Craig,
We just returned from a cruise to the Bahamas. We stayed in Key Largo 2 nights before the cruise and did a 2 tank dive while in Key Largo.
I was diagnosed in Feb (last month) with a 5mm x 7mm left AN. I am currently in watch and wait and consulted with 3 doctor last month on the recommended course of action. Knowing that we were planning a cruise and planning to dive, I specifically asked all 3 doctors about diving and was given the OK by all 3 to dive. One of the docs, is a diver himself, so that really helped in my decision to proceed. I am not certified, but had intended on getting certified this summer. I do not have balance issues on land, my only symptoms of AN is tinitus and hearing loss. I do recommend that you consult with your doctor to see what he says before you dive. A surgery could also change the recommendations I received as pressure on the skull may impact the skull bones.
The primary concern for not diving with an AN for me was the potential for ear damage in my non AN ear. My doc cautioned me to ascend and descend slowly, and to equalize frequently. All of which any diver should be doing, but with the potential for ear problems, I did so with even more care than I would have otherwise.
As a non-certified diver, I took a discover scuba course, my son did the same a refresher since he is certified but has not dived since his certification in October. My husband tagged along as a snorkeler at the dive site, he was injured in a car accident last year and has not fully recovered to be able to dive yet. With a mixed bag of certified, non-certified and snorkelers, our dive operator chose a shallow reef of 30 feet or so deep. This was fine for me, I think any deeper would have made me too nervous.
My first dive went ok. I was nervous, my mask was flooding for the first few minutes and I had some bouyancy issues. After about 20 minutes I settled in and started to feel more at ease. Never did I feel any disorientation. My biggest issue was that my son, though certified, also has ADHD and I worried about how he was feeling. The instructor focused his attention on me, I was the only non-certified diver on the dive. I was worrying about my son who tended to stay a bit shallower and and about 10 feet behind me as we followed the instructor around the dive site. Essentially, he was in my blind spot. The seas were a bit rough, the boat was really rocking on the surface, at depth was better. I did think about my AN a few times, but I was not debilitated by the thought of it in fact, I think it made me even more aware.
My 2nd dive went much better. I positioned myself where I could see my son, this helped with my anxiety tremendously. I gained better control of my boyancy and my breathing. I enjoyed it much much more.
A previous poster mentioned swimming down to the bottom of a river and feeling disoriented. I think this is part could be do to a number of issues including rapid descent, he was trying to reach the bottom on one breath, as a diver you are breathing continuously. You can descend slowly. but also, you can tell up from down by watching your bubbles. Another poster mentioned the fat packing if translab surgery had been done, saying you would not be able to equalize (if I recall the comments correctly). i also don't see this as an issue. The purpose for equalizing is to preserve your eardrum to protect your hearing. With translab, you have no hearing to preserve. You would of course need to be careful for your other ear, but not being able to equalize your translab ear would not be an issue (my non medical opinion). With any type of surgery, I think the issue is more of the pressure put on your brain where the skull has been compromised.
I did have to fill out a medical questionaire. I answered no to all questions, having already discussed them with my doctor ahead of time. My son, the certified one, had a very brief questionairre, totally different than mine. A doctors note would be preferred, I did consider the fact that in a case of liability, had I not answered truthfully this could compromise any coverage I may have, such as divers insurance.
You can contact DAN for a referral to a dive doctor in your area. I intend on seeing a doctor as well as having my son fully checked out again before our next dives. I just feel like I will be more comfortable see a specialized physican for the final say. You do not have to be a DAN member to receive a referral. Since I knew we would be doing shallow dives I was comfortable with the OK I got from the 3 I saw prior.
Again, my experience may be different than yours. I do not have any balance issues on land. Your AN could be pressing differently on your balance nerve. From your prior posts I don't believe you have had any treatment so far, but treatments could also have an impact on your diving ability. However, you are already certified and have many dives in your log, I suspect you will have an easier time that I did. I don't think any of the anxiety I felt related to my AN at all, it was the newness of the experience, the weather conditions and my concern for my son. I intend to get fully certified this spring.
Happy diving! (but do talk to a doctor first)
Becky
