Heart problems

Hello folks I'm an older (64) jumper that has been away from the sport for a LONG time wanting to get back to it. I have 403 logged jumps and had just signed up for the aff in Palatka for Saturday. Last Monday I had a heart issue (Coronary Artery Disease) requiring two stents. When I ask my doctor about when I could start jumping again he pretty much shut me down saying my jumping days were over. I refuse to accept this without further investigation so here is where it starts. Has anyone out there experienced this problem and if so can you throw some info my way? I love this sport too much to believe that this type of issue would bring an end to it. As a footnote...the doctor at first said I could start probably in a month or so until he found out that I had been away for a number of years. This makes me believe that there is a way that I can safely start jumping again. PLEASE if anyone has been through this I need help. Thanks

Do a Tandem and see if the urge is still there and balance that with potential issue's to see if its worth it to you.

Their are a couple memebers here that have gone thru what you have, just can't remember their names..they'll show up. Best of luck

Go to a doctor and see if you can pass a Class 3 medical, as if you were getting a student pilot license. If the FAA think you are ok, then maybe you are ok!

Easiest way to find out is to just go. If you survive I'd say your ok. if you die...well then you wasn't ok.

But in all seriousness I'd try getting your heart rate up. If you feel fine after a good jog or something similar I'd say your fine. unless its maybe the jolt from the canopy opening that may concern you? Idk I'm no doctor.

If your Doctor says no and you go ahead and take the AFF class that would mean you have lied on your waiver. Just something to think about.

Sparky

No MJO I wouldn't do that, as a matter of fact I went to the dz today and got a refund for the aff and told them the whole story. Great group of guys at Palatka dz and they gave me a lot of encouragement. I don't want to end up being a dz woffo so I'm going to relearn to pack and help around until I can get back jumping.

JW with this condition they wouldn't allow a jump tandem. Tell you what I did though. Last weekend before the heart thing I hitched a ride in the right seat of the Caravan to watch a jump and got that nice adrealine rush on the final jump run............twas nice!

SXC I had thought of that as a matter of fact thanks. I have an appointment follow up with my cardiac doc next month and will try to do more persuading and I'm also on a lead with a top cardaic doc for a second opinion, gonna ask for a stress test.

I like it Cracker...lol. No I'm not worried about opening shock but that is a valid point. Problem is I'm not worried at all. Like I told the wife..I'd rather die in the air than in a damn hospital bed!

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I'd rather die in the air than in a damn hospital bed!

Hospitals are dangerous places alright, plenty of people die there....

I try to avoid them whenever possible...

Getting a second opinion is important. IMO most doctors have no idea about jumping, but I can see that most would err on the side of caution....and most medicos who have experience of parachute injuries these days have prolly dealt mostly with injuries consistent with pounding into the ground on landing...under pocket rockets...

Good luck.....I'm sure you'll get back in the air....

I personally know 3 Pilots who had stints as well as bypass surgery. One is Commercially Rated and flyies passengers regularly.

They all got their medicals back after a 6 month wait and certain testes which included stress and electrocardiogram reports that read favorably.

I'm sure their are quite a few others out there as well.

I see no reason why someone couldn't jump again. The FAA Medical Office is convinced that these procedures are good enough for Pilots to safely carry passengers.

you had "simple" stints placed right? not after a heart attack, requiring a full CABG right?

if so, id talk to a cardiologist, request a appt for a stress test, and then talk to him and explain what happens during a normal skydive. see what goes from there. its not necessarily a skydiving death sentence.

I have no choise now I hafta jump. Jack LaLonde D-4865 who I usta jump with in Delray and Indiantown just bought a new rig and GAVE me his old canopies....how friggin cool is that! He's jumping in Palatka now along with Pop. I'm loving relating memories of the older days with them.

On the hand, only a doctor can clear you.

