Scuba Diving

I'm a long time scuba diver and have been pacing for 16 years.  My surgeon says that I can go back to diving about 8 weeks after my lead extraction and replacement. Is that what you divers have done or did you give yourself a bit more time?

7 Comments

Seems reasonable

by crustyg - 2020-01-23 06:40:52

What did you do after your first implant?

Wound healing - really *complete* healing - is the thing, as you probably know.  Leads should be well bedded in by eight weeks.

Double-check that your new PM box is rated to the same depth as your old one.  But you're a 'pro' - you know all of this stuff!

Can't recall...

by heckboy - 2020-01-23 10:50:06

I think I took a break from diving after my 1st two PMs, so it wasn't really an issue. My third PM was just a straight replacement of the unit and used the old leads, so revovery wasn't so long.

 

 

That's the limit of my knowledge

by crustyg - 2020-01-23 12:08:39

For other reasons I used the excuse of my PM to stop SCUBA.  I enjoyed the live-aboard diving the Gulf of Aqaba Northern Wrecks and Reefs with adult daughter some years ago, but wouldn't commit more time to increasing my skills.  The time it was taking has been more than swallowed up by cycling up hills.

Your leads should be fine by 8 weeks, and the wound is the thing that really matters.

Best wishes.

Scuba?

by RandomICD - 2020-03-15 15:42:08

I was surprised to see this subject as I was always told that scuba diving put too much pressure on the device.

It looks like lots of you are doing it though. Could you give me any tips? I need filling in. Is it only some devices that are OK? 

St Jude PM rep said pacers was fine for sport diving.

by heckboy - 2020-03-15 16:35:04

I recall him saying it was pressure tested to 150 feet or something, well above (below?) the threshold for sport diving (100ft). I have not seen any studies, I'm just going off what my surgeon and PM rep said.

Who told you that you shouldn't scuba with a PM? I admit that the instrcutors and boats won't let you do it if you diclose it, but that tells me it's more an emotional fear of liabilaity than the facts.

Any doctor...

by RandomICD - 2020-03-16 04:31:38

Any doctor/tech I have spoken to about it. Looking back I haven't asked for some time as I had accepted it.

Interesting to hear your experiences. I'll check with the hospital.

Advised not to dive

by RandomICD - 2020-03-16 13:29:16

http://www.ukdmc.org/medical-conditions/pacemakers/

You know you're wired when...

You have an excuse for gaining an extra ounce or two.

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I'm 35 and got my pacemaker a little over a year ago. It definitely is not a burden to me. In fact, I have more energy (which my husband enjoys), can do more things with my kids and have weight because of having the energy.