Difficulty in breathing initially

[sipadiver]

Hi,

When I first get into the sea and do my descent, I find that I have trouble breathing. I try and breathe normally - but I feel I'm getting insufficient air. I try and take deep breaths at this stage.

However after about 20 minutes or so- I start breathing ok without any difficulty.

When I get out my chest and possibly lungs hurt a bit.

On a dive to 20m, my air tank can last me up to 50minutes at least. My weight is about 78kg, height 5foot6. (170cm). Chest 100cm.

Am I doing something wrong?

 

[The_DivePirate]

With no diving background (profile) to reference, not sure what type of regs your using, or even how much experience you have. But, from what I'm getting, you are a fairly new diver, using rental gear. The problem I have with rental gear is that you have no real way of knowing how long it has been since it was serviced. You mention that after 20 min. or so everything is normal, or is it that you have become accustomed too the breathing style that is required too get air from your reg? With the statement, "When I get out my chest and possibly lungs hurt a bit." it would seem too me you are having too labor your breathing the WHOLE dive and not just the beginning.IMO FWIW If the reg setup is yours, when was the last time it was serviced?
Joe

 

[Melicertes]

When I first get into the sea and do my descent, I find that I have trouble breathing. I try and breathe normally - but I feel I'm getting insufficient air. I try and take deep breaths at this stage.

Are you experiencing the same thing when you check your reg for proper functioning before the dive? Do you have to suck on the air to get anything decent or does the air flow freely when you inhale?

However after about 20 minutes or so- I start breathing ok without any difficulty.

What kind of BCD are you using? I have dived with some rental BCD's that restricted easy and free chest expansion as I breathed when fully inflated; e.g. when you are floating at the surface. As you descend you are purging air from the BCD so is there a chance that the over-inflation of a potentially restrictively tight BCD (too small perhaps?) around the chest is causing you to work against the squeeze around the ribs initially?

When I get out my chest and possibly lungs hurt a bit.

When last have you had a physical checkup done by a hyperbaric physician? It's a good idea to have a physician specializing in hyperbaric medicine look you over from time to time to make sure that you are physically in healthy enough condition to dive without serious risks. I would spend the couple of bucks and get that done regardless of whether it's a gear issue or not - preventative health measures is a lot more prudent than having to deal with a problem after the fact. Just like taking my tanks in for their annual visuals I have my general physician check me out every year and also see my hyperbaric physician and ENT specialist every two years or so.

 

[Dsix36]

This may or may not be relevant to your problem.

I had a similar thing happening to me when I was a new diver. It turned out that I was not fully releasing my breathe. I was always holding a little back and not getting a full breathe the next time. After a few minutes, when more relaxed, my breathing was normal and the problem went away (until the next dive)

I had to make a conscious effort to expell a full breathe until it became natural. I guess that my subconscious did not trust the air supply.

 

[Diver Dennis]

It sounds like to me that you are a new diver and your problem could be related to anxiety. Breathing becomes easier once you have descended and are into the dive and relax.

 

[fisherdvm]

It sounds like anxiety, especially if it gets better into the dive. I see diving is like flying - most dangerous at the descend and the ascend - and worse at the surface. If it is due to your BC - it would be at the surface, where the BC compresses into the cumberbund on your abdomen and pushes against your diaphram. This should get better as you dive, as you would deflate your BC and it would compress on your abdomen less.

 

[vel525]

Hi,

When I first get into the sea and do my descent, I find that I have trouble breathing. I try and breathe normally - but I feel I'm getting insufficient air. I try and take deep breaths at this stage.

However after about 20 minutes or so- I start breathing ok without any difficulty.

When I get out my chest and possibly lungs hurt a bit.

On a dive to 20m, my air tank can last me up to 50minutes at least. My weight is about 78kg, height 5foot6. (170cm). Chest 100cm.

Am I doing something wrong?

I could see how anxiety can cause you to feel like you are getting insufficient air. However, what I would be concerned about is the part that I bolded. Your chest and lung area should not hurt after diving. Maybe you are breathing too deeply because you feel like you're not getting enough air and overpanding/overexerting your lungs. I'm sure others more experience divers may be able to offer some advice. Mine would be to talk to your dive instructor and maybe do a few pool dives to figure it out before going on more dives and possibly hurting yourself.

 

[driftwood]

Try this, hop in a nice warm pool and breath in for one second and out for four seconds. The zen of diving is relaxation. Have your gear checked, spend some time on the surface to relax before you submerge. To me it sounds like you are blowing big gas bags initially and relaxing after you get distracted. Give the pool a try and if you are still hurting, see a doc.

 

[Sas]

Hi,

I think, if you are a new diver, it is something you will get used to. I had the same issue when I was first diving -hard to breathe at the start of the dive and sore lungs afterwards (hurt to breathe for a day or so after my first few dives! ) - and after a few dives it had gone away. I think you should just try to breathe normally and tell yourself that you *are* getting enough air despite what your brain is telling you, that is what I did to get over breathing too deeply and hurting my lungs. Because the feeling passes after 20mins or so I doubt it is an equipment issue but you could always try out another type of reg to see if that helps.

 

[DevonDiver]

I think it would be worrying except for the fact that the OP states that the problem eases after 20mins in the water. Due to this, I would surmise that the problem arises from anxiety leading to improper breathing patterns. Correct fit of BCD and wetsuit could also contribute to this.

If it were a problem with the regulator, then it should not resolve over time and definitely shouldn't resolve at depth.

If it were a physiological problem with the chest/lungs, then again it should resolve itself over time on a dive....