Nasal Decongestants

[adam0321]

we shoot our students ( military dive school) up with afrin. but there is a trick to taking it. you have to get on your knees snort it and rotate your head on the ground from side to side. no joke

[mfascuba]

I had a reverse block in my sinuses a couple years ago at Jackson Blue that scared the crap outta me - the doctor at the hospital told me to use Afrin. Now if I have any issues, I take a 12 hr sudafed (the real stuff that you have to sign for) and 12 hr Afrin an hour or two before I dive, no more issues. Generally I take both as I'm pulling onto the road on the way out of the driveway, got a few hours to get everything working as needed.

Mark

[sdenney]

A fellow diver died from Afrin not too long ago. Afrin was recommended by DAN as "safe" to used for diving, however it is proven to increase your susceptibility to oxtox. Being in the military you're considered expendable, but I prefer to live another day to dive. The caves aren't going anywhere that it's worth risking a possible oxtox episode.

we shoot our students ( military dive school) up with afrin. but there is a trick to taking it. you have to get on your knees snort it and rotate your head on the ground from side to side. no joke

[apitkin]

A fellow diver died from Afrin not too long ago. ... however it is proven to increase your susceptibility to oxtox.

Details please. Facts preferably, rather than hearsay.

Andy

[adam0321]

yeah that is news to me I am going to try to not sound cocky hear but our dmo's ( dive medical officers ) and master divers (not dive masters) wrote the books and dive manuals that most other books were written off of on what is safe and they recomend and approve it for use. And I can assure you in training we do not take an "well he is only an e-2 so he is expendable" approach. and before you guys say it I am not saying the military is the end all of diving athourity quite obviously there are many aspects of diving we do not touch(over head) but it takes alot for something to get approved for military use.

[allen]

My left eistachian tube has an abnormally small opening. In order to dive at all, I start taking NASALCHROME 24 hours before the dive. Just before the dive (suited up but tanks still on the stand) I squirt physiological saline through each nostril and spit it out to wash mucus away from the openings of the eustachian tubes. This works 19 times out of 20.
I have tried PROPLUGS, and I do not recomend them. A small mistake in inserting them can cause serious permanent hearing loss.

[amphipod06]

yeah that is news to me I am going to try to not sound cocky hear but our dmo's ( dive medical officers ) and master divers (not dive masters) wrote the books and dive manuals that most other books were written off of on what is safe and they recomend and approve it for use. And I can assure you in training we do not take an "well he is only an e-2 so he is expendable" approach. and before you guys say it I am not saying the military is the end all of diving athourity quite obviously there are many aspects of diving we do not touch(over head) but it takes alot for something to get approved for military use.

No one is "expendable" in my book...

Ed Thalmann was a USN CAPT... You cannot compare your diving to sport diving. You guys have loads of surface support that include a DMO, a chamber, etc...
The article says that there is a possibility that ingredients in decongestants may be linked to oxtox..

BTW, aviators are not allowed to use decongestants...they end up grounded...

Dive safe,

Celia

[cavediver27]

I have used 12-hour spray Afrin on several occasions 1-2 hours prior to the dive and have had no issues, complications or side-effects. I cleared fine and never had even a hint of a reverse blockage. I have used it on both nitrox and mix dives.

I had discussed using it with DAN and they were fine with it.

[TonyDCaver]

I would recommend not to take any sort of decongestant prior to diving... You run the risk of being trapped underwater if the effects of the medication reverse during the dive, I have had this happen to a friend and he ruptured both ear drums on the ascent. Not a pleasant experience. The active ingredients ( in all of your over the counter or "D" drugs, (Claritin D, Sudafed, Zyrtec D, etc) can cause a lot of side effects underwater that are bad ju ju. For example: Blurred vision, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, nose, or throat, excitability, headache, increased sweating, loss of appetite, nausea, nervousness or anxiety, trouble sleeping, upset stomach, vomiting and weakness. These can continue or go down according to which brand you are using.

The most advisable thing to do when congested is not to dive. I am no Doctor, I work in a pharmacy and know my drugs very well so take my advise as you will.

If I have made any mistakes, I know there are a few Doctor's on the board, please correct me.

-Tony DC

[phillip1]

I would recommend not to take any sort of decongestant prior to diving... You run the risk of being trapped underwater if the effects of the medication reverse during the dive, I have had this happen to a friend and he ruptured both ear drums on the ascent. Not a pleasant experience. The active ingredients ( in all of your over the counter or "D" drugs, (Claritin D, Sudafed, Zyrtec D, etc) can cause a lot of side effects underwater that are bad ju ju. For example: Blurred vision, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, nose, or throat, excitability, headache, increased sweating, loss of appetite, nausea, nervousness or anxiety, trouble sleeping, upset stomach, vomiting and weakness. These can continue or go down according to which brand you are using.

The most advisable thing to do when congested is not to dive. I am no Doctor, I work in a pharmacy and know my drugs very well so take my advise as you will.

If I have made any mistakes, I know there are a few Doctor's on the board, please correct me.

-Tony DC

I will take the advice and when I get congested stay out of the water.
I have never taken any decongestants before to dive but it seems like a really bad idea.