Anyone ever had these symptoms?

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I presume that you've had a blood test with CBC and it was ok? Also presumably, no fevers? Has anything changed in where you live, work, commute; e.g. construction or demolition, change of drinking water or food source? On the day of the dive, did you exert yourself in any unusual way, especially in terms of lifting or twisting your torso or neck? And your jittery eyes; does it tend to be horizontal or vertical?

Correct on all assumption. Blood checked out, at least the vitals - they did not do a run of the mill check. I know it included things like major organ issues, thyroid and blood count. Not sure beyond that. As for changes, nothing. Same fairly healthy lifestyle - sports, job, exercise, diet, lots of water, etc. I live in a plat from the 50's, so no changes there either.

The entire dive weekend was a lot of work. We did a lot of walking fully geared up, which is not light even when you are fit. By a lot, I meant literally around 1/2 a mile at times. Entry/exit into the quarry is not always the easiest either, specifically over by the navigation pylons for those familiar with Portage. We were also camping, so note the hard sleeping surfaces and tasks associated with that. Still, the biggest strain was my regulator issue, and the fact that I was just BARELY under-weighted on the first two dives (my first wetsuit dives ever), which made the initial descend more difficult than it should have been. I learned my lesson, and logged the weights and issues. On the dive when I struggled to equalize, I made the mistake of using my arms to try to force myself down to drain out ALL the air in my BCD. Honestly, I've thought all along that I may have pushed down a little too far on the struggle which may be the cause to the inner ear trauma. Big OOPS - no lecture needed. LOL. I knew it was wrong then, and no way I'd ever do it again knowing it can do this to me! Next time I'll risk lugging an extra couple pounds if I'm struggling to sink.

For the eye jitters, I obviously can't watch my own eyes, but my field of vision seems to shake mostly diagonally up and to the right and down and to the left according to the test I just did where I actually paid attention to it. Since mornings are the most brutal time, I'll use this morning as an example. 7:00 AM this morning felt more like 9:00 AM yesterday, which is a slight improvement. I'm getting to the point in the day where symptoms are usually lightest and I don't feel much difference compared to previous days. I have been doing the exercises I was given at 5 sets, 3 times per day. I've also been doing my own modified versions at work by sitting up in my desk chair and leaning as far to the sides as I can (lying my head on the desk) and looking upward as much as I'm able. Please let me know if anyone sees a reason why this is a bad idea. I've also been adamant about taking the Meclizine for dizziness. Honestly, I'm not sure it helps but who knows. I hoped for more improvement with the meds and exercises, but at this point a beggar can't be a chooser and a slight improvement through the morning is better than nothing. Tomorrow will tell if it was a fluke or actual progress.

I should also note, somewhat humiliatingly, that my stomach/chest feel much better with nothing other than the over-the-counter antacid/anti-gas meds. If I call 12-3 days ago 0% improvement, yesterday was about 40%, and today is around 90%. Almost normal. My breathing is much smoother and the tightness and pressure has decreased substantially. What do you all think? Was I swallowing air fighting my reg, then it really did cause a huge gas bubble as I ascended? Assuming symptoms continue to improve given current practices, I'd like for future readers (and myself) to have a lesson to take away so hopefully many of us can avoid something similar.

I also hit up the chiropractor again today to continue loosening the tightness in my back. Figure I might as well keep on all the issues so I can more easily single out the problems at hand.
 
If it were me I would make an appointment with an ENT and have my ears examined by a specialist. While it may be BPPV your symptoms may also be explained by other types of Barotrauma such as aquired Perilymph fistula.

Given:
1. new divers have most problems with equalization trauma
2. You admitted to an ear problem
3. you even mentioned drainage from ears
4. the bulk of your symptoms can be explained by inner ear trauma, even the gastric

Go to an ENT
 
If it were me I would make an appointment with an ENT and have my ears examined by a specialist. While it may be BPPV your symptoms may also be explained by other types of Barotrauma such as aquired Perilymph fistula.

Given:
1. new divers have most problems with equalization trauma
2. You admitted to an ear problem
3. you even mentioned drainage from ears
4. the bulk of your symptoms can be explained by inner ear trauma, even the gastric

Go to an ENT

I'll give the current plan through the weekend since I had some improvement today. If I'm not happy with the results, I'll be on the phone with the doc first thing Monday morning about the ears. After 12 days of dizziness, it would be great to remember how it feels to walk a straight line. LOL!

I'm just glad it seems to be down to the ear issues now. I'd love it to go away as well, but at least I can put my finger on a specific event that likely triggered the ear trauma. I was genuinely worried about the stomach / chest tightness because it can be a lot of really bad things and I couldn't begin come close to figuring out a cause. Assuming all continues down this path, I'll chalk up the ear thing as a hard lesson learned.

