Has this ever happened to you ?

[z28pwr]

This may sound a little weird, but I just started diving recently and only have 9 dives under my belt and the problem is that everytime I put the regulator in my mouth to submerge I feel the taste of the rubber and it makes me want to vomit, this feeling eventually stops after I'm down there for a while, but it's very frustrating as you can imagine.

Has anyone experienced this before and how did you get rid of the problem, did you change your regulator mouth piece to a different plastic ?

Any help would be apreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Snowbear]

Has anyone experienced this before...

No, I haven't. But maybe one of the clear silicone mouthpieces would not be as objectionable to you? I tried a seacure one that you mold to your teeth. It has no taste at all (to me anyway).

 

[TCooperWFI]

The molded custom mouthpieces typically don't have as much of a rubber (silicone) taste. You boil them for the fitting and that helps eliminate some of the wonderful flavor.
If you like and want to keep your mouthpiece, remove it, boil it and reinstall.
Make sure you let it cool thoroughly before re-installing.

 

[Phaethon]

S'funny, I got my wetsuit (Bodyglove full, 3mm) to grease the zip in prep. for a pool session. It was the first time I had the thing out since packing it away in early Jan. It may have been a coincidence but... I started to feel nauseous and developed a slight headache after handling the thing for a while and trying it on to check the zip. The thing has been hanging in my office since with no obvious neopreney smell, but when it first came out of the box the neoprene smell was quite strong and seemed to turn my stomach. No such problems when I donned it and used it in the pool.

Perhaps there are some production solvents in there that haven't washed out in half a dozen dives since new and concentrated while in the closed (but not airtight) box? Maybe your reg is the same and the effect will decline with boiling the mouthpiece and repeated use/rinsing of the rest of it?

Another thought is have you done all your diving with the same operator/school/tanks? Is the tank air okay? Just a thought...

Cheers,

K.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Hi,

I have experienced the same feeling you are describing. I use a clear silicone US Divers comfobite mouthpiece and no longer feel the same "urges". When I first started using the comfobite I did notice a slight gag reflex (NOT the same rubbery taste problem) because the comfobite touches the roof of your mouth behind your front teeth. I resolved this by relaxing my jaw and allowing the regulator to hang in my mouth a little more loosely. At this point I am not certain that the mouthpiece change was the entire solution, probably just getting more dives allowed me to become more relaxed. This relaxation was probably as large a factor as anything else at solving the initial problem.

Best of luck,

Mark Vlahos

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I can't use the black rubber mouthpieces or some of the larger silicone ones for that very reason. I always get the small, soft silicone mouthpieces.

 

[Norm]

I have experienced what you are talking about but the problem wasn't the second stage, it was the hose! Some hoses really have a strong "rubber" taste/smell. They always cured themselves with use.
Norm

 

[z28pwr]

Thanks guys/gals, I thought I was the only one with this problem. I think I'm going to try the custom mouthpiece and try to relax more although that's easier said then done.

 

[Stingray81888]

Last month, I almosted vomitted a few times after being under for awhile. I don't really know if this is what caused it but i think its because the air was so dry. This could be your case

 

[z28pwr]

I found some interesting information about this.

Apparently it's more common then I thought and it's called Hyperactive Gag Reflex

Here's some info I found.

http://www.scuba-doc.com/Gagrflx.htm

http://www.utahdiving.com/medicine.htm#hypergag