fatigue after diving?

[cowprintrabbit]

I have less than 10 dives in, but I have noticed that I am always so tired it's all I can do to pull myself up the ladder, collapse on a bench and submit to the humiliation of having my gear taken off for me. My hubby/buddy, on the other hand, describes diving as effortless. I don't consider myself out of shape (walk on my lunch hour, lift weights, ride stat. bike, do H20 aerobics).

This happened even on the two drift dives we just did in Cozumel where we didn't really have to swim at all... But I do recover enough after the proper surface interval to do a second dive.

Does anyone else have this happen?

I am posting here cause I'm a new diver; if I should be in dive medicine, tell me to get my butt where it belongs

 

[rmediver2002]

I have less than 10 dives in, but I have noticed that I am always so tired it's all I can do to pull myself up the ladder, collapse on a bench and submit to the humiliation of having my gear taken off for me. My hubby/buddy, on the other hand, describes diving as effortless. I don't consider myself out of shape (walk on my lunch hour, lift weights, ride stat. bike, do H20 aerobics).

This happened even on the two drift dives we just did in Cozumel where we didn't really have to swim at all... But I do recover enough after the proper surface interval to do a second dive.

Does anyone else have this happen?

I am posting here cause I'm a new diver; if I should be in dive medicine, tell me to get my butt where it belongs

Wow, that is pretty tired...

Have you been working real hard on your dives? trim, to much weight, fighting the BC or wing, older regulator (work of breathing)

It certainly should not be so tiring to you... Any other probelms? (headache, photosensitive?)

Hope it becomes more enjoyable to you in the future...

 

[Uncle Pug]

How long since your last physical exam and cardio work up? Wouldn't hurt to get a baseline exam.

Describe the dives you are doing.

 

[Bob3]

First thing would be to get a good checking over from a doc versed in diving & hyperbaric medicine, just so you can rule out any mischief making on that end.
Once you've eliminated that from the list, it would be good to have someone go over your gear configuration with you while you're in the water to check for things like weight & trim, too much air in the BC, too tight straps or wetsuit, etc.
Look over your shoulder from time to time & verify that hubby isn't hanging on getting a free ride, that's a sneaky trick I used to pull sometimes.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I have less than 10 dives in, but I have noticed that I am always so tired it's all I can do to pull myself up the ladder, collapse on a bench and submit to the humiliation of having my gear taken off for me. My hubby/buddy, on the other hand, describes diving as effortless. I don't consider myself out of shape (walk on my lunch hour, lift weights, ride stat. bike, do H20 aerobics).

This happened even on the two drift dives we just did in Cozumel where we didn't really have to swim at all... But I do recover enough after the proper surface interval to do a second dive.

Does anyone else have this happen?

I am posting here cause I'm a new diver; if I should be in dive medicine, tell me to get my butt where it belongs

Fatigue can sometimes be a symptom of subclinical DCS.

How quickly are you ascending from these dives? New divers often ascend far faster than the recommended 30 feet per minute ... particularly after completing a safety stop ... without realizing it.

If you are coming up too quickly ... especially as you approach the surface, the excess nitrogen in your blood may be coming out of solution just quickly enough to make you feel really tired. After a while, the "fizz" goes away and you'll feel better.

Monitor your ascent rate on your next dive. It should take you 30 seconds to hit the surface after your safety stop. That's a long time ... you'll feel like you're not moving at all.

Remember that those last 15 feet give you the greatest pressure differential from foot-to-foot ... and are therefore the most important ones to ascend slowly.

Just a thought ... since you indicate that you are otherwise in relatively good shape.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[voop]

Yeah, what Bob said! What's your ascent-rate? It's probably too fast -- even if it's conforming to the agency recomendations.

I remember from when I started diving how I too was extremely tired after each dive, even though I thought I did it all "by the book". Once I got bouyancy under control and was able to ascent *slowly*, it mostly disappeared. Once I figured out the use of a "deep stop", even on recreational depths/dives, it completely went away

Also, it seems that with "experience", the body gets better at tolerating/elliminating N2, so keep at it.

Ahh, the effects of N2.....

Btw., I also concur with those suggesting a physical as a good start. There probably isn't anything wrong, but it can't hurt to be sure.

 

[cowprintrabbit]

How long since your last physical exam and cardio work up? Wouldn't hurt to get a baseline exam.


Describe the dives you are doing.

I haven't had a complete physical in a while but have been in and out of the doctor's office fairly regularly recently for a gastric disorder (don't think that should affect diving?) My last complete bloodwork (cholesterol, blood sugar, iron, etc) was two years ago and normal.

We do the kind of tourist dives people here hate to hear about. Sometimes cattleboat, sometimes dive boat, ~6 divers per DM, 60-80 ft, just follow DM and look at pretty stuff. About 50% of the time they have a line for descending and ascending. My husband is very picky on safety stops, so I'm pretty sure we're doing those right. I do have bouyancy control problems, though...

 

[cowprintrabbit]

Wow, that is pretty tired...

Have you been working real hard on your dives? trim, to much weight, fighting the BC or wing, older regulator (work of breathing)

It certainly should not be so tiring to you... Any other probelms? (headache, photosensitive?)

Hope it becomes more enjoyable to you in the future...

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE diving, it's the afterwards part that's kind of a drag

I'm still working on my bouyancy, and I do have migraines (doctor-cleared to dive), but never connected with a dive.

 

[Wristshot]

A lot of what you are experiencing is probably largely a result of anxiety or tension (just guessing here).

Relax.

New divers tend to be constantly moving. Moving their feet, moving their hands, moving everything, twitching, finning, gripping gauges too tight, looking everywhere and tensing every muscle in their bodies. Instincts tell your brain that being underwater is a bad thing, and it wants to get out. You fight the instincts. This happens to most divers.

Relax.

Until you get your bouyancy nailed down, you will be constantly moving, finning, paddling and all sorts of things. Once you relax, you will probably be able to dive with less weight and you will be exerting a lot less effort on a dive.

Relax.

Breathe gently. Nervousness and anxiety will cause an accellerated heart rate, breath rate and metabolic rate. Adrenaline. All that requires effort, sometimes unconsciously. All that effort depletes your energy stores. New divers tend to blast through a tank a lot faster than experienced divers. That may not be quite as obvious in your case because smaller divers tend to use less air. If you are breathing fast, even with small lungs, you will be tiring yourself out.

Relax.

Ever had a police car pull in behind you on the road? Your heart rate soars, your palms sweat, and your whole body tenses. Fear turns on a variety of physical and chemical reactions in the body. Where do you think the energy for that comes from? Once that cop passes, you exhale deeply, and slowly return to a more relaxed state. Diving can be scary or intimidating, even though it is a ton 'o fun.

So relax. And dive more. The best way to get better is to practice. The best way to get more comforatable is to dive more. The best way to relax is to dive more, in a safe and relaxed environment, with a relaxed mindset.

So relax.

Then again maybe you totally have DCS, what do I know!?!

Just my opinions, and only because you asked.

Wristshot

PS: Relax and enjoy.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I still say get a baseline medical exam and the advice by Bob3 to get an evaluation by a Doc familiar with diving is important. Who knows... you may be one of the 30% of folks with a septal defect or even a full PFO (patent foramen ovale ~ hole in the heart.) Wouldn't hurt to ask a Doc since the fatigue you describe for the dives you are doing is atypical.