COVID recovery and high gas usage

[WS007]

I am back from a wonderful three week diving vacation in Egypt (18.11. - 6.12.2021) and can now answer the original question. I have measured the air consumption in 42 dives and the mean value was 13.3 L/min (Standard Deviation was 1.2 L/min; depending on circumstances, e.g. current). This compares to a pre-covid diving vacation in Egypt (15.2.2019 - 26.2.2019) with 26 dives with 12.6 L/min (S.Dev. was 1.1 L/min). This difference is small, but statistically significant at the p<0.027 level.
The circumstances were comparable (7mm wetsuit with 2mm icewest; Nauticam camera rig with 2 strobes and focuslight; 12L Aluminium tank; same Scubapro Hydros west in both vacations). The difference was the weight needed (15kg pre-covid and 12kg now), since I lost 10kg of body weight (from 98kg to 88kg) due to regulyr bicycling and am now in better physical shape than in 2019 (indicating that the difference might be even more substantial when in identical physical condition).

=> I conclude that due to corona and the resulting mild lung emphyema detected by lung CT and the reduced lung function (88% compared to >100% pre-covid) the air consumption is detectably increased. I hope that the air consumption will normalize with time passing...

Wolfgang

 

[Centrals]

Properly irrelevant

Recovery pathway of post-SARS patients | Thorax

But this one:

Long COVID: 26% of people not fully recovered after 6–8 months

New research finds that more than a quarter of people who had COVID-19 were still symptomatic 6–8 months after the initial infection.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

 

[Gene]

I'm curious too if anyone knows their heart's ejection fraction (EF) number after covid and/or vaccinations. "Normal" is between 50 and 60.
If anyone on here that's had issues knows their EF, please post it. (The low and higher/normal number.)

 

[rsingler]

Just so everyone understands a likely cause for "increased air consumption" after COVID, the most likely cause is unchanged metabolic requirement, but increased "dead space ventilation" of non-functional long tissue.
In other words, to get the same exchange of O2 & CO2 in healthy lung, you also need to ventilate non-exchanging scarred lung, for a greater total air "consumption", even though you are only using your original amount of gas consumption in actual O2/CO2 exchange.

 

[lowlysubaruguy]

Fact pattern:
I voluntarily took the vaccination in March and May 2020, tested constantly and followed the rules in terms of masks and protocols. I caught COVID in Belize while on a dive trip 6 weeks back. Mild symptoms, tired but no chest or throat issues. Body ache, headache, and something that felt like eye strain. I am back diving in Puerto Rico where I live and dive very regularly (3 times a week). I frequently have a dive partner and am consistently 300-400 PSI lighter in my tank at the end of a dive than she is. Since back diving I am running closer to a full 1000 PSI off from her baseline even though I feel 100% and never had chest congestion when sick.

Questions:
Has anyone experienced something similar? If so, did it resolve itself and over what length of time. I know this is a hot topic, I am looking for non political responses from people with direct experience similar to mine. For reference I dive my own gear, so no changes there. My dive partner has been consistent in health, so no obvious changes there.

I am well informed in the air consumption area. But recently found something out. My oxygen levels are low not alarming just low. Over the years start till today I tried many things to improve my air consumption. At first the blame is newbie faults now hovering in the 250 plus dive area its not that I’m solid in the water. Would still be looking for causes except I had a surgery a year ago. Pre surgery required a medical work up. O2 levels were 95 normal people run 96 plus with 96 being low. Now my primary doc looked back over the decades of my charts. I battled cancer in 09 which Is when my O2 dropped slightly between cancer two surgeries in my left chest and two rounds of radiation in my left chest my left lung is damaged.. lifes good I’m healthy alive and living better today because of my chapter of cancer.

i suggest you follow some of the Olympian’s blogs or stories that had covid enough to suffer lung damage they have damage to there lungs and in many cases it’s detection can be found with just X rays.

myself I’ve improved my air consumption a few ways a yoga breathing technique is one that helped a lot, another is a cardio work out. Ive been veganish since chemo started heath wise I’m good. I purchased a peloton and I strongly recommend it. The online program will encourage you to work out longer and challenge you more than just a spin bike. My overall drive has increased since I started using the peloton. And I’m a very active person to begin with. Today when diving locations that it’s available I use larger tanks. I’m in florida at this moment and two new HP 133 tanks are filled at the end of my bed. if You cant fix it with exercise diet or medicine fix it with quantity. At least I’m no longer trying to find a solution that doesn’t exist. If you have lung damage cardio and lifestyle will help or at the least if done under doctors care it won’t hurt. facts being what they are your going to have to alter your diving if you run low on air Constantly. If your lungs improve great if not more air to start with is a simple solution.

one thing to do when diving with groups is to make sure others know you are an air hog. Which still is an issue in Cozumel I explained this to the dive master and every dive told Him I would hang fifteen feet or more above the group to reduce my air there tanks were small and low fills. He kept stopping to get me to drop with the group. and Id explain it to hi again before the next dive But he didn’t get it. So you’ll find yourself in places with people who won’t get it. Often I can find another air hog and pair with them as long as there safe divers which you might not know until after the fact but there’s a lot of air hogs. probably more thanks to covid I pick places with shore diving or ones that allow you to dive with your partner who knows your air is short. Avoid group diving boats unless they can offer you larger tanks many do you have to ask for them.