dive induced vomiting

[Saturation]

I had a friend approach me with a situation I have never heard of or encountered before, so I thought I would throw it out on this forum. The situation is a recreational diver starts vomiting during the ascent portion of her dive. It does not happen on the bottom phase, but only during the ascent ... and it happens every dive. She will keep this up and even get the dry heaves after surfacing and she does not feel well enough to ever do a second dive. I thought about her swallowing salt water or the weightless environment causing the problem somehow ... but her situation seems a little extreme for simply swallowing some salt water. Hopefully there is a medical explanation so this can be addressed. Any thoughts or ideas especially from you medical folks?

I would worry about neurological bends before ascribing this to abdominal complaints, since what is described is moderately severe. However, there are numerous benign issues that are not detailed in this note:

Does it occur in dives <~= 30'? If so, its likely an equalization issue of a sort, from stomach gas expansion issues like hiatal hernias, reflux or sinus gases, to alternobaric vertigo. These issues have been discussed before in SB.

Are there any neurologic symptoms? Is the patient unsteady on her feet, are her eyes shaking [nystagmus]?

 

[DepartureDiver]

I would worry about neurological bends before ascribing this to abdominal complaints, since what is described is moderately severe.

Thanks. I will try to get some more info.

 

[Saturation]

Thanks. I will try to get some more info.

Welcome, DD, if even shallower than 30', such as 15-20', it would be better. Inert gas loads at those depths are too low to cause DCS for dives in a typical 40-60 min time scale, so DCS while always possible, is very unlikely. OTAH, marked barotrauma can occur commonly just after >5'.

 

[gitterdun]

It seems to me that if you had air/gas in the stomach, it would expand/depressurize during ascent, which would basicly turn a person into a big aerosol can of vomit. Maybe she swallows gas while breathing from a reg?

I am not trying to hijack, but seeing this thread, I, too, need some advice! I have had some "seasickness" problems, too. I am a new diver, and during my 1st dive, last year, I was sick before ascent. During my OW cert. dives, I felt ill in between the 1st and second dives, but was not sick. The next day, however, I was pretty sick in between dives. I seem to be fine once I get under the water, but I do not deal well with the surface. Once I am in, I have to get down! I have been told before that I have an equilibrium imbalance. Could this be part of the reason?