My story: diving, PFO, and other aspects of life

[Alex]

It has been quite a stressful year. In the beginning of 2007 I was diagnosed with a PFO (with lots of bubbles at rest; eventually it was measured and appeared to be 14 mm). It was closed in the end of August. The operation went well, and I was full of hopes. I actually never stopped diving and did about 100 hours on my Inspro, planning to do Trimix course in Sharm over the Chrismas break. Never happened. In the end of November a repeat test was done, and it still showed lots of bubbles at rest. However, the character of the shunt changed- the bubbles apperaed in the left part of the heart with some delay, which looked like a pulmonary shunt. I was offered two possibilities- either start a new round of tests or to wait for another half a year hoping that the bubbles still come through the PFO and it might seal. I chose the second option as (1) pulmonary shunts (even if discovered) are mostly non-reparable and (2) I think the second operation would be too much stress for my old body. BTW, my migrains have become significantly less frequent and less severe.

Now, you can imagine how depressed I was. I am not really too excited by shallow diving, and I invested lots of time and other valuable resources (physical, psychological and financial) in diving. So I really did not know what to do.

Meanwhile I reseived an offer to take part in a moutaineering expedition to Cordillera Blanca, organized by some old friends, and decided to accept it. I also decided to try something new:



The idea of flying in big mountains was always exciting me, so we shall see….


A couple of days ago I did the third bubble test. Nothing changed – I am still strongly bubbling at rest. This unfortunately means the end of my diving carrier. All in all, I had exciting 7 years of diving, I met great people and saw fantastic places.

On a more practical note, I am selling all my kit. Some of it is on ebay, some (including the Inspo) will be listed here. Hopefully I can get a few quid in order to finance my new project.

Best wishes
Alex

[big_si]

Sorry to hear your news but it sounds like you're taking it fairly well now and have found another exciting hobby to explore!

Best of luck with everything!

Si

PS - Perhaps put a link to your "items this person is selling" on Ebay so people can see what's going?

[Depth-junkie]

Bummer dude, sorry to here that. I met you once a few yrs ago during a trip to the Illinios (fogged out) you were still OC at the time.

It all ways a shame when something you love so much and enjoy gets the rug pulled up from under it. Enjoy what ever challenges you do in the future and i hope they bring you as much fun as diving has.

Out of interest what caused a PFO to be suspect and lead to you having tests etc?

The reason i ask, a lad from my old dive club had a suspect PFO after a diving incident, after being diagnosed with a 4mm hole by the local hospital. He was waiting for an op to fix it, After over a yr of waiting he went to see the main Dive Doc to have the op and was then told he had no PFO. Not sugesting this is the same as yourself far from it, it would just be intersting to here what symptons you had that led to you following up a suspect PFO.


ATB
Gareth

[hammerheads]

Sorry to hear that I hope you keep well and one day get a chance to go back diving

[Steve Summers]

Sorry to hear that Alex, I wish you good luck wherever your future takes you.

Regards,
Steve

[Helen F H]

Hey Alex. Seems like fundies was so many years ago

Good luck in your new path, and please be careful, divers jump off perfectly good boats, paragliders jump off perfectly good mountains

Hxx

[Noel Johnson]

Alex, I am so sorry to hear this - One thing I do know is that your drive and vigour will remain, just chanelled in another direction.
I, for one, will miss diving with you and wish you all the luck I can for the future.
Your friend, and sometime, erstwhile diving buddy,

Noel.

[Ali]

Hi Alex,
I'm sort of in the same boat! at 3 and 9 months post op I'm still shunting a large amount of bubbles. We decided to give it another year and have another Bubble Study done. My surgeon said that there has been report from Germany that the Amplatzers can still be healing over for up to 2 years! So will be booking my 3 post op BS soon.
My migraines are better too. I haven't had the aura and headache since 15th April 07. But still get headaches that can't be shifted with Anadin etc and they last days, also I seem a bit shitty with bright lights. So I think they are still migraine related but no where near a server as they used to be

Enjoy your new sport, it really does look a lot of fun.

I myself am still diving at the mo, shallow stuff at the mo. But am also getting into Walking and Rock climbing. A lot will depend on my next BS as to wether it's time to hang up the fins or not. There might be chance of a 2nd device fitted if I still shunting.

Ali

[ratcliffe]

I'm really sorry to hear that Alex, I was wondering why you had been quiet on here recently. Its good to see that you are enjoying a new hobby too though.
It was nice to meet and dive with you a few times. All the best with the new hobby.

[Alex]

Thanks for kind words guys

Out of interest what caused a PFO to be suspect and lead to you having tests etc?

The reason i ask, a lad from my old dive club had a suspect PFO after a diving incident, after being diagnosed with a 4mm hole by the local hospital. He was waiting for an op to fix it, After over a yr of waiting he went to see the main Dive Doc to have the op and was then told he had no PFO. Not sugesting this is the same as yourself far from it, it would just be intersting to here what symptons you had that led to you following up a suspect PFO.


ATB
Gareth

1) I had a light spinal bend in the very first year of my diving carrier. It was in Scapa, at the end of the weeks decompression diving on air, so half-deserved. However other people were btter off

2) I am a migraine sufferer

3) I had something which possibly was a skin bend

4) The worst- on sveral occaisions after deepish dives I had visual disturbances- aura.

Diagnosing PFO is always complicated. I went for the first test (in Nottingham), and it was negative! Dr Whilmhurst diagnosed in a year time. He could not explain how other people managed to overlook it. It appeared to be 14 mm!

Cheers
Alex