Brain fog during and after deep(ish) /multiple dives

[Lorenzoid]

Well, that's great that you discovered the cause.

But you've got a GUE Fundies tech pass (according to your profile) and it turns out that you have been breathing too shallowly all along? How to breathe properly, as summarized in this thread, was covered in my Fundies class, so I don't think my own "brain fog" is due to improper breathing. I was watching this thread hopefully. As for why I feel wiped out after diving, I guess I may never know. Oh well. Congratulations on your discovery.

 

[MykaDives]

Well, that's great that you discovered the cause.

But you've got a GUE Fundies tech pass (according to your profile) and it turns out that you have been breathing too shallowly all along?

Well, hopefully the cause has been discovered. Time will tell.

I was not breathing shallow at all - I was breathing very deeply. I just wasn't breathing enough. By all accounts, my breathing appeared normal underwater. Now I have to figure out what "normal" really is.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Well, hopefully the cause has been discovered. Time will tell.

I was not breathing shallow at all - I was breathing very deeply. I just wasn't breathing enough. By all accounts, my breathing appeared normal underwater. Now I have to figure out what "normal" really is.

I don't know what "normal is," either. I recall my Fundies instructor advising to breathe neither shallow nor deep; rather, just breathe as you would normally on land, but consciously. I think the "consciously" part is what makes the difference: Always remaining conscious of the steady pattern of inhalation/exhalation. It's amazing how many different descriptions have been written on what constitutes proper scuba breathing.

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

@Duke Dive Medicine

UPDATE:

Well, I think DDM hit the nail on the head. This last weekend I concentrated on breathing a lot more. The instructors commented that I "looked like the OW students" regarding my air consumption. Haha! Anyway, I didn't feel foggy at all. I didn't feel any fog at 80' with AOW students. I tied off the line and led the dive, and felt great. I didn't feel any fogginess after the dives either. I did a shallow night dive, 4 short shallow OW students dives (including riding a bolter to the surface ), and the one deep-ish dive. This leads me to believe I've been under-breathing and giving myself CO2 retention. I had no idea one could do this (semi-)intentionally.

Thanks DDM! Now I guess I need to find a happy-medium between "looking like the OW students" and breathing so little I'm getting CO2 retention.

Credit to @Graeme Fraser and @JMBL who actually mentioned it before I did. Glad you figured it out!

Best regards,
DDM

 

[MykaDives]

Credit to @Graeme Fraser and @JMBL who actually mentioned it before I did. Glad you figured it out!

Best regards,
DDM

Yes, sorry guys! I got lost in the many pages! Thank you @Graeme Fraser, @JMBL, and also @Jack Hammer for mentioning irregular breathing which got me on the right track.

Off to the lake this weekend again, fingers crossed...

 

[MykaDives]

Sorry! Was just thinking that sometimes people with Asthma have problems moving gas in and out of their airways, so that might lead to you chronically having a high level of CO2. The capnostat is the part of your body that drives you to breathe when you hold your breath and CO2 starts building up (we are more responsive to high CO2 than to low O2). If you are used to a chronically high CO2 level, that may make your body less responsive to normal breathing triggers.

I am re-reading the entire thread to see what else I can pick up. Going way off the rails now, but what you describe here, could that cause chronic vertigo? To me, it sounds like it could. I wonder if I have some sort of chronic breathing issue (self-inflicted or not)?

 

[doctormike]

I am re-reading the entire thread to see what else I can pick up. Going way off the rails now, but what you describe here, could that cause chronic vertigo? To me, it sounds like it could. I wonder if I have some sort of chronic breathing issue (self-inflicted or not)?

One of the symptoms of acute hypercapnea is definitely dizziness, but I don't think that's what you are asking about. Of course, any sort of significant chronic lung disease that results on poor ventilation or oxygenation can cause feelings of fatigue and dizziness, but usually the respiratory symptoms are more apparent than isolated vertigo. To evaluate this, you should see a pulmonologist.

 

[Subcooled]

Nitrogen bubbles in your bloodstream trigger your immune response and that will make you tired just like flu does. Cold stress exaggerates this. I have had this fatigue many many times. It's the bubbles. It's the cold.

 

[MykaDives]

An update from a couple weekends ago...

I seemed to have a bit of the brain fog even though there were no bolting students, and no deep dive. I did make sure I was breathing lots. I'm not sure 100% that hypercapnea is the answer. Time will tell. I have a dive trip coming up in Indonesia and about 30 dives, so that may shed some light.