Heartburn and Peptic Disease

Heartburn

This is a very common complaint and it doesn't necessarily mean you have a serious problem--unless you have it while not diving. You might possibly go to your MD and be sure everything is OK---if so you can manage this yourself with several easy maneuvers.

First--don't eat a big meal and then dive.

Second--carry some medication along on the trip that will cut down on acid reflux,i.e., Pepsid, Tagamet or Zantac.

Third, take along a bottle of of antacid tablets and take several before each dive.

Many divers are prone to this problem and find that their greatest problem is on the  second dive--usually after eating gas producing dive boat food! It's best to eat less food and try not to wash food down with liquids--during which most air is swallowed.

One other cause of this problem is an alpha blocker medication that causes relaxation of the sphincter (muscle); "Hytrin" or "Cardura", a mild blood pressure drug that's also used for prostate problems can also cause heart burn as well as nasal congestion.

If surgery has been performed, post-operative wait before returning to diving should be at least three months and there should be no evidence of air-trapping in the abdominal cavity or gut. There should be no possibility of obstruction to the gastric outlet that might lead to vomiting underwater  and drowning or to panic ascents with pulmonary barotrauma and air embolism.