caves are my "go to" place for good memories and calm thoughts.