Scapa Bends and PFO

[Hodge Close]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Seydlitz)

Dr Morris is great !!! and you have absolutely nothing to worry about and the staff at Liverpool Broadgreen are brilliant

Parking thats another matter ;-(

Dr Morris "fixed" me ....
BTW my dives at Scapa also confirmed my PFO

What I would say is bigger the hole less chance of it sealing properly You will go to Dr Wilmshurst for your post op tests..Then all will be revealed .

Hope it all goes well .Andy.

I'm excited about getting the hole fixed and getting back to Scapa to finish the project. After reading some of the epics that people have gone through getting the ticka fixed also makes me a bit apprehensive. Doc W said that I've lived with a 1cm plus hole up till now, which has included playing rugby for Leicester, county athletics, sky diving, mountaineering/biking and paragliding. Yet, that was an early, younger and fitter life; I said I don't want to be entering my 50's, 60's, 70's with a dicky heart and a one way ticket to the mini moke ward (I dribble enough already).
So I'm going to see Mr. Morris in Liverpool, who knows when, and hopefully it will be a bit of an adventure.

thanks for the posts everyone... Steve

Oh, I also reckon, that if you are middle aged, dive in temperate waters and like to go to 30m on a regular basis, then you will eventually find out that you have a PFO or that one of your buddies has one. (A bit like playing russian roulette)

[Chris Armstrong]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Hodge Close)

I'm excited about getting the hole fixed and getting back to Scapa to finish the project. After reading some of the epics that people have gone through getting the ticka fixed also makes me a bit apprehensive. Doc W said that I've lived with a 1cm plus hole up till now, which has included playing rugby for Leicester, county athletics, sky diving, mountaineering/biking and paragliding. Yet, that was an early, younger and fitter life; I said I don't want to be entering my 50's, 60's, 70's with a dicky heart and a one way ticket to the mini moke ward (I dribble enough already).
So I'm going to see Mr. Morris in Liverpool, who knows when, and hopefully it will be a bit of an adventure.

thanks for the posts everyone... Steve

Oh, I also reckon, that if you are middle aged, dive in temperate waters and like to go to 30m on a regular basis, then you will eventually find out that you have a PFO or that one of your buddies has one. (A bit like playing russian roulette)

Good luck mate!! :

None of us ever wants to be in the bent bucket, but its something we are prepared for every time we dive. The bright side is your primary contra-indication to the bends is getting fixed now. Good luck again. Let us know how you get on.

I did hear that if you get frequent migraines/extreme headaches that is a sign of having a PFO, obviously that doesn't help you though!

Best wishes

Chris

P.S. I sure hope my odds of avoiding the bends are a bit better than when gambling my life playing russian roulette!

[Hodge Close]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Chris Armstrong)

Good luck mate!! :

None of us ever wants to be in the bent bucket, but its something we are prepared for every time we dive. The bright side is your primary contra-indication to the bends is getting fixed now. Good luck again. Let us know how you get on.

I did hear that if you get frequent migraines/extreme headaches that is a sign of having a PFO, obviously that doesn't help you though!

Best wishes

Chris

P.S. I sure hope my odds of avoiding the bends are a bit better than when gambling my life playing russian roulette!

Thanks Chris, I've suffered with migraine (visual aura) since i was a boy; back when i lived in Barrow on Soar.

[Chris Armstrong]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Hodge Close)

Thanks Chris, I've suffered with migraine (visual aura) since i was a boy; back when i lived in Barrow on Soar.

By visual aura do you mean that objects seem to have a glow around them?

Kind of like when you look at a candle you can see that glow around the flame.

Chris

[Hodge Close]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Chris Armstrong)

By visual aura do you mean that objects seem to have a glow around them?

Kind of like when you look at a candle you can see that glow around the flame.

Chris

Yes it's in the peripheral and is often a bit like flashing chevrons of black and white or zig zags, I also get dysphasic aura, which causes problems with language and compromises speech. Once the doc at the Stromness pot heard that it was odds on I had a PFO.

[Chris Armstrong]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Hodge Close)

Yes it's in the peripheral and is often a bit like flashing chevrons of black and white or zig zags, I also get dysphasic aura, which causes problems with language and compromises speech. Once the doc at the Stromness pot heard that it was odds on I had a PFO.

Ah right I see, I get a very similar thing. Mine has been diagnosed as visual disturbances due to dyslexia. I have to wear coloured filters on my glasses, mine is a really dark green.

Given that I still have some residual aura, you've tempted me to enquire about a PFO test.

Chris

[Hodge Close]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Chris Armstrong)

Ah right I see, I get a very similar thing. Mine has been diagnosed as visual disturbances due to dyslexia. I have to wear coloured filters on my glasses, mine is a really dark green.

Given that I still have some residual aura, you've tempted me to enquire about a PFO test.

Chris

I think that having a PFO test when you haven't been bent could make the decision process harder if you find out that you have one.

[Chris Armstrong]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Hodge Close)

I think that having a PFO test when you haven't been bent could make the decision process harder if you find out that you have one.

Hmmm why you say that?

If I had a PFO, I'd want it closed so I wouldn't get bent in the future. I know I want to do more and more adventurous diving.

I will be the first to admit my diving hasn't been challenging thus far, but over the next few years I intend to change that.

Regards,

Chris

[Hodge Close]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Chris Armstrong)

Hmmm why you say that?

If I had a PFO, I'd want it closed so I wouldn't get bent in the future. I know I want to do more and more adventurous diving.

I will be the first to admit my diving hasn't been challenging thus far, but over the next few years I intend to change that.

Regards,

Chris

I suppose it's the risk factor, of having heart surgery. There are potentially hundreds of divers with PFO's who will never get bent. They will remain blissfully ignorant. It's a big decision; continue hobby versus heart surgery!

[Chris Armstrong]

Quote: (Originally Posted by Hodge Close)

I suppose it's the risk factor, of having heart surgery. There are potentially hundreds of divers with PFO's who will never get bent. They will remain blissfully ignorant. It's a big decision; continue hobby versus heart surgery!

Hmmm actually - good point!!!