Had a not so fun experience, any ideas?

[davehicks]

No, not really, not at all. Not near enough. And others have suggested Vertigo, which is certainly a fitting possibility.


His problem did not hit at 43/141 feet. He was almost halfway up. Narcosis doesn't fit.

Not so sure. He spent over 10 minutes below 33m / 108 feet at which point he started to go shallower and started noticing symptoms. Still smells like Narcosis to me.

 

[DandyDon]

Not so sure. He spent over 10 minutes below 33m / 108 feet at which point he started to go shallower and started noticing symptoms. Still smells like Narcosis to me.

Yes, 43 meters/141 feet is certainly narcosis range. I've never noticed it the few times I've been, but then I used to enjoy a good buzz so I guess I just liked the chill feel. I'm sure we all feel the effects at those depths, as he did, but he didn't notice a problem until after the "ascent in a calm and controlled manner (to) 27m." That's just not how narcosis works, is it? CO is a possibility as the reduction in PPO2 with binding of CO can be devastating on ascent, but such would not clear up at 20 meters, and the possibility of something of a reverse squeeze and/or lack of a reference line leading to vertigo seems most likely, possibly clearing at 20 meters as he mentioned when his ear cleared.

 

[Princess Chris]

I've felt the effects of narcosis before and they were not like this they also didnt start on the ascent. I first thought CO issues but there were 8 of us on the boat all using the same tanks filled from the same compressor on the same day.
I've also experienced vertigo before (one of my ears equalizes slower than the other) and it definitely wasnt lack of reference as the viz was 40m+.

I wasn't dizzy or tired, it just felt like the blood rushed out of my head.

Also thank you for the quick responses, it was not a fun situation to be in and it makes it worse i have no idea what caused it so thanks for the help.

 

[RayfromTX]

Other tanks on the boat being fine is no indication at all. On one boat I found a tank with greater than 30 ppm and all other 11 tanks were 0 or 1 ppm. On another boat (live aboard) 5 were greater than 30 ppm and 15 were 5-10ppm and 100 tanks were just fine. The compressor can get hot or can have a contaminated intake source for a brief period such as when a boat or truck is idling. You must test all tanks to know. I'm not hazarding a guess about the cause of your episode but I want to clear up a common misconception about CO contaminated scuba tanks.

 

[DandyDon]

Give Ray a medal!

I first thought CO issues but there were 8 of us on the boat all using the same tanks filled from the same compressor on the same day.

Nope, that is no guarantee at all. Like Ray says, it can be only one tank out of a run. I know, most divers don't check for CO, and most divers survive, but testing is the only way to know for sure. It may not fit your problem tho.

I've also experienced vertigo before (one of my ears equalizes slower than the other)

I think that's the best guess. Do you do equalizing exercises before diving? Take allergy meds? The original sudafed formula with an antihistamine kicker is a daily need for me, and I'd hate to try diving without it. I know it's impossible to obtain in some countries tho, since meth cookers use it. I hope I never get caught with it in Mexico.

 

[Princess Chris]

Give Ray a medal! View attachment 532003

Nope, that is no guarantee at all. Like Ray says, it can be only one tank out of a run. I know, most divers don't check for CO, and most divers survive, but testing is the only way to know for sure. It may not fit your problem tho.

Well you learn something new every day.

I think that's the best guess. Do you do equalizing exercises before diving? Take allergy meds? The original sudafed formula with an antihistamine kicker is a daily need for me, and I'd hate to try diving without it. I know it's impossible to obtain in some countries tho, since meth cookers use it. I hope I never get caught with it in Mexico.

No I'd be spending a fortune if I did as I'm in the water pretty much everyday. If it was from an equalizing problem there would have been earlier signs and my ascent was slow enough that it wouldn't have been such an instant feeling. My quickest ascent rate was about 4.5m per minute and that was just after I felt anything.

I'll check my tanks in future.

 

[DandyDon]

No I'd be spending a fortune if I did

Well, I don't know what's available for how much there. Here I get WalAct D at Walgreen's and it's cheap enough. You might shop around for hay fever OTC meds, try some, see if they help. And look into equalizing exercises.

 

[EireDiver606]

A touch of vertigo? It does happen sometimes when we lose our frame of reference and or brain gets mixed signals. An ascent is probably a likely time for this to occur.

I second this. I can say from personal experience that vertigo is a horrible experience (but in water can be deadly) where your ears equalise the pressure naturally at different rates upon the ascent leading to an imbalance where you lose your orientation and it sounds funny but your actual visual sight is mostly lost too.

Make sure you fully and slowly equalise on the descent and double check you are equalised even if you think you are. And never equalise manually on the ascent only on descent.

 

[Marie13]

I have to take Zytek-D daily for allergies. Usually just take it in the morning, but I also take it the night before when diving. This is the stuff you have to sign for at the pharmacy as it has pseudoephedrine in it. I can get 24 tablets of the generic at Walmart/Target for about $18. Name brand runs about $25 at Walgreens for 24 tablets.

Like Dandy Don, I don’t dive without it. I also use Flonase.

 

[Wingy]

Which wreck were you on and who were you diving with? Prefer to send a private message