Deep dive tachycardia, or panic?

[kelemvor]

Maybe time to start replacing some of that nitrogen with helium? I'm not one of those hardcore GUE guys, but if you're having problems potentially related to narcosis then there is a proven solution.

 

[Marie13]

This is your wake up call, time for a Trimix course. Run a scenario, you or your buddy had a failure or emergency when you hit 127'.......that day does not end well. I have been flamed on here before, but any dive below 90' becomes a "technical" dive and the rules change.

There seem to be a fair number of people who don’t think narcosis is a problem shallower than
AN/DP depths (145’ish) and that helium isn’t needed until deeper. I get so narced at 130’ that me doing AN/DP on air would be dangerous. Seems it’s more an issue with the cold(er) water divers.

There have been a number of threads recently about cost and increasing unavailability of helium. When it’s time for Trimix, it’s pretty much time for CCR.

 

[scubadada]

When he got tachycardia while drinking alcohol was he "whacked on air"?

Alcohol related tachycardia, in people without underlying cardiac disease, is most commonly sinus tachycardia, but can also be atrial fibrillation.

If I was @Madhiker_99 I would try to obtain a diagnostic EKG should this occur on land

 

[jadairiii]

When he got tachycardia while drinking alcohol was he "whacked on air"?

First question, has the OP ever been actually diagnosed (clinically) with tachycardia?

I stand by my diagnosis as a doctor(.....juris....)

 

[Madhiker_99]

Maybe time to start replacing some of that nitrogen with helium? I'm not one of those hardcore GUE guys, but if you're having problems potentially related to narcosis then there is a proven solution.

Yep!

I concur.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Madhiker_99]

Alcohol related tachycardia, in people without underlying cardiac disease, is most commonly sinus tachycardia, but can also be atrial fibrillation.

If I was @Madhiker_99 I would try to obtain a diagnostic EKG should this occur on land

Thank you. Will do

 

[Madhiker_99]

First question, has the OP ever been actually diagnosed (clinically) with tachycardia?

I stand by my diagnosis as a doctor(.....juris....)

Thanks for the response.

Not sure I'm following, but the alcohol related racing has been verified by yeeeears of extensive personal research, as well as no further occurrences when I use my brain for something besides an alcohol sponge, and limit intake. :- )

Easy solution, no further occurrences, and lots of benefit to me using restraint.

 

[Madhiker_99]

There seem to be a fair number of people who don’t think narcosis is a problem shallower than
AN/DP depths (145’ish) and that helium isn’t needed until deeper. I get so narced at 130’ that me doing AN/DP on air would be dangerous. Seems it’s more an issue with the cold(er) water divers.

There have been a number of threads recently about cost and increasing unavailability of helium. When it’s time for Trimix, it’s pretty much time for CCR.

I concur!

I'll either limit 'deep' to 115ish, or make the jump to tri-mix. It's on the radar. Just need to find the time to get the cert.

Thanks for responding!

 

[FishWatcher747]

Alcohol related tachycardia, in people without underlying cardiac disease, is most commonly sinus tachycardia, but can also be atrial fibrillation.

If I was @Madhiker_99 I would try to obtain a diagnostic EKG should this occur on land

If the OP has early symptoms of atrial fibrillation, and is only having brief episodes (seconds to minutes of tachycardia), he would be much more likely to capture an EKG and a diagnosis by using a home EKG like I linked above. By the time he gets one elsewhere he may be back in normal rhythm.

My advice would be do the home EKG, then immediately go get an EKG at Urgent Care, or a Doctors office.

The reason this is important for someone interested in continuing vigorous exercise in the future is that statistically the longer one has had intermittent Atrial Fibrillation the less likely intervention like ablation is curative.

 

[BigTuna]

During a deep dive to 127’ with air, I had a tachycardia event out of the blue. As I hit this depth, I felt a sudden onset of strong narcosis which I was prepared for. I immediately began a slow controlled ascent, and as I did, the narcosis became more pronounced. I then felt extreme racing heart which lead to fear of heart attack, so I carefully continued controlled ascent. My heart continued to race until I hit about 80’. The event caused me to greatly increase air consumption, but no other effects at the surface, and after a 90 minute interval, I completed a secend dive to 78’ with Nitrox, and no I’ll effects.

Thoughts on this as a physical event or mental/anxiey?

Im a 58 year old male in great shape with regular dives to 100’+ and regular exercise outside of diving.

I have 150 dives with no prior dive related anxiety

I don’t smoke, and had 2 beers 14 hours prior.

I may have been slightly dehydrated, but not overly.

3 cups of coffee pre-dive

I didn’t sleep great the night prior. Maybe 5 solid hours. I drank a cup of Valerian tea to help me sleep.

I have HBP and high cholesterol, both well controlled w/ meds. (BP 110/68)

Thanks for your thoughts!

I suggest you and your doctor consider ordering a "CT Calcium Test." Here's why.

Some years ago after performing triathlons I had similar racing heart rate experiences in which I felt dizzy and faint while standing around to find out results. I was a diver, too. Like you, I couldn't reproduce the dizziness with standard doctors' treadmill tests. After a nuclear stress test and gathering Holter monitoring data, the best my doctor could suggest was that I didn't properly cool down after significant exercise. My experience was slightly different from yours, however, in that I never had the "dizzies" while diving, and not even on dive trips.

But I had come across a Runners World article that led to a different diagnosis and solution. The point of the article was to recommend a "CT Calcium Test" to look for the extent of cholesterol loading (calcium deposits are markers of cholesterol). So we arranged for the test. The test result of 505 (out of 1000) indicated a dangerously high level of coronary plaque that required immediate intervention. That was a big surprise all around, and I was promptly put on a regemin of aspirin and a statin, and an angiogram was ordered.

The surgeon conducting the angiogram determined that an artery to the heart was 90 to 95% closed, so he inserted a stent. It manages the risk of collapse, and the medications mitigate against further build up of cholesterol.

After recovery, my doctor, who was formerly a diver, consulted on a conference call with a professional diving friend and a DAN doctor. Their conclusion was that there was nothing to "contraindicate" continuing to dive, provided I remained alert and careful, kept fit, and stayed in good health. I continued diving, and I've had some great adventures, but no heart problems. Even so, I still get occasional slight dizziness, or fizzy headed, especially when I stand up too quickly.

The upshot of my story for you is that my problem's cause was not discovered using heart rate testing. Consider an getting angiogram.