Get bent

[Rick Inman]

For those of you who are proud of being bent, it is not a "badge of honor" for diving.

I have never met anyone who spent time in the chamber who considered it a "badge of honor". In fact, it feels like the opposite to me. There is somewhat of a "it'll never happen to me" syndrome when it come to DSI, and there is often some denial when it does happen. IMHO, those who have been bent should continue to mention it, talk about how it happened, and how to prevent it (as you did with excellence in your post), and maybe help prevent other divers from having it happen to them.

 

[Dive-aholic]

And some people get minor bends without visiting a chamber. It's a common thing in some parts.

Is it a badge of honor? Not at all, especially when you followed the tables and your computer and even breathed deco gas. **it happens and you deal with it. The tables are only models.

 

[JonAustin]

I would also point out that fishing is not the only pastime where fish stories are common. I have known several guys who claim to have been bent, because they think it makes them more of a diver: "Oh yeah, I've been bent--it's not that bad..."

Similarly, if all the divers who claim to have visited the Andrea Doria actually had, nobody would be diving it, now--they'd just install an elevator to save money.

 

[riguerin]

DAN publishes statistics in their annual report on DCI, Diving Fatalities, and PDE. It can be accessed, at no cost, by DAN members at:

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/report/index.asp

There's is also some good general info on DCI (DCS and AGE) and other diving medicine articles available here:

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/index.asp.

According to DAN, there are approximately 1000 reported incidents of DCI per year ... a statistically low incident rate considering the millions of dives estimated annually.

While there are several known risk factors such as deep / long dives, cold water, hard exercise at depth, and rapid ascents, DCI seems to have a random component. Almost any dive profile can result in DCI, no matter how seemingly safe.

I personally have never been bent. In over 12 years of diving, I've only known a handful of people who have admitted to it ... most of them old timers, diving profiles that would be considered risky today .

 

[HowardE]

I don't remember the exercize warnings, or why anyway. What is the reason that exercize between dives causes problems? Does the theory extend to post-dive activity if no more diving is planned for the day?

This was recently discussed.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=119989

 

[DandyDon]

What statistics show that every diver will get bent if they dive enough?

Really...?!

It's my understanding that this is pretty rare.

Thought getting bent was pretty rare statistically. You even hear that statistic used to say that Nitrox is not safer than air - the argument being getting bent is so rare anyway any additional help from Nitrox doesn't make much statistical difference.

Exactly.

Now, in Cozumel, you may here of it more, for two main reasons:
(1) With the party life there, a larger percentage than usual of the divers will show up dehydrated and not really fit to dive, but do it anyway.
(2) If you have a possible problem on a dive boat, most will simply call the ambulance and have you taken to the chamber for an exam, a lot more frequently that would happen elsewhere, I think. Do not expect a high level of care on the ambulance, tho; and
If you show up at the more commonly used chamber with a DAN card and any complaints, they don't call DAN - they just slap you in the chamber and send DAN the bill.

 

[Dive-aholic]

DAN publishes statistics in their annual report on DCI, Diving Fatalities, and PDE. It can be accessed, at no cost, by DAN members at:

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/report/index.asp
...

This is reported cases. Some hits go unreported and either treated in the water or at home with a bottle of O2. Not recommended but a reality.

 

[Taipeidiver]

Regrettably, I took a DCI hit in Thailand over the holidays. After 10 hours in a recompression chamber and was as good as new, though doctors orders are keeping me above sea level for a minimum of six weeks.

Far from being a badge of honour, getting bent was a humbling (and a little frightening - especially the blurred vision and the fainting).

Be careful down there, you crazy cats, diving is getting safer (or so everybody keeps telling me) but as long as people keep diving there will be the odd one or two which get bent - and it might well be you or me, or your buddy or somebody on your boat.

By all means go diving (I am certainly not going to stop), but go easy and go prepared. Stay fit, give up smoking, avoid overly stenuous exercise before during and after diving (get your buddy to carry your tanks ), stay hydrated, plan your dives and dive your plans, carry an o2 set or know where the nearest one is, learn the symptoms of DCS/DCI and if in doubt begin treatment immediately (denial is common - I had all of the classic symptoms and still thought that I could NOT be bent, but I was and my denial delayed my treatment), and finally make sure that you have insurance!

 

[riguerin]

This is reported cases. Some hits go unreported and either treated in the water or at home with a bottle of O2. Not recommended but a reality.

Yes, that's a good point ... the DAN statistics are based on reported incidents. An unknown number of non-severe DCI hits go unreported each year.

 

[DandyDon]

Yes, that's a good point ... the DAN statistics are based on reported incidents. An unknown number of non-severe DCI hits go unreported each year.

Okay, if I go diving and come back extremely exhausted, some would say that I'm subclinically bent. In that light, I guess we all do, everytime - just varying degrees of DCI...?

But for the clinical cases, some of which must go unreported, DCI is still rare - and most divers can avoid it completely with prudent diving. (No, not like me, prudent. )