Am I Stuck Forever at 40 Feet???

[360GUY]

I'm really depressed right now. Perhaps I'm worrying for nothing. Any help would be appreciated.

Started diving 3 months ago. I received my OWD and AOWD. No ear problems whatsoever. Equalizing was simple and always did the trick. All dives, except my deep dive (105 ft) during my AOWD, were pretty much relegated to 30-45 feet. Nine dives total. No ear issues!

Now I start signing up for independant dive trips, always 2-tank dives. All dives range between 35-70 feet, during the course of the particular dive. But every dive spends some time at the deep levels.

OK. I've had 6 (2-tank) dives. Here's what's happening:

DAY 1 / DIVE 1.....No ear issues. Equalization no problem. Avergae depth 55 feet
DAY 1 / DIVE 2....Some difficulty equalizing. Some pressure. Some discomfort. I perform up and down method to get equalization balanced. Eventually, all is good. Dive completed. Average depth 50 feet.
POST DIVE.....Terrible congestion, clogging, and headaches for 24 hours


DAY 2 / DIVE 1.....No ear issues. Everything is great. Equalization is no problem.
DAY 2 / DIVE 2....NO EQUALIZATION POSSIBLE. I max out at 15 feet. Terrible pressure and pain. The dive is abandoned.
POST DIVE.....Terrible congestion for 24 hours. Tec divers suggest taking a decongestant prior to diving.


DAY 3 / DIVE 1.....I take decongestant 90 minutes prior to dive. No equalization issues. Feel great. Average depth 57 feet.
DAY 3 / DIVE 2.....Decongestant seems to be working. Equalization takes a little longer but eventually all good to go. I complete the dive with minimal discomfort. Average depth 53 feet.
POST DIVE.....EARS CLOGGED. WILL NOT CLEAR. A little clearing through the night. 18 hours later, left ear still clogged. Getting better.

OK...I'll stop. I really wanted to expand my diving into caves and wrecks and things like that, but apparently, the DEEPER depths create issues. Yet only on the 2nd dives of a 2-tank dive)...

AM I DOOMED TO LIVE MY DIVING LIFE AT 35 FEET???

I'm open to all ideas...medications, exercises, Gregorian chants, human or animal sacrifices, etc...Thanks for all your help.

 

[Marie13]

Have you seen an ENT? That should be your first stop.

 

[OTF]

If you can equalize past ~10-15 feet there shouldn't be much difference in equalizing whether you're at 30 feet or 300 feet. So you're not doomed.

It's possible you had temporary congestion on those dive days from a minor cold or allergies.

Talk to an ENT or call Divers Alert Network for advice.

Be careful with decongestants, if the effects start to wear off and you clog up during a long dive you could get a reverse block which will make for an unhappy ascent. Plenty of people do use them without problems though.

 

[Deepsea5]

Have you seen an ENT? That should be your first stop.

360GUY: I concur with the quoted post from Marie13.

Edit: the above post from OTF also is a good one. I would have also quoted it if I'd seen it before I posted.

I take a daily dose of over the counter (OTC) Loratadine. This has helped me with equalizing (both SCUBA diving and flying). FWIW: both my Primary Care Physician and Aviation Medical Examiner are OK with me doing so.
Loratadine might be helpful for you. Just to be on the safe side, please discuss this with your Primary Care Physician and/or an ENT Specialist before starting a Loratadine (or any other medication) regimen.

 

[MrVegas]

DIVE 1.....No ear issues.

I think 2nd dive issues are more common than you may think. Pressure pushes stuff around inside your head. Get the most out your 1st dive. The more you dive, the less important the 2nd one will seem.

But yes, it can be frustrating. For quarry diving, we'll sometimes just do one long dive, but of course cost and schedule is different than on a boat.

 

[rick00001967]

agree with above advise to see an ear, nose, and throat doctor. inflammation of the sinuses and / or blockage of your eustachian tubes can be a real problem. hopefully it can easily be dealt with.

on another note.....pseudoephedrine (sudafed) a common decongestant, may increase the risk of O2 toxicity in some divers. so if you are using this just be aware.

btw....i am the opposite of you. the more i dive the better my sinuses feel. amazing how much snot comes out of there. eeewww haha

 

[Ben_3]

First thing on the list like some said above, get in touch with a good doctor just to make sure you are good to go. Are you equalizing enough when you are going up or down during your dives? I have seen some forget to equalize "often" durning a dive.

 

[ChuckP]

Definetly see an ENT doc, make sure you haven't hurt your ears which can happen in new divers.

Once you've done this awhile, you'll realize you should feel virtually no pressure on your ears otherwise you are not equalizing enough. It gets easier for most.

 

[360GUY]

Thank you all for your excellent advice. Let me fill in some holes.

1. No colds, congestion, or allergiesetc. Feeling great.

2. I'm taking TABCIN 90 minutes prior to diving; 2 tablets dissolved in water. Instructions say take every 6-8 hours, so hopefully, no issues with reverse blockage.

3. Will definitely see ENT as soon as possible. Right now, ears feel fine. No pain but still a teeny-tiny blockage that keeps popping. But I don't think any serious issues.

4. I'm guessing the (1st dive ) pressure builds up during the dive and then after 60 minute surface interval, there's enough congestion built up to cause these (2 dive) problems...

5. I mostly equalize through SWALLOWING. Sometimes using gthe nose method, but mostly SWALLOWING. Seems to work fine...

6. ChuckP, are you implying that, with TIME, my physiology will get used to me diving, and these issues will become less problematic?

 

[rick00001967]

Are you equalizing enough when you are going up

would you like to clarify this statement pls ?