Non-doctors telling you to test your recovery yourself by jumping or doing a tandem don't know what they're talking about, since that diagnostic "test" might kill you, if only due to the adrenaline rush. And you will have that rush, even with your past experience. I say that as someone who came back after a long layoff myself. Door fear & adrenaline wasn't quite as much as my student days, but it was there until I re-acclimated.

And people equating skydiving to piloting an airplane also are full of it, again due to the adrenaline rush, as well as the physical load, each of which may be more than piloting a GA aircraft.

On the other hand....
...some doctors simply will not clear someone for skydiving, either due to medical conservatism, or whuffo misunderstanding of skydiving, or fear of legal liability. So, go doctor-shopping. If you cannot find any cardiologist to clear you, even after trying several independently, that corroboration probably counts for something.

BUT, but, but.... Maybe you make the choice for yourself that you're willing to assume the risk and not be benched just to guarantee a slot drooling on yourself in a nursing home some day. Life, after all, is about living, not just biological existence in a safely bubble waiting for geriatric organs to finally crash. And if you decide to just say FUCK IT!! and go ahead and jump anyway, I'll be the first to respect your decision. Because it will be YOUR decision.

...to guarantee a slot drooling on yourself in a nursing home some day.

You say that like it's a BAD thing!

Well I've since found out that I still have blockage that the doctor is hesitant to deal with without consulting some of his fellow cartiac doctors. I can deal with that as long as he works with me to resolve the problem. I go back for test at the end of the month to re-evaluate and make future plans. The doctor is convinced that I am going to jump so I think he is going to help me along. And I did tell him that I'd rather die in the air than in a hospital bed. Thanks for the input.

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Well I've since found out that I still have blockage that the doctor is hesitant to deal with without consulting some of his fellow cartiac doctors. I can deal with that as long as he works with me to resolve the problem. I go back for test at the end of the month to re-evaluate and make future plans. The doctor is convinced that I am going to jump so I think he is going to help me along. And I did tell him that I'd rather die in the air than in a hospital bed. Thanks for the input.

YES!! I told the doctor that he was causing me undue stress by refusing to let me jump ( with halfhearted humor) and he agreed to do a stress test and make his decision from that I did the test and PASSED! Hope to be in the air this weekend. Thanks for the support people!

I have one stent that was placed in my left decending artery (the widow maker) in 2004 and I'm still jumping. However, I waited 6 months after the stent was installed to start jumping again. And I quit smoking and made all the other life changes that go along with a healthy recovery. It's not the adrenaline that will hurt you so much as the fast change in altitude which causes the blood vessels and arteries to constrict. Take an asprin on the morning of your jumps when you do start to jump again and please wait 6 months till after the stent was placed. The tissue around the stent needs to grow over it to hold it in place. It COULD move on you if you don't wait. Again from the suddenly changing pressure from rapid change in altitude.

Antother point to consider. No one else cares whether you live or die in the air but it's a hell of a mess to have to clean up after you bounce so please invest in an AAD.

Wow what an eye opener and a huge plate of humility I just experenced!! I did make my jump and it was like I'd never jumped before. I was all over the place. On my back, spinning like a top, heels on my ass.....jumpmasters comment was that he'd never had such a hard time keeping up with a student. Talking about humble pie I got a huge dose. The old body learned for real that it was no longer 30 years old....lol. Still enjoyed myself anyway. Went to the air tunnel and got most of the issues resolved ( hopefully ) and went to the dz yesterday to make my second jump. Before the plane got attilitude it had to come back down due to engine problems.....adrenline rush followed by disappointment. Going back tomorrow if plane is fixed to see if I got my chit back together. I want to thank Art the dzo for not selling me a complete rig before the jump, he obiviously had more forethought than myself. I was a bit resentful that I had to take the aff again because I after all had SO much experence and I didn't need that......man was I wrong! I'll continue the aff with a different attitude until I pass of they kick me off the dz or my body says otherwise. I experenced no heart problems that I'm aware of but man was this dude sore the next day. Thanks everyone here for your input it has been appreciated.

Welcome Back!

Thanks man it's good to be back!