Can you scuba dive while on blood thinners?

Asked by: Elizabeth Bell

While you are taking blood thinners you should not dive. Diving is an activity where the risk of trauma is quite high and a person taking blood thinners who suffers trauma has a significant risk of a massive bleed.

Can I scuba dive if I am on blood thinners?

Most patients with atrial fibrillation have an indication to take blood-thinning medications such as warfarin, Pradaxa, Xarelto, or Eliquis. Neither atrial fibrillation nor being on blood thinners are absolute contraindications to diving.

What medical conditions can stop you from scuba diving?

Medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and many cardiac conditions were long considered absolute contraindications to scuba diving.

Can scuba diving cause blood clots?

DVT is not directly related to diving, but the risk is significantly increased by long periods of immobility, such as those found on long flights to dive destinations. DVT is a condition in which a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins, often in the legs.

What can you not do on blood thinners?

Because you are taking a blood thinner, you should try not to hurt yourself and cause bleeding. You need to be careful when you use knives, scissors, razors, or any sharp object that can make you bleed. You also need to avoid activities and sports that could cause injury. Swimming and walking are safe activities.

Who should not scuba?

“If you can reach an exercise intensity of 13 METS (the exertion equivalent of running a 7.5-minute mile), your heart is strong enough for most any exertion,” he says. You also need to be symptom-free. If you have chest pain, lightheadedness or breathlessness during exertion, you should not be diving.

Can I scuba dive with a heart stent?

There are many divers who have returned to diving after either CABG or stenting. Success in return to diving is based on restored exercise capacity without ischemia after revascularization, and choosing diving environments that do not produce excess stress on the cardiovascular system.

Can you live a long life on blood thinners?

Life with blood thinners can be overwhelming at first, but eventually, you can still live a very normal life with these medications. Blood thinners do not actually thin your blood, and they do not heal or dissolve blood clots.

What are the long term side effects of blood thinners?

Doctors often prescribe anticoagulants to thin the blood and prevent clots from forming.
Side effects of blood thinners

• uncontrolled high blood pressure.
• stomach ulcers or other issues that put you at high risk for internal bleeding.
• hemophilia or other bleeding disorders.

What is the safest blood-thinning medication?

Safer Blood-Thinning Drugs to Prevent Stroke
The newer medications are Pradaxa (dabigatran), Xarelto (rivaroxaban), Eliquis (apixaban), and most recently Savaysa (edoxaban) — which work by preventing pooled blood in the heart from clotting. Unlike warfarin, the newer drugs are safer and easier for patients to use.

Can you ever get off Eliquis?

Can you ever get off Eliquis? Eliquis is designed to reduce the risk of stroke by preventing blood clots. If you suddenly stop taking it, you are at a higher risk of experiencing a stroke or blood clots. Therefore, you should always consult with your doctor before you stop taking Eliquis.

What vitamins should be avoided when on blood thinners?

If you are a heart patient who is taking blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin®), you need to be careful not to overdo vitamin K. Blood thinners are often prescribed for people at risk for developing harmful blood clots.