Why are my lungs gurgling?

[JoshuaJ]

Okay, they're not gurgling anymore and it only lasted for an hour or two! But I wanted to share my certification experience and see what others have to say.

Our PADI OW dives were at Sund Rock in Hoodsport, WA back in January. My first two dives on Saturday were flawless, and I felt great! Well, okay my buoyancy skills were typical of the average beginner diver but not "bad". However, my first dive on Sunday I seemed to be exhausted trying to keep up during the tour on the bottom. I remember coughing a lot, feeling like there was water in my throat/sinus. I noticed after a while that when I coughed it felt like the kind of cough you get with bronchitis, a very deep rough vibration in the chest.

I didn't realize how bad it was while I was under, and instead of thumbing the dive I just kept following the group. BTW, I was asked if I was OK twice and I responded that I was. I was keeping an eye on my air and started wondering when we would surface as I was starting to get a chill. When I was at 750PSI it didn't seem like anyone was considering surfacing any time soon. At 500 PSI I chased down the instructer, grabbed his fin and thumbed the dive.

When we surfaced, I was completely exhausted and about 100ft from the exit. I was breathing fast and shallow. There was no panic, I kept my mask on, and the instructor asked me if I was OK. I said that I was, but I needed help (obviously I wasn't OK then).

Every exhale made a gurgling sound and it didn't feel like I could fill my lungs enough. I was concious of the fact that I should be taking very long, deep full breaths in and out, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the satisfaction of a full breath.

The instructor helped me with my fins, and I was able to carry myself out of the water and doff my gear. Once I got the wetsuit jacket off, I felt like I could breathe a bit better but the gurgling remained. I decided not to attempt a second dive that day, and instead packed up, let the instructor know I'd be in touch with him later, and left for home.

Somewhere on the way home the gurgling cleared up and I felt just fine. I was even a bit dissapointed that I wouldn't be making my final certification dive, but I knew I made the right decision (in fact a trip to the emergency room would have been a good idea).

I still don't know exactly why this happened, or what it was really. I did have a slight runny nose prior to the dive, so I thought maybe it was running down my throat into my lungs. I also did a mask removal and replace, so I could have had excess water in my sinus. The coughing itself was a bit tiring, so that could have been part of it. Perhaps the wetsuit was restricting, adding discomfort to everything else, and anxiety on top of that. Obviously my breathing was poor since I ran out of air about 25 minutes into the dive at 25-30ft.

I joined the next OW class in February and completed my OW training without a problem, and did an extra recreational dive with a DM. Everything felt great, and he said I looked like a natural! I've done 15 more dives since then without any trouble like that again. I'd be curious to know if anyone else has experienced something similar?

 

[muddiver]

Those are pretty clasic symptoms for Chronic Obstuctive Pulmunary Desease. If you smoke, you need to go see your doctor.

It is also possible, but not very likely that you experience a filling of the lungs with fluid due to the pressure of the water sorounding you. It is possible for the fluids in the veines and arteries to pass through the lung walls from the ambient pressure increase.

The lest dangerous possability is that you were congested, due to alergies, cold, etc. And you didn't know it.

 

[JoshuaJ]

I've never been a smoker, but I'll read up on COPD, thanks! I'm betting it was a combonation of anxiety, and congestion worsened by entry of saltwater in my nose...

 

[Web Monkey]

Every exhale made a gurgling sound and it didn't feel like I could fill my lungs enough. I was concious of the fact that I should be taking very long, deep full breaths in and out, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the satisfaction of a full breath.

The gurgling sound is almost certainly fluid in your lungs, however there are a number of different causes, and you need to get checked out before diving again.

I'd recommend calling DAN for a referral to a doc in your area, and wouldn't go diving until you find out what's going on.

