OP
Thank you all for your informative replies and wealth of information!
To answer some questions:
The wet suit was not tight, my general physical exam & extensive blood work was clean a month before, the valve was fully open, the regulator functioned properly at 75 ft and airflow seemed the same at 92 ft. There was a pretty strong current, but we were not diving against the current -rather swimming across it to stay near shallower water. It took effort to swim but I did not hyperventilate or feel significant fatigue. I experienced no major problem until about 92 feet- the depth I normally begin to feel a pleasant narc buzz)
The situation was a bit unusual, dive plans changed at the last minute. It was cold and raining. When we dropped in, there was a pretty swift current & good vis about 75 ft. The blue was quite vast and dynamic filled with red toothed trigger fish and 5 or 6 sharks. We dropped down much faster than normal to reach the bottom and escape some of the current. I do remember feeling a little overwhelmed at the pace. A couple was holding hands to stay together but struggling and drifting substantially farther away from us and deeper- they also were also hit pretty hard by narc. The dive master was staying about 30 ft away and I was alone and definitely somewhat anxious (but I have had similar levels of anxiety on past dives although not at this depth or in this circumstance).
The overwhelming feeling came on suddenly - I did stop motion, rest on the floor and examine the deep full breaths & exhalations I was taking for a shred of sanity to return. I couldn't dissolve the paranoia that my air was toxic and did not contain oxygen, and continued to have an increasingly overwhelming desire to bolt for the surface-so I motioned to the DM. Who came over providing the comfort of a second source of air and I asked for an assisted ascent. He held my hand, made eye contact and we slowly ascended to 75 ft. The feelings subsided once I was out of my narc zone and I continued my dive around 80-82 ft without difficulty.
The reg was rented from a 5 star reputable dive resort owned and operated by attentive (no I'll say anal) Scandinavians - all previous and future dive gear functioned well. A few days later I anxiously inched from 75 ft back down to 105 ft and felt the normal pleasant dose of mild narcosis.
Perhaps it was strong narcosis from the quick ascent, a bit of built up CO2 which triggered a slight panic attack? No history of panic attacks but it's possible.
Really glad to know that I can sit through the suffocation feeling if it happens again and be OK.
Thanks again!
To answer some questions:
The wet suit was not tight, my general physical exam & extensive blood work was clean a month before, the valve was fully open, the regulator functioned properly at 75 ft and airflow seemed the same at 92 ft. There was a pretty strong current, but we were not diving against the current -rather swimming across it to stay near shallower water. It took effort to swim but I did not hyperventilate or feel significant fatigue. I experienced no major problem until about 92 feet- the depth I normally begin to feel a pleasant narc buzz)
The situation was a bit unusual, dive plans changed at the last minute. It was cold and raining. When we dropped in, there was a pretty swift current & good vis about 75 ft. The blue was quite vast and dynamic filled with red toothed trigger fish and 5 or 6 sharks. We dropped down much faster than normal to reach the bottom and escape some of the current. I do remember feeling a little overwhelmed at the pace. A couple was holding hands to stay together but struggling and drifting substantially farther away from us and deeper- they also were also hit pretty hard by narc. The dive master was staying about 30 ft away and I was alone and definitely somewhat anxious (but I have had similar levels of anxiety on past dives although not at this depth or in this circumstance).
The overwhelming feeling came on suddenly - I did stop motion, rest on the floor and examine the deep full breaths & exhalations I was taking for a shred of sanity to return. I couldn't dissolve the paranoia that my air was toxic and did not contain oxygen, and continued to have an increasingly overwhelming desire to bolt for the surface-so I motioned to the DM. Who came over providing the comfort of a second source of air and I asked for an assisted ascent. He held my hand, made eye contact and we slowly ascended to 75 ft. The feelings subsided once I was out of my narc zone and I continued my dive around 80-82 ft without difficulty.
The reg was rented from a 5 star reputable dive resort owned and operated by attentive (no I'll say anal) Scandinavians - all previous and future dive gear functioned well. A few days later I anxiously inched from 75 ft back down to 105 ft and felt the normal pleasant dose of mild narcosis.
Perhaps it was strong narcosis from the quick ascent, a bit of built up CO2 which triggered a slight panic attack? No history of panic attacks but it's possible.
Really glad to know that I can sit through the suffocation feeling if it happens again and be OK.
Thanks again!
