Antibiotics and diving

[JohnK]

Am planning to go to Stoney next Friday but have picked up one of those `summer head colds`. Sinuses completely blocked. Ive tied vicks sinex, oil of olbas, Pseudafed, large donner with hottest chilli sauce - all to no avail.

Off to the doctors tomorrow for some antibiotics as a last resort. Assuming they succeed, I will still be finishing the course so am planning to dive whilst using them (nitrox 32)

Is this safe , am I nuts any experience, info or help would be appreciated. This happened to me in the maldives and the doc there said wait 2 days but finish the course

Thanks

[Mr T.]

Sorry Kirky mate,

No amount of antibiotics (or any other prescription drug) will ever cure me of diving!    

[MATTBIN]

I am no Doctor but I thought that a common cold could not be cured by antibiotics and that they were given just to ward off secondary infection. Scubadoc might be able to help though.

Matt

[Phill]

01224 681818, ask for duty hyperbaric doctor, ask the consultant you then speak to.
Easy eh ?

[Fiona]

<font color='#0000FF'>Kirky your nuts , I would rather have a cold than dive Stoney. &nbsp;If I had to dive Stoney I would be looking for any excuse.

[Dr Stevil]

<font color='#0000FF'>First thing is, is it a real &quot;cold&quot; or is it rhinitis ? i.e. inflammation of the nasal and sinus membranes?
Probably the latter, as a real cold &nbsp;will have you cattle-trucked and you wouldn't want to dive, unless its still developing.
The common cold is caused by a (corona) virus, if the GP gives you ABs it'll only be as a placebo and he shouldn't even be doing that (AB resistance etc, bad news on an international scale)

I once dived with a bit of a stuffed head (don't know which of the above it was) I ended up off work for three weekes as the effects of pressure exacerbated the effects of the inflammation/infection; as a (diving) nurse told me &quot;the pressure will force the bugs into deeper tissues and make the infection more severe&quot;

Might be best to let yourself get better first

Chee-az
Steve

PS, don't want to sound like a nag but having an illness like a cold is a good point to chuck the smoking if you're still considering it, plus smoking makes you more susceptible to illness generally by compromising your immune system.

[JohnK]

I only get to dive Stoney once a year and the only time I`ve ever been there I thought it was great. Was going to introduce others to it.

After all that had to cancel - Steve your assumption is right (who gets antibiotics for a common cold anyway ?) its sinus probs.

As far as smoking is concerned - yup - my doc said exactly the same thing &quot;ecspecially now you are over 40 and things start to go downhill&quot; - hence the Zyban question - not getting much positive response about that either !!!

Thanks all for the feedback &nbsp;

[Dr Stevil]

<font color='#0000FF'>Here's a list of Medical Referees, i'm sure you'll find one in you area on the list. May as well get the answer from the horse's mouth.

IIRC from similar thread on bsac forum I beleive zyban and diving aren't &nbsp;a good combo, but I wouldn't swear to it
HTH
Steve

[JohnK]

Thanks Steve - got some feedback from ScubaDoc and basically Zyban and diving are a NO. This due to the small possibility of a siezure which is basically death under water. So now I am faced with the devils decision - do I give up smoking AND diving for a bit of time - Answer = no chance giving up the diving !!!

So Zyban is out and I will have to look at the `willpower` route - ugh !!! or get repeat prescriptions for antibiotics and locorten vioform !!! - Hell you only live once.

[Mdemon]

Just a thought - could you be getting hay fever without realising it? &nbsp;There's lots of things giving of pollen now. &nbsp;Try an antihistamine (non-drowsy - e.g Clarityn). &nbsp;This should deal with the blockages etc. &nbsp;However, I don't know what the position is on diving &quot;under the influence&quot; as it were. &nbsp;I have dived with no side effects...