Not really sure what to do...

[5kgLifter]

It turns out that the ear infection after that cold I had, may not have been just an ear infection. I had to see an ENT and am currently waiting to get a CT scan to rule out any other potential problems. Plus, I'm on meds to prevent dizzy spells, and the ENT thinks I may have Meniere's Syndrome. So, I really don't know where I stand with diving at all now, because I know that it would be dangerous to have a dizzy spell under water, however, the meds keep me stable...so, I'm a bit stuck at the moment.

Either way, I'm going to at least try and continue my dry land apnea sessions; does anyone know if this could be detrimental to Meniere's in any way? Not looking for medical advice, just opinions to take on board...and I'm not certain if I asked the ENT if he'd know one way or the other anyway, but I don't get to see him until September again. Obviously when I start doing the apnea I can keep track of anything that feels wrong, just in case.

On a good note though, I finished my dissertation yesterday :friday, after much hair pulling :head

I will be around the forum, probably mostly to keep track of apnea improvements, suggestions etc...since I don't want to do anything that would be dangerous due to medical problems.

 

[trux]

Sorry to hear about your trouble. I can't really help you with any advice, but hope it gets sorted out. Try googling it little bit and searching whether for example sudden blood pressure changes or hypoxemia, that are common during apnea training, are mentioned in some documents.

Congrats to your dissertation :friday

 

[devondave]

Mate , that is crap news and I'm sorry to hear it .
I think to find where you stand diving-wise you need some expert advice , maybe contact DAN to see if they can recommend anyone .
I do have a glimmer of hope for you , years ago when I was fitter and stonger and slimmer , I did a lot of rock climbing . And while in Spain I met a climbing instructor who developed Menieres Disease , he had it bad , suffering dizziness , tinnitus and virtigo , which meant he would fall to the floor during an attack .
He became depressed because he could no longer climb , so he did some research and found out about an operation performed on astronauts to stop them getting space sickness . Some doctors were trying this operation on Menieres patients with varying sucess .
To cut the story short he had the op' done ( cost him £4000 ) and now in his seventies he climbs better than most people in their twenties .
Do lots of research , gather information , hassle your doctors for options , in the end you may find a solution that suits you .
Keep posting on db with your progress , we'll want to know how you get on .
Regards ,
Dave .

 

[Lazuli]

Either way, I'm going to at least try and continue my dry land apnea sessions; does anyone know if this could be detrimental to Meniere's in any way? Not looking for medical advice, just opinions to take on board...and I'm not certain if I asked the ENT if he'd know one way or the other anyway, but I don't get to see him until September again. Obviously when I start doing the apnea I can keep track of anything that feels wrong, just in case.

Very sorry to hear of your circumstances 5kg. Congratulations on finishing your dissertation. I am half-way through mine, just another forty thousand words to go!:head.

On the dry apnea, maybe take it easy if you are under the weather. It all puts your body under stress and maybe it is not what you need right now. Dizzy spells on land can be just as serious as in the water. I passed out last year after some sustained dry apnea and got rushed to hospital and placed under observation. This meant I could not drive (or dive) until they knew it was a one-off (approx 1 month) and I was not a danger to the public. I got the all clear after enforced CAT/ECG/EEG tests but it was not pleasant at all.

Things don't necessarily feel wrong before they happen. Take it easy.

 

[5kgLifter]

Thanks guys...haven't started the dry land apnea yet, but point taken about things not always feeling wrong before something occurs Lazuli. I'm too shattered from the restless nights the secondary lot of meds is causing, so tonight is the last tester night for those, then I'll have to ditch them and stick with the initial medication only...I see the doctor in 4 days anyway, so I can discuss options then as well. What I inetnd to watch, foremost, with the dry land apnea is whether it tends to bring on attacks the day after etc, or later in teh day even...I don't think it will, but I'm taking the body through a testing phase to see if there are any triggers; alcohol was the fun one :friday, no reactions rofl. I have one or two more things to test as well, but there don't appear to be any triggers as such, not yet anyway...which just means they will occur when they occur.

I keep thinking that people will suggest that the training for freediving was the trigger, because people love to hang your illness on one thing, but the doctors don't think that, but lay people, they're a whole new ball game. I believe I'm just one of the unfortunate that developed it and nothing in particular caused it or triggered it, that's life :t but I'm staying positive.

 

[5kgLifter]

A quick update:

I started dry land apnea training again a couple of weks ago, but only intermittently, to see how things felt. I was pleased to see that I hadn't lost much, if any, on the length of the holds. In fact the CO2 table is good and I have now reached 2:00 mins hold after a 15" vent...so I'm over the moon about that. Tomorrow, I'm starting the sessions up again and will be hoping to get 3 sessions of O2 and 3 of CO2 tables in a week, as before. I'm kinda hoping that my 3:00 mins O2 table hold is still attainable, which I believe it will be, considering th CO2 is now at 2:00 mins .

I still have tests to undergo at a couple of hospitals, so this will be a good time to get the apnea training up and going again, just to see if anything untoward occurs the day after a session etc.

Fingers crossed.

 

[devondave]

Good luck to you , I hope you can get back to the water in time .
Regards ,
Dave .