Scuba Diving after the Maze Update

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Posted by Ken Willis on August 07, 2002 at 06:31:53:

Posted by Ken Willis on August 07, 2002 at 01:48:41:

In Reply to: Maze Procedure and Scuba Diving posted by James T. Redmond on June 08, 2002 at 10:50:36:

James,
Sorry to be so tardy answering your question, but I just went scuba diving for the first time post-maze and now
can answer "yes" to your question "Are there any scuba divers out there who resumed diving AFTER their maze
procedure?" I'll be doing more during the remainder of this week.

I had maze surgery on May 23rd of this year. I've done some hiking since surgery, but yesterday was the first time
diving. Our son, his wife and daughter and my wife and I have been boat camping in the San Juan Islands of
Washington, and along the way my son and I are going to be diving (we came home briefly to clean up and
resupply, then back out to the islands). I went to 95 feet, which is deeper than we normally dive, and I felt very
normal throughout the dive. I'm very conservative with my bottom time and spend several minutes at the end of
each dive at shallow depths. I've been a diver since 1985. I'm also on coumadin until September, so, as with any
physical activity, I have to keep in mind the extra danger of bleeding and proceed accordingly. But it doesn't keep
me from doing the things I love. Incidentally, I was more profoundly (and negatively) impacted by a RF ablation
last December than by maze surgery, so if you get an ablation instead of the maze, my response wouldn't be so
sanguine.

I really hope that you have found or will find a diving-knowledgeable physician who will sanction your desire to
dive. I'd sure be interested in hearing from you if you get a sound medical opinion from such a doctor that you (or
I) shouldn't be diving (unlike you, I've never had any kind of squeeze). Good luck with resolving your afib and
resuming scuba diving.

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