Galapagos Experience -what do you think?

[iluvdiving]

Hi:

I recently returned from my AMAZING Galapagos trip. If you've never been, I highly recommend. However, I had a bit of a scary experience and wanted to relate it and get your opinions.

It was the first dive at Darwin. Lots of gear (LOTS); it was early; I was nervous and excited. We dropped in and I struggled briefly at the surface (as did others) due to being extremely buoyant (even with no air in my BCD) and a strong current. However, after a very brief struggle, I was kicking for the bottom (on advice from the DM so as not to be swept too far away from the group by the current) and started to descend more quickly after the first 15-20'. The dive was to be a max 90 feet but when I looked at my computer I saw 98 feet. The entire group was right there near each other so I was not deeper than anyone else. I have have been deeper than 98' before with no problems. I should also note that I was diving on 32% enriched O2 air.

So, I get to the bottom and I'm hanging out on some lava rock as the group is getting their bearings (as I say, it was the first Darwin dive). I start to feel tingly in my extremities, I was getting disoriented and started to get "tunnel vision". I knew something was wrong and that I could be in deep trouble. I was starting to feel panicked. I turned to my husband/buddy and gave him the thumbs up sign. I had enough sense to not inflate my bcd and shoot to the surface (but was losing that sense fast as my panic was increasing). I started to claw my way up the lava rock at a fairly reasonable pace. By that time, my husband came up to see what was going on, grabbed me, turned me to him and signaled for me to calm and and take deep breaths. I did as he instructed. We ascended about another 15 feet (prob. 20 altogether). After a few minutes, the symptoms went away. Right or not, I then did finish the dive w/o event.

I was fine the rest of the Darwin dives but then experienced symptoms similar to what I've just described (though not near as intense) on the first Wolf dive. That time, I was (mostly) calm, recognized what was happening, and ascended until the symptoms went away and then finished the dive.

So, my question is: was this "narcosis"? There was a debate among friends on the boat and the folks were evenly split between believing it was narcosis and believing it was O2 toxicity.

What do you all think? It was really scary but feel like the experience taught me something. It is true that the theory/classroom/pool experiences are NOT the same thing as the real, live experience.

 

[ianr33]

Sounds like oxygen toxicity to me.The tunnel vision is a classic symptom.Did you analyze your tank? are you certain it was 32% and not higher? If you were working very hard at depth that would not have helped,but even so you should have been OK at a PO2 of less than 1.4 ATM. If the tank really was 32% you were either very unlucky or very susceptible. As the saying goes "If something feels wrong it is wrong" immediately ascending was absolutely the correct thing to do.

 

[MarkH]

I'd guess CO2 buildup from the struggling to get down in a current (hard breathing from a device that can only give you so much). I've felt the dizziness/tunnel vision after a hard swim at depth. For me, the CO2 buildup is usually followed by slight nausea and a headache.

 

[String]

Id say CO2 as well. Happens to me after hard work dives

 

[iluvdiving]

Hi again:
Yes, I did analyze my tank and it was 32%. I had no symptoms afterward (nausea/headache). Was totally fine (except for the feeling of "whew" afterward.)

 

[lascuba]

That used to happen to me frequently. It absolutely seems to be narcosis as it happened to me before enriched air was even popular. It used to freak me out and unfortunately I was not able to, or just did not think of ascending to a shallower depth. I found that it usually happened when I was nervous about a dive I was about to make, or had not been diving deep for a while. I am so glad that you are talking about it because so many times when I talk to people about it they say it had happened to them before and did not know what it was. No one else seems to bring it up but me. It is a terrible feeling and you want to surface immediately but have to keep yourself in control and not let it take over. Good job with that!

 

[diver12345]

Sounds like oxygen toxicity to me.The tunnel vision is a classic symptom.Did you analyze your tank? are you certain it was 32% and not higher? If you were working very hard at depth that would not have helped,but even so you should have been OK at a PO2 of less than 1.4 ATM. If the tank really was 32% you were either very unlucky or very susceptible. As the saying goes "If something feels wrong it is wrong" immediately ascending was absolutely the correct thing to do.

Before I tear you and your buddies a new one that think what the lady experienced was Ox Tox or Co2 Build up, please state where on this earth you got that info from. Actually wait the classic sign of Ox tox is DEATH. Just happens to do with the fact of the seizure being the classic sign. Go back and review your book before you get someone killed. As for Co2 build up,are you kidding? No headache and you are still saying buyild up? Anyone ever heard of narcosis? Which manifests itself in many ways. One of which one is tunel vision and when asending the feeling you have go away! Such as paranoia or sometimes euphoria.Now if anyone can find me a reputable source that state otherwise I will retract my statement.Untill then go bavk to school.

 

[jeckyll]

Before I tear you and your buddies a new one that think what the lady experienced was Ox Tox or Co2 Build up, please state where on this earth you got that info from. Actually wait the classic sign of Ox tox is DEATH. Just happens to do with the fact of the seizure being the classic sign. Go back and review your book before you get someone killed. As for Co2 build up,are you kidding? No headache and you are still saying buyild up? Anyone ever heard of narcosis? Which manifests itself in many ways. One of which one is tunel vision and when asending the feeling you have go away! Such as paranoia or sometimes euphoria.Now if anyone can find me a reputable source that state otherwise I will retract my statement.Untill then go bavk to school.

I realize it's your first post, but you might want to think about how you try and relay the message...

 

[heliflyer]

diver12345,
Geez,having a bad day? Relax this is a forum where we discuss incidents not "tear" someone a new one.That be hard anyway since this being the internet would make it hard for you to find someone:14: to do your tearing. Have fun on SB and play nice.

 

[diver12345]

I thought about it. In fact the false information that was being spilt forth inspired me to sign up and post a reply. After more than a year of reading the forums. I have a great dislike for people that spout information that they can not back up by references. This is a sport were false info can kill.What they were saying was stated as a fact, not as a possible solution. Also a simple search on their part about Co2 build up or Ox tox on the DAN website would have given them a clue that those sysmptoms didnot pertain to their diagnoses.