Realistically, both of these issues could have been related to me fighting my gear. The regulator may have led to swallowing air, and the underweight issues could have caused me to struggle to sink. Since I was using my arms to swim down, I was unable to equalize properly. Moral of the story: relax, dive cautiously, and if something isn't right with you or your gear, figure it out and don't fight it.
 
It's good that you're seeing improvement. Your suspicions may be right: a bit of ear trauma plus a possible reflux-like event from struggling in non-upright positions and swallowing air. I'll suggest going to check-in with the ENT in any case.

My questions may have sounded offbeat, but when someone presents with somewhat disparate, multiple symptoms, I tend to think "inflammatory response"; i.e. infection, toxin, or autoimmune. (Swimming in a lake with the possibility of seepage of contaminated groundwater also raised a flag.) An abdominal problem such as hernia or nerve displacement/irritation also crossed my mind. As for the eye jitters; horizontal (side-to-side) suggests first looking at the ears; vertical shaking would point toward a deeper lesion. ...And of course, you just happen to be the hard case by claiming neither and going diagonal :D
 
Well, after another doc visit, it sounds like GERD and vertigo (BPPV) have been reaffirmed. I was prescribed Nexium and told to continue Meclizine to help kick these. I am going to ask them to call in some kind of a broad range antibiotic as well, just to be sure there isn't some kind of parasitic or bacterial problem at hand. At this point, I figure it can't hurt.

Another odd thing started happening this weekend. My forehead is breaking out with something that looks similar to small pimples, but they don't really appear to be pimples. Maybe a reaction to one of the meds? I don't know. It seems odd things keep coming up, but the docs, all different, keep diagnosing the same things.
 
This may sound off the wall, but if this hadn't been a dive related forum, I would have immediately thought of a spider bite, or in my area, Lyme disease. Just a suggestion, but a blood test for something like that might not be a bad idea.
 
To update, my mental state, concentration, balance, vision, etc has started to improve the last couple days. Nothing major, but all is well enough that I haven't even taken any of the dizziness meds. It is a little more come and go than just a constant vertigo and disorientation like before. Still far from correct, but at least a noticeable sign of improvement.

The throat / swallowing issues are the major thing now. I'm still giving Nexium a chance to rule out GERD, but I'm still not sure an ENT swallow test isn't in the making. However, the pressure and gassy type symptoms and shortness of breath are much improved as well. I'm happy with where that particular part is at as well.

I struggled a tiny bit with swallowing issues before diving so it will remain its own thing. That said, I think most of my diving-related symptoms are starting to head in the right direction.
 
Did you ever try breathing 100% 02 from what I have read the only way to really know if you have DCS is if the symptoms resolve on 02 or going into the Chamber resolves it. Some of your symptoms seem like DCS to me one thing I have found by reading that DCS can't be ruled out by looking at dive profiles alone. Read Unexpected Decompression Illness DAN Divers Alert Network : Unexpected Decompression Illness It's too late now to find out if you really had DCS, but others who read this might gain some insight into DCS one of the things I have learned about DCS is if you have been diving and you have unexplained symptoms don't hesitate to get to an ER where they have dive doctor and a chamber balance and unexplained pain can be DCS. Just because you called DAN they can't do a diagnoses over the phone I have trouble with that kind of thing. When I called DAN they were very suspicious of my symptoms after he ran the tables saying I should not be bent from flying after diving the day before, but my symptoms resolved quickly after I started breathing 100% 02 and after the chamber I was able go off the 02 and was symptom free DAN said since my symptoms resolved it had to be DCS.
 
kell,
I'm glad your case resolved successfully. You make some good points, especially about DCS presenting atypically or unexpectedly. You mention that DCS can't be ruled out by looking at dive profiles alone, and that's largely correct. However, remembering that this is an internet forum and we only know what's posted, none of marineman's profiles were really provocative enough to produce decompression sickness, so I don't think DCS is very high on the list of differential diagnoses for him. The most troubling thing for me is still the mental status change, which does not fit with a diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
Also, I think it's important to reiterate that even if DCS symptoms resolve on 100% O2, the diver still needs to be treated in a hyperbaric chamber. DCS symptoms that resolve on surface O2 often reoccur when the O2 is discontinued.

Best regards,
DDM
 
I don't know about BPPV -- can you relate your symptoms to any changes in position or head movements? I'm worried about the possibility of inner ear damage during your dives. Persistent vertigo is pretty odd. Especially if the meclizine is not helping, I'd consider requesting a referral to either a neurologist or a good, diving-savvy ENT doc.
 
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