Terry

 

[JoshuaJ]

I've made 16 dives since that one, and have not had a single issue since. I'm overweight, but in good and ever improving health. I run several nights a week, and hike now and then. I feel pretty good about my health and ability to dive safely, but if it happens again I will certainly see a doctor about it. I had a very mild cold on and off through the winter and I'm betting that was mostly to blame. I have better judgement now on when to call the dive, and won't hesitate to do so the next time I feel like something isn't right. If I don't feel like I can react to an emergency and assist my buddy while I'm down there, then they don't have a buddy anymore and it's time to end the dive.

 

[caseybird]

I know that gurgling and it sounds exactly like bronchitis to me, I tend to get during the winter. If I was your buddy, and you came up like that, I would have DRAGGED you to the emergency room. Be careful.

 

[Bonairetrip]

Josh:

Here is the problem: you had a potentially very dangerous event happen to you. Because you don't know what caused it, it could possibly happen again. IMHO, the appropriate course of action is to contact DAN for a referal to doc training in diving medicine (probably a pulmonologist). Get an exam and a clean bill of health.

I am not a Doctor but I would posit that "a slight runny nose" would not, by itself, cause what happened to you.

Here is the thing: If it happened once, it could happen again. You essentially required a rescue. Only a Doc who examines you is qualified to offer an opinion of whether there is a current risk. It could be a one-time thing that is never to recur. Or not.

PS: While I would argue that you should have turned the dive much earlier, cudos for dealing with the issue without panicked and for accepting assistance when needed!

 

[muddiver]

I've made 16 dives since that one, and have not had a single issue since. I'm overweight, but in good and ever improving health. I run several nights a week, and hike now and then. I feel pretty good about my health and ability to dive safely, but if it happens again I will certainly see a doctor about it. I had a very mild cold on and off through the winter and I'm betting that was mostly to blame. I have better judgement now on when to call the dive, and won't hesitate to do so the next time I feel like something isn't right. If I don't feel like I can react to an emergency and assist my buddy while I'm down there, then they don't have a buddy anymore and it's time to end the dive.

To reinforce what the other posters have said; If you dive with any unusual feeling or noise from the lungs you are taking a chance on having an barrotrauma incident or gett an Arterial Gas Embolism. It is not difficult to plug some of the avoli or the little tubes in the lung and pop air sacks on ascent because the air can not escape. What you discribed is not normal and it is good you reccognized that, next time act and get medical attention right away before diving again. Medicine is not an exact science, but better a safe and happy diver than a flailing, dying mess on the beach. :shocked2:

 

[TSandM]

What frightens me is that the symptoms described could be consistent with immersion pulmonary edema. This is a poorly understood condition that can affect divers or swimmers, and results in the lungs filling with fluid. It can be quite dangerous, as it can seriously affect the victim's ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. Who is susceptible to this is unclear, although there seems to be some correlation with high blood pressure. It is also unclear how high a risk someone runs of a recurrence -- I know of a local diver here who was definitively diagnosed with this after a dive, recovered, and is now back to diving actively.

Certainly, if you feel any shortness of breath or difficulty breathing on a future dive, you need to take it seriously and quickly abort the dive.

 

[JoshuaJ]

Thanks Lynne, I'll be sure to pay close attention to any respiratory issues and head to the emergency room immediately if I notice the symtoms return. I had a physical and all kinds of blood tests not long ago and my blood pressure, cholesterol etc is all in the green.

The symptoms of IPE sound very much like what I experienced, but it says that aspiration of water can immitate IPE and I did (I'm pretty sure anyway, tough to remember) get water in my nose during the mask removal/replacement. There was no sputum on the surface at all either, though that doesn't seem to preclude the possibility of IPE.

The long and the short of it is this - if it ever happens again, I will thumb the dive immediately without hesitation and head to the hospital while breathing oxygen if at all possible. I will also setup a physical with a local doc familiar with diving and let him know of the incident, perhaps he'll run some tests to determine whether I have or am susceptible to either of the suggested conditions.

Thanks guys!