Hellew!

[Emilyrc]

I've decided it's time to get off my behind and do something. I've tried things that I thought would be fun, but it was only fun for a while (golf, but an elbow injury prevents me from playing golf now) and I still make jewelry. My husband and I are heavy into fishtanks, as we have a total of almost 200 gallons (mostly tropical salt) and another almost 300 gallons worth of empty tanks in the garage. Point is, we love water- and fish.

I've wanted to get in the water for years, and I'm coming up on 30, but I have a problem. I have fibromyalgia. I was put on lyrica a few years ago (with NINE other medications bad doctor) and gained weight. I'm down a little, and still have a lot of muscle mass and not as big as the numbers say I am. I'm on a medication to help lose some of the weight, and I put in a phone call to get me off the two that I'm on now (the other is to help me sleep, no biggie).

My point- Should I "Try scuba" in the pool, then start doing laps (with a wetsuit to get comfortable) to get "water ready" in the pool, or a small, calm lake or pond with a snorkle?

I am really excited to get this started but I want to get all my ducks in a row! I'm hoping this will help with the weight loss, which will help with the fibro, which will help the depression, which will help me with keeping friendly relationships.... and the cycle continues.

Oh, I grew up in Oak Harbor, but live in Mount Vernon now unfortunately. I want so much to be back on the rock.

[Norris]

Ya know I would start with some pool visits if you have been somewhat stagnant for a while. Good to get the ole body used to some exursion. In addition there is donning gear, wearing weights and gear with a tank, and some other activities that are a little exausting until you get used to it by actually diving.
Not to be scary but I since I have been diving I have heard more SCUBA fatalities happening due to heart attack then from out of air issues. The great thing about diving though is that once you get in the water all that heavy gear loses quite a bit of its burden.
So bottom line, a little exercise and swimming could go a long way if you have not been very active in a while. In addition there is a swimming obligation of a certain amount of yards (I forget) before starting OW.

[Emilyrc]

I read 200yds and 10min tread. I'm not worried about the 200m, I'm worried about the treading water... I was told by my last doctor to cancel my gym membership! Needless to say, I have a new doctor.

Impact is still painful, but I have a pass to check out the local pool a couple of times. I'm really excited. I'm trying to figure out how to get used to the cold water. The pool here is set at 86 degrees, which I don't want to get used to.

Thanks Norris!

[spatman]

i don't know much about fibromyalgia, but i did a quick google of it. if you experience joint and ligament pain, i would think the most difficult part of diving up here would be getting to and from the water with 100lbs of gear on...

[Emilyrc]

Mine is not awful, and I got overmedicated which made it worse. I had a tumor removed two years ago from my leg, which put me out for a couple of months, and caused this nasty cycle of depression, my doctor put me on different medications for that, gained more weight, got fired for missing work because of side effects from medications, more depression. More weight=more pain=more depression=more pain. Vicious circle.

New doctor about 8 months ago. I'm on two medications. One is to help lose weight/anxiety to help get out and do things again. It has helped TREMENDOUSLY! The other is to help me sleep. Sitting on my backside does not make me tired. Duh. She said I can start slowly going off of those over the next month, and neither of those should affect performance under pressure (under water). Not like I plan on going below the deep end of a pool, but pressure is pressure.

Carrying heavy things has never really bothered me much. I've been a bit of a muscular freak my whole life. Running is a different story. My knees and hips can't handle the impact of running much, but that's the extent of it.

[dwashbur]

If there's a pool near you where somebody does water aerobics, you might think about getting into that. There's no impact to cause the pain but it's great exercise and a great way to get used to the water. Just a thought...

[CaptnJack]

I would start with some pool swimming.

Then discuss actual diving with your MD. Depression is not necessarily a contraindication for diving, but you do need to have symptoms under control. I also suggest discussing your meds list with DAN; you need not be a member to consult with them. They have various articles on depression and possibly fibromyalgia as well that you can review with your MD. Most medications are very very poorly studied in diving situations so its a bit of a guess/judgement call on their compatibility/side effects. (maybe you've already done this I couldn't quite tell)

Try the FAQs here:
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/index.asp

Oh and welcome Emily!

[scottsax]

Welcome to the club! A quick search on the Divers Alert Network (DAN) site turned up this article:
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medic ... ticleid=31
As a future diver, you'll want to know about DAN anyway, so you might as well get started now.

Edit- I see CaptJack has already recommended DAN. They're invaluable!

[Emilyrc]

Great links guys! I had not come across DAN, but something similar based out of the UK. (Not sure how I missed DAN completely..) The medications were a definate concern for me, and I'd rather not be on any at all, other than vitamins and natural supplements as needed. I've kept the depression under control with the new doctor by coming off all of those other medications, and now that I've lost some weight, the ray of sunshine gets a little bigger the healthier I FEEL (more important than numbers.)

I'll pester DAN and my doctor for a while. So far, you guys are great (and VERY patient. This was quite the intro, yeah?) and I can't wait to get in the water!

[LCF]

Spending some time in a pool with a mask, fins and snorkel will be time well spent -- it's some exercise (and low impact!) but even more, it will get you comfortable with breathing through something held in your mouth. You can learn to clear a snorkel and clear a mask -- all of these things will make your first couple of days of diving class go far more smoothly!

[Emilyrc]

My brother left a brand new set of fins, a mask and snorkle when he moved out of my parent's house. He left some cool stuff that is now at my house. Like a reloading press. Glad I married a gun guy! Anyway, I picked up a new shorty wetsuit today and plan to hit the pool tomorrow. The kids got swimming suits too and are going to hang out in the kiddie pool with the husband while I try laps! (Maybe a few...)

