How Does Narcosis Effect You?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

My deepest dive was little deeper than 130 and the effects and I remember not being able to take pictures because it took a lot of effort to recall how knobs worked. I was more frustrated and agitated at myself until I told myself that this is Narcosis. Diving to 130 was not a problem but operating a camera and DSLR photography needed decisions that were taking a lot of mental effort.

What is the deepest you have gone on air and how does Narcosis effect you at that depth? Thanks.

 

[tbone1004]

deeper than I care to comment. I don't enjoy being narc'd, so I try to avoid if it at all possible, but I get dark narc'd in caves and just don't enjoy it. I can still function, albeit slowed, but it's not worth it. If 130 is as deep as you intend on going, I recommend taking the TDI ART course. Gives you a bit of helium for narcosis management

 

[Bratface]

140 on air when we were investigating a sailboat we came across. We didn't linger as it wasn't a planned dive. I've been fortunate to never have effects of narcosis.

 

[redacted]

Same as a trip to the dentist when I was a kid. Face went numb at 140 ft on Marichibo.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

deeper than I care to comment. I don't enjoy being narc'd, so I try to avoid if it at all possible, but I get dark narc'd in caves and just don't enjoy it. I can still function, albeit slowed, but it's not worth it. If 130 is as deep as you intend on going, I recommend taking the TDI ART course. Gives you a bit of helium for narcosis management

I intend to go all the way to the bottom. I am realizing that Tec is expensive and would like to asses my own personal "Helium" depth. UTD and GUE recommend anything below 100 as Helium but that may be a bit conservative.

 

[The Chairman]

This is a misleading question. Many people don't feel any symptoms and so feel that they aren't narced. @CAPTAIN SINBAD was clued in because he was trying to accomplish a complicated task. Without that, he probably would not have known he was narced. The most dangerous diver is the one that thinks they don't get narced.

 

[oldschoolto]

178' feet solo penetration wreck dive... Did multiple dives to that wreck that summer... But that was in the late 70's before mixed gas... We all went deep on air...

Jim...

 

[gopbroek]

For myself it patterns close to the effects of alcohol or drugs (youth), I start feeling the impairment and reduced capacity between 110' and 140'. I think that with experience you can recognize the effect and deal with it provided you are really comfortable and recognise what is happening and can remember that your decision and motor skills are rapidly decreasing.
Unfortunately for myself it is also like a functional alcoholic with a six pack driving home verses a tea totaler driving home after two glasses of wine after dinner. Without experience the tea totaled becomes rapidly confused and a danger to themselves and others. The alcoholic is also a danger but most likely will make it home OK. The qualifier is 'most likely', the chance of a catastrophic outcome is exceptionally high, for most people in both senerios.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

About 120'. My thought process slows down. My coordination declines. So it is imperative that I plan my gas appropriately (which includes plenty) and stick with a cut off time/turn pressure, abandoning the task if necessary.

 

[tbone1004]

I intend to go all the way to the bottom. I am realizing that Tec is expensive and would like to asses my own personal "Helium" depth. UTD and GUE recommend anything below 100 as Helium but that may be a bit conservative.

not in my experience and opinion... I will go to 130-150 if I have to, but if I am planning on being there for more than 5-6 minutes, I will put helium in there. 110 or so is a fairly normal cave dive for us and I won't put helium in for that, but most of the time the depth is in the 80's and 90's