Scuba diving with asthma?

Question

My husband wants to take scuba diving classes but is scared because he is asthmatic. I don't think his asthma is cronic, we have been together 3 1/2 years and I've only seen two or maybe three asthma attacks. Even those were not bad enough to go to the hospital. I need answers from people who scuba dive and suffer from asthma so I can talk to my husband. I already know that there are certain precautions asthmatics need to take and blah, blah, blah. I am looking for real experiences from asthmatic divers. How does it feel to breathe underwater? Has anyone suffered an attack while diving? By the way, I am an open water diver and I feel so safe underwater (I am not asthmatic), but he needs reassurance.

Answer 1

Google/Call DAN and have them give you a diving doc in your area. Then your husband can see the doc and find out if he can dive

Answer 2

This is a common question.  As noted above, the Diver's Alert Network has a very good discussion about asthma.  The general guideline is that his asthma must be well under control with no recent attacks.

There is nothing about breathing mechanics that should trigger an attack; dive air is clean and dry.  The issue would be stress.  It will be important for your husband to locate a physician who understands dive medicine well enough to evaluate his lung function.  The good folks at DAN can help with this.  DAN is affiliated with the research hospital in Research Triangle.  They can help you with physician referral, and can even put a doctor on the phone with your physician to answer questions and offer guidance.