Heart Murmurs

[StevieM]

Hi All!

Just back from my dive medical for a trip in August. I was worried that my blood pressure would be a problem - but it turns out that's fine, but I have a very mild (1-2?) heart murmur.

The doc says that I need to go for an echocardiogram before he can decide whether or not I'm fit to dive.

I was wondering if anyone else YD has been in this situation, and whether or not I should hold out any hope that I'll be able to dive on the "trip of a lifetime" that I've been planning (and paying) for the last year?

Cheers,

Steve

[MATTBIN]

Stevie
I had severe chest pains last year so went for an echo do dah, all turned out fine, stress related, however I had noticed I was having murmurs too, a sort of fluttering in the chest (is yours like that). I stopped drinking caffeine in my tea/coffee, they have gone away, in fact it only took days for me to notice they had ceased once I stopped drinking caffeine. De-caff coffee isnt that bad these days - I buy Nescafe original (decaff). Tea - Earl Grey decaff.

Oh yeah I'm 51, if that makes any difference.

HTH
best of luck.
Matt

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by StevieM

The doc says that I need to go for an echocardiogram before he can decide whether or not I'm fit to dive.

Shrug.
I have that every year.
The ECG will probably call a halt to my diving but it's getting better not worse ATM.

I was wondering if anyone else YD has been in this situation, and whether or not I should hold out any hope that I'll be able to dive on the "trip of a lifetime" that I've been planning (and paying) for the last year?

A heart is something you look after. A proper diving medical specialist is what you really need. Pay the money for an exam from a guy who will tell you what you need to do to stay diving. The UKSDMC have a good history for keeping people diving so when they say stop you know they're not kidding.

[StevieM]

Matt,

The annoying thing for me is that I'm fitter now than I think I've ever been. I run about 20 miles a week, cycle about 40 miles and try to get a mile or so in the pool too. I don't have any symptoms that I'm aware of, just that the doc had a listen to my chest and could hear a quiet whooshing sound between thumps.

I'll try to stay off the caffine anyway, as I don't think it can do anything other than help!

Cheers for the advice,

Steve

[StevieM]

Cheers Nigel,

I'll look into the UKSDMC as an option for certification.

Steve

[Ivon]

Originally Posted by MATTBIN

Stevie
I had severe chest pains last year so went for an echo do dah, all turned out fine, stress related, however I had noticed I was having murmurs too, a sort of fluttering in the chest (is yours like that). I stopped drinking caffeine in my tea/coffee, they have gone away, in fact it only took days for me to notice they had ceased once I stopped drinking caffeine. De-caff coffee isnt that bad these days - I buy Nescafe original (decaff). Tea - Earl Grey decaff.

Oh yeah I'm 51, if that makes any difference.

HTH
best of luck.
Matt

Seems I suffered palputations not a murmur, don't know the difference but it sounds better.

Ivon

[Hellvet]

Firstly - i'm a vet not a doctor - so get a medical opinion from a human doctor! However much of the physiology is the same...Murmurs can be caused by a number of factors - turbulent flow (anaemia, low blood protein level), physical problems (hole in the heart, leaky valve, endocarditis), and "innocent" or flow murmurs (sometimes heard in the very fit, due to a rapid blood flow when the heart is beating efficiently).

They can be something and nothing. Some people have a murmur their whole life and never have a problem, some people have a heart problem picked up because of it, some people have a heart problem and no murmur. However diving being what it is it is important to discover the cause as some of the potential causes could be a problem, so your doc has done the right thing in referring you for an echo to look at blood flow in your heart.

However it is important to get a diving referees opinion as well as they have more ability and expertise in differentiating between conditions which will affect you while diving, and those which might be picked up but may not affect your ability to dive.
IMO worth getting an opinion from a UKSDMC cardiology referee (there are only 3) once you have more results - even if only by phone!

Dr. David Lindsay, Gloucester Royal Hospital, Great Western Road, Gloucester, GL1 3NN. Tel. 01452 394766.

Dr. Peter Wilmshurst, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Mytton Oak Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 8XQ. Tel. 01743 261000.

Dr. Stephen Glen, Stirling Royal Infirmary, Livilands, Stirling, FK8 2AU. Tel. 01786 434153

[StevieM]

Hellvet,

Fingers crossed it's because I'm extremely fit ;-)

I'll be sure to give one of the referees a call. (Probably the one at the Gloucester Royal - I was born there!)

Thanks for the great advice - do many people take their pets diving with them? :-)

Steve

[MATTBIN]

Originally Posted by StevieM

Hellvet,

Fingers crossed it's because I'm extremely fit ;-)

I'll be sure to give one of the referees a call. (Probably the one at the Gloucester Royal - I was born there!)

Thanks for the great advice - do many people take their pets diving with them? :-)

Steve

I believe some take their ponies diving,

coat, running.
Matt

[Kent Tooling]

Steve

Have a word with Chris P on here as he is a Medical Referee an he may be able to give you some advise.

I had a hart mermer (hole in the hart) when i was little (no comments Mr Nye) and i was lucky enough to have a major operation when i was 12 i am now coming up to 40 to correct it, i still have to go to the hospital every 3 years to be checked if every think is OK, and due to being posted back in 97 i have to have a medical by a referee every 2 years.

I hope everything turns out Ok and you are able to go on the trip of your life time if you require any further information regarding my medical condition feel free to contact me on the number below.

Steve and other members of YD remember i am NOT a doctor or a medical person i just know a bit about my medical condition and history

John