P Valves and Urinery Tract infections

[Silly Car]

Originally Posted by Ebay

Q: Is it balanced? 13-May-07

A: no this is a standard valve, and personally i would never use the balanced version unless you want a one way ticket to the emergency room for urinary tract infection. normally what we do is leave the full length of hose on the p-valve this allows for enough pressure from within the suit to assist with urinating, quite frankly i have used both and i see very little difference in performance, and allot more convenient to use the unbalanced version over the balanced(old Style that is)

This is the response to a question on ebay regarding a Halcyon P Valve (200106401789)

Is this really an issue with balanced p valves or is it simply scaremongering by the seller to get people to buy his product?

[MarkP]

Originally Posted by Silly Car

This is the response to a question on ebay regarding a Halcyon P Valve (200106401789)

Is this really an issue with balanced p valves or is it simply scaremongering by the seller to get people to buy his product?

If you don't clean them from time to time, I believe they can lead to very painful infections.

But a simple rinse through each weekend, plus the occasional sterilisation has worked wonders for me. So far.

Regards,

Mark

[Andy Kerslake]

Originally Posted by MarkP

If you don't clean them from time to time, I believe they can lead to very painful infections.

But a simple rinse through each weekend, plus the occasional sterilisation has worked wonders for me. So far.

Regards,

Mark

I think this is just plain wrong - I have used both balanced and unbalanced P valves for quite a long time. I started with unbalanced and now use balanced.

Either type can end up with urine left in the tube, you just need to make sure the tube is empty when you put the dry suit away, otherwise you can get a reversal and of course the nasty old stuff can cause problems.

Simply blowing down the tube will clear out the urine, I have never had any infections and been doing this for a long time.

[BJ]

Urinary tract infections can also be caused by pissing in your wetsuit whilst diving in tropical water (and presumably other) that is loaded with nutrients. You have been warned. Of course, there are more fun ways to catch infections like this too...

[Reikimaster]

Originally Posted by Andy Kerslake

Simply blowing down the tube will clear out the urine, .

bet you have never told the mrs that as you give her a kiss when you walk in the door!

[Silly Car]

Originally Posted by Andy Kerslake

Simply blowing down the tube will clear out the urine, I have never had any infections and been doing this for a long time.

Eeewwwwww!!!

Originally Posted by BJ

Urinary tract infections can also be caused by pissing in your wetsuit whilst diving in tropical water (and presumably other) that is loaded with nutrients. You have been warned. Of course, there are more fun ways to catch infections like this too...

I had wondered about that, I am contemplating fitting a p-valve to my semi dry, for hygene purposes and to reduce the smell

[Andy Kerslake]

Originally Posted by Reikimaster

bet you have never told the mrs that as you give her a kiss when you walk in the door!

Yuuk indeed - you do not need to attach your lips to the tube

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by Andy Kerslake

Yuuk indeed - you do not need to attach your lips to the tube

That's what students are for

Safe diving,
Steve

[SilvaFish]

Originally Posted by BJ

Urinary tract infections can also be caused by pissing in your wetsuit whilst diving in tropical water (and presumably other) that is loaded with nutrients. You have been warned. Of course, there are more fun ways to catch infections like this too...

I can vouch for that, now never go on a liveaboard without a cystitis remedy! Now always rinse suit after every dive and no problems

(it's only a 3mm shortie, so easy to 'go' whilst holding one of the suit legs open! And before anybody asks, no, it can't wait until end of dive! It's the consequences of drinking at least 3 litres a day!)

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by Andy Kerslake

Yuuk indeed - you do not need to attach your lips to the tube

If you can do that, why waste time diving

Originally Posted by BJ

You have been warned.

I mis-read that as "you have been warmed" which is much nicer