Been Diving for awhile - Now experiencing panic?

[teresak]

The one time I really felt like I wasn't getting enough air from my reg- I had realized my tank valve wasn't open all the way. I can imagine your situation *might * also be the same problem. That valve only open, say, 3/4 of the way might seem fine - right until you get down a few feet...then you're sucking through a straw.

Add some cold water and some current, and whoa ? ! How deep did you say this was happening? Either way - since the DM is setting up your gear- I would make a habit of doing all that stuff yourself. Hey- it's your life down there. Nobody but YOU should be giving all this stuff the final check before getting wet.

This is a different feeling altogether from feeling spooked underwater. I've been spooked a few times.

Yes! I can't remember...50 feet? I'm really anxious to get my hands on some scuba equipment and check all of this wonderful info out! I'm really actually embarrassed to say that I always have the DM setting it up for me. I should know better. I'll definitely be hands-on from now on! And yes...sucking air through a straw was really what it felt like. I was trying so hard to remain calm (my 15 year old was doing a "try-out dive" to see if she wanted to certify) and I didn't want her to see my panic. The divemaster was really focused on her, holding her hand, making sure she was okay. I got my husband's attention (literally got right in his face) and gave him the "I can't breathe! I need to surface!" hand motions and he was OBLIVIOUS. Nodded and kept following the DM and my daughter! (Believe me...there were some SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS after THAT!!!) He keeps telling me that he'll be there in Cozumel and if we need to surface, it's not a problem. (!) Yeah, right.

 

[TMHeimer]

May not help at all (perhaps due to difference in pressure), but perhaps try some really shallow shore diving--like 20'. If you have no problems there it may be a psychological problem with deeper diving?

 

[teresak]

May not help at all (perhaps due to difference in pressure), but perhaps try some really shallow shore diving--like 20'. If you have no problems there it may be a psychological problem with deeper diving?

For sure...I like to think I don't have psychological problems...but, there's always that option. haha. I'm going to take it slow and enjoy myself. Dying is never fun.

 

[TMHeimer]

For sure...I like to think I don't have psychological problems...but, there's always that option. haha. I'm going to take it slow and enjoy myself. Dying is never fun.

Interesting twist is--from the get go I've never had any real nervousness or breathing problems as I increased my depth. Yet to this day, when I walk/swim out from a beach (not scuba) and approach water over my head, I get a bit of the Heebee Jeebees. Not as much when I used to snorkel, but really never on scuba. Who knows why. I was on the HS swim team decades ago as well.

 

[chrisch]

Yes...very much true! Both times we had a pretty good current and I was swimming HARD to keep up with the divemaster. I kept trying, but I really felt like I was just gasping for air and started to panic. ...

You shouldn't ever need to swim hard to keep up with a DM. The guide is there to make a pleasant dive for you not stress you out. Glad to hear you are going to do some pool work with a snorkel. See if you can improve your finning technique and next time you will overtake the DM with a big smile on your face. Have a great time in Mexico.

 

[diver0008]

Buy your own regulator. Just about anything from Scubapro or Atomic will breathe easy. I remember, when I first started diving and renting gear, sucking pretty hard on some rented regulators. No fun at all. Particularly if you are beyond middle-age and well-aware of your mortality.

 

[okvij]

How fit are you? Do you overexert on those dives? The panicky feeling comes from too much CO2 in the blood. Either do some cardio or go very slow on the dives and see if there's difference.

This may seem like a very strange situation, but I'm looking for HELP! I've spent most of my life in water. My childhood was spent ALL day long in pools, I was on swim team throughout high school, certified scuba diver. Recently, when scuba diving (we don't dive often - maybe 2-3 times a year) I have experienced a panicky feeling when diving. It feels like not enough air is coming through the regulator and I feel like I'm gasping for breath. Have had to call two dives short due to panic while diving with a divemaster. I'm wondering if there are regulators where the breathing isn't so difficult? (I know...it sounds stupid...) We dove with great whites in Guadalupe last year, using hooka, and I didn't have a problem at all. We are scheduled for a dive trip to Cozumel in September (with about 8 people in our party) and I don't want to be the "panicky diver that ruins everyone's dives" this trip. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[Neilwood]

My husband suggested that and I told him, "No...that can't be it!" Guess I should have listened to him and at least looked into this!!! Thanks!

I did my OW course in a jacket style BCD and always found it to constrict my breathing (not a huge amount but enough to be noticeable). Compound this by adding working into currents etc and I could see it causing issues.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

When I took my OW I had trouble feeling like I couldn't breathe. I thought it was just me being silly. When I finally mentioned it .. the instructor tried breathing off my rental regs and got really angry. He took them back into the shop and demanded they be serviced and got me some other ones. I was shocked at the difference.

I like my regs to breathe really light. nothing like your own gear to get comfortable. It will come.

The other thing that made a huge difference was changing to a back inflate. The BCD wasn't the right fit for me.

 

[Tracer78]

Just a thought on the rental gear. if your dive master is working for a dive shop also. ask him about demo gear to use. pretend your keen to buy. but to try out a demo reg first.. might cost a little extra for hire. but you'll get a better reg than standard hire gear to use, and that might just make the difference, give you a bit of confidence.
as for buying your own reg. I have atomic Regs. and never ever felt like they couldn't give me tons and tone of air when i work hard. love them!!!