What medical testing should Rebreather divers get?

[Okeanos]

And you are going to pay for this, right?

Enough with the requirements, we have enough political BS to deal with already. We really don't need the government having us jump through more hoops. I say if you feel you should have a full medical, no one is stopping you from getting one, but don't force me to have one and don't make decisions for me as I am perfectly capable of making them on my own.

I know where you're coming from and I would probably agree. I have to have a medical to teach or work underwater, yet I can drive a taxi/bus etc. with no medical/test whatsoever. Which is more dangerous?

I am a great believer in keeping fit (any level of fitness is better than none) and would like to see fitter divers. The HSE medical in the UK has a fitness test which is why I would like to see divers having a medical, not every year but maybe every 5 years.

[acelockco]

I know where you're coming from and I would probably agree.

You don't know where I am coming from, and you are not seeing my point. We already have enough government control in our lives, we don't need more. If there were a high incident rate in diving, I could see something changing but as of now diving is really a safe sport with very little injury and or death compared to many other activities.

By the way, where I live (Pennsylvania) you don't have to wear a motorcycle helmet or special clothing other then any type of eye protection you choose. Anyway, I always wear a helmet and an armored jacket with reflective material (not those ugly yellow things you guys are forced to wear, just a black jacket with a reflective stripe) every time I ride even if it is right up the road. Again, I wear them because I have the choice just as you have the choice to get a medical. Think of it as survival of the fittest.

[Okeanos]

Ace, perhaps you're not understanding my point.

If people had medicals they would either have to get fit or not dive. If I refuse someone onto my boat because they don't look fit, I'd refuse myself (6'3" & 273lbs) because I don't look fit even though I have a calculated VO2 max of 52.5 which proves I am fit. A medical would show who should be reasonably fit & healthy.

I see divers who get out of breath walking up a slipway, not what I call fit for diving. They Drink to excess the night before diving and generally not take care of themselves. I have had to recover a diver on my boat who was non-breathing and un-responsive, they survived. After a visit to the docs they were told to lose weight and get fit.

I would rather divers have medicals than make motor cyclists wear helmets or car drivers wear safety belts. We are over-regulated in many ways, too many ways, but I'd rather dive with people who had a better chance of making it back safely.

p.s. If I had the choice I wouldn't wear a helmet on my motorcycle nor a safety belt in my car but I'd have a medical to make sure I was safe(r) to dive.

[Okeanos]

A little light reading for you - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15241540

The site is very good for studies relating to scuba diving, I have read many of these but keep finding more to read.

[The Publisher]

Okeanos, you make valid points that many of us agree with, and my favorite is when you said "....if I had a choice...".

I prefer when the power of that choice is in the hands of a person, not the government...but, hey, I admit I am sort of FUNNY that way, lol

It is interesting how this topic has sparked interest...sort of caoses the libertarians to come out of the woodwork , adn those of us who would not know the difference between a V02 max and V02 from Brillcreme.

[cherylfoster]

There are a safety belt, we make use of motorcycle helmets. We wanted to use the Hi-Vis jackets motorcycle too, but never went through because it was a step too far.They still do not make us dive certification, however, if you are teaching or working underwater.

[acelockco]

however what????