Hyperventelating