Resuscitation at sea

[tania1969]

Resuscitation - I was on holiday on a boat trip where I was swept away from snorkel group and ended up drowning and was told by the time the speed boat got me out of the sea my heart had stopped.

I was given cpr for some time but not taken to hospital. I was taken back to shore then put on bus back to our hotel and told I didn' need to go to hospital this guy on boat was medically trained and I would be tired but get checked out when you get home. So I emailed flight home to get assistance at the airport, I had said I was resuscitated and I had online confermation I'd get assistance. But since the flight my heart area is very cold and I don't know if this is normal?

I saw my dr yesterday and she did a ecg straight away bloods and booked xray for ribs. But I had no idea if iv now damaged my heart. I just feel incredibly week since it all happened.

Many thanks for any advice

[IanGordon]

My overriding concern would be oxygen starvation of both heart and brain and resultant cell damage. Any cpr rib damage is secondary, providing your breathing is comfortable and blood oxygen levels normal. Be sure to chase up your test results with your GP and note any further symptoms if they occur. Any sudden changes in your health then it's 111 or 999, depending on severity. Don't ignore any detrioration. Not wishing to scaremonger,but better to be safe.....

[Zena166]

Hi Tania. I think given everything you have been through you should ask your GP for a referral to a cardiologist. They can order further tests that your GP may not have access to. As Ian has said seek medical help immediately if you are concerned about anything. You may want to phone the BHF helpline who also may offer advice. Do take care and keep us posted. Zena

[BigT2013]

All of what happened is wrong!

Should not have been just dropped like a hot patato.

Anyone who has been resuscitated should have been taken immediately to hospital!! 😮 NO DELAY.

Not only because of possible damage to heart or brain.

There is a possibility of damage to internal organs such as liver. Just from the action of resuscitation itself.

Also if u drowned there is also risk of secondary drowning!!

Make sure you are thoroughly checked by GP and or hospital and possibly get referred to cardiologists.

If the holiday was booked via a reputable company I would possibly take this further as it is dangerous and negligent.

[tania1969 in reply to BigT2013]

My head is a total mess. My friend kept asking the people on the boat trip surly she needs to go to hospital but again and again she was told no... I had a group of men keep saying to me I would be tired and sick again but get checked when I got home I will be fine... they just put me on transfer bus back to hotel where 2 men from our hotel had to hold me all the way back to my room.

I was told the first 3 hrs were the most dangerous and as I had been on the boat and on a transfer bus in this time they said I'd be ok... no one wanted me to go to hospital. I will never go on a boat trip again.

My dr are sorting me out now, I go into hospital tomorrow morning for xray. Iv had bloods done ecg my dr wants to see me again today. So I'll see what the next step is...

There is nothing I can do about the past I just need to know what I'm dealing with now.

Apparently all the health and safety changed after my accident in Egypt, no good to me but might help someone else. They had a thunderstorm the night before our boat trip and I don't think there used to bad weather. But yes I do feel a lot of people have taken a lot of risks with my life.

I doubt very much whether I'll be going in the sea again.

[Lynne1a in reply to tania1969]

Let us all know how you get on Tania best wishes Lynne x

[sandrann]

Hi there Tania I hope your Dr has now arranged for any further medical treatment you may need and you can continue to enjoy whatever plans you choose to do.

After your experience it's not surprising you don't want to go into the sea again..not many would.

There's a nurse available to chat with on this forum..if you feel the need between seeing your own Dr.

I look forward to reading your progress and sending you hugs Tania.

[tania1969]

My bloods have shown liver problems. Iv got to repeat bloods wait for xray tomorrow.

[gal4God]

I’m looking st getting into surfing and been told water sports don’t hurt ur heart health. My big bro surfs and has a heart condition and Is a cardiologist and told me that if I have issues while I’m the water if can still be sorted

[tania1969]

Gal4god I'm sure you will be fine as long as you know what your doing.

I didn't have any sort of health problem when I got in the sea. I'M a good swimmer.

The sea was unusually rough, we swam with 3 dolphins in the morning I was fine then the wind changed and I sat out of 2 snorkel swims, then we were told the sea had calmed down and it was safe to get in... my friend and myself put life jackets on all the same but for some reason the current swept me out and my life jacket was not on properly and pushed my head under the water no one noticed until my friend was screaming she was told I was dead when they pulled me out.

My problem is I should of gone to hospital straight away... Yes I'm thankful the men on boat did cpr but my life should have been taken seriously! I should have been taken to hospital also the flight was told but I was never asked for a fit to fly citificate!

I Googled dangers flying with bruised cracked or broken ribs and it said you were fine to fly but I didn't realise any of the other risks my body was under.

If your going to learn how to surf just make sure you have the right equipment and someone with you and I'm sure you will be fine.

[Alice_Ro in reply to tania1969]

I hope you get proper care from here on Tania. You have been through so much trauma. If you haven't done so already, you can talk to your GP about suppprt for your mental health to help you process this. Keep taking care of yourself.

Yes, the boat crew saved your life, but they were also severely negligent in their care to you. It sounds like they were most concerned with trying to cover their own backs, perhaps for criminal negligence of wrongly putting you and the other holidaymakers at risk in the firstplace.

It sounds like this operator needs to be shut down or have some serious mandatory staff retraining to ensure it doesn't happen again and end with someone losing their life. You may well also be entitled to compensation. I am not a lawyer, but if I was your friend I would be encouraging you and supporting you in getting some legal advice when you feel able to.

Take care Tania xxx

[tania1969 in reply to Alice_Ro]

Thank you Alice.

I have contacted the mental health services and they are sorting me out an appointment.

I do have a lot of anxiety now, I can't stand water splashed on my face and I have a lot of flash backs to the waves.

I don't remember coming round my brain has shut a lot out. I only know what my friend told me and the men on the boat.

I keep having very vivid dreams some about drowning but mainly about a Egyptian lady on the boat... this lady on the boat kept tapping and rubbing in between my eyes then started putting oil on me... it was very strange.

I shall complain to Thomas Cook for flight. But boat trip wasn't part of tc.

But I'll look into it all.

Tania x x x

[sandrann]

Hi there Tania..let us know how you get on with your x rays and further blood tests.. sending you hugs x

[tania1969]

Thank you for your kind words.

Iv had my x ray this morning and will get results next week.

I expected the results strait away but I was told they would be sent to my gp.

Tania x x x

[sandrann in reply to tania1969]

Thank you for your update Tania.. enjoy this bank holiday weekend.. it's stormy here in our part of Essex at the moment which means I will be doing indoors hobbies.

I look forward to hearing your x ray results.

Hugs