[renoun]

This was quite the intro, yeah?

It isn't an intro until you thread gets hijacked. Hey guys, she mentioned a reloading press!

3.


2.


1.

[Emilyrc]

He left a few model airplanes still in boxes, maybe three or four? THAT turned into another hobby. Now we have 30 or so, plus MY 10 cars (four are 1st gen Mustangs, my personal favorite).. We built them for the kids.. Or something...

I also enjoy building (carpentry would be laughable). I've built 3 fishtank stands, my entertainment center and a bunch of stuff for my chickens, my own jewelrly stands, and a stand for my 125 gallon bearded dragon vivarium. I don't do the normal "girl" things.

I like to shoot, I'm a pretty good shot, but I have yet to shoot my new Walther .380 and I finally found a "classic" archery bow at Warehouse Sports I think I'm going to pick up.

My husband is Justin and is former Army Infantry, his foot snapped in half when his truck blew up in Iraq in 2005 and is disabled but going to school for Youth Probations Chemical Dependency. He likes it I guess and that's all that matters. We met back in elementary school in Oak Harbor. We have a 3 and 4 year old. There's an intro...... Sort of. I suck at these. Can you tell?

[Alexitt]

Not only did she mention a reloading press but Archery as well... I shoot Black powder though... Powder, Patch, Ball, Boom...
But I build the occasional Long Bow and Flat Bow (also have an older compound...)
Fun, Fun, Fun now that Daddy took the T-Bird away...


Welcome to the Club Emily!!!

[Emilyrc]

We spent about an hour and a half in the pool today, I spent most of it with the kids (first time for them, they did AMAZING, the 3 year old girl walked right in like a tiny little hippo, the 4 year old boy was a little more wary).. The last third or so I spent attempting laps (memorial day weekend at rec swim... bad idea) and did a 12 minute tread! No mask, no fins, nothing but a thin shorty wetsuit. Challenging, but MUCH better than I thought. I'm not terribly sore, but not in pain, just normal excercise soreness. At least I stretched!

FEELIN' GOOD!


For now.....

Sorry.. Me=

[Emilyrc]

Oh, and Alexitt- we don't get out and shoot much. We should. Powder scares the hell out of me. My brother likes powder.. And blowing things up. But he's a First Responder/Firefighter/EMT somethingorother and at least if he blows a limb off, he can stabilize himself until the others show up.

Not a big fan of compound bows. They don't feel "real" to me. You make long bows? Nice! That sounds neat, but I'd snap one off right in my face. Not cool. I'll stick with the pro's on that!

[BASSMAN]

Welcome to the board Emily! Keep going, if you can conquer the swimming part you will be fine.
Maybe you can come dive on a Thursday, (after you complete open water training) with us some time, it would be a bit of a travel for you but well worth it.


Keith.

[Emilyrc]

I picked up my Student package in Bellingham yesterday (doc said cleared to go!) and I start my certification with Ron on July 5th! I'll be in the pool 3-4 times a week up there until then.

Anywhere I dive, there will be a bit of travel involved. I don't think there are any dive spots here! I'll definately be in touch after I get certified. I will be in the water right after that!

[CaptnJack]

There are good dives all over, including a bunch in the islands! We also have club dives and you are more than welcome there (diving or just hanging out before you're done with class). Since you're so handy you should try brewing beer, mmmm

[Nwbrewer]

Since you're so handy you should try brewing beer, mmmm

Like!

We need more home brewing divers!

[Emilyrc]

I actually don't drink. Or like beer. I used to... Oh boy. But I stopped after it stopped being fun, right about the time I turned 21.. Hmm.


And I suck at cooking. Anything. Except homemade macaroni and cheese with extra sharp cheddar. And Bacon.

[BASSMAN]

homemade macaroni and cheese with extra sharp cheddar. And Bacon.

Hmmm? I might have to make that some day. Or you can bring some to a club dive in the future!
Emily, your signature line cracks me up!
Let us know how your training goes. What goes well and what goes not so well. Reading about the first time stuff is always fun. After all, we all, were first timers at one point.
The excitement of a new diver in training is always fun to read about.

Keith

[Emilyrc]

Man, I tell ya... This wait for class to start is killing me. I've been spending time fishing at Heart Lake (Anacortes) with my instruction manual in my lap, but not much time to read! Caught a 4.75 lb rainbow on Thursday morning. I think I'm going to dive the lakes and pull old line and garbage. I pull up old fishing gear with half of the fish, and almost all of the cast resets! Just insane.

[Emilyrc]

Hey guys. Class has been going great, I think I'm in love!

I have a problem. We went into the "dive pool" which is 12 feet deep last night. (We went in that one on Tuesday too, with no reaction...) We had drysuits on for the first time in class and will be using them again on the weekend for my OW dives. After I got home last night at 12:20, I took a shower and went to bed. About 4:30 I woke up because my arms were BURNING and itching like crazy. I got up to put on some hydrocortisone, and when I looked in the mirror, it looked as if I had gone out in the sun for a bit too long everywhere AROUND my bathing suit. Legs, back, arms.. Anything that came into contact with the drysuit.

I itch like there's no tomorrow. I'm not allergic to anything that I know of, and the areas where the seals sit are not irritated at all. I looked online and all I could find was seal reactions and Skin Bends (but I honestly don't think that's what it is. We were 12 feet down..)

Any ideas? I'm dyin' here guys...

[Mattleycrue76]

Were you wearing an undergarment? And was your suit inflator hooked up or was this a trial run without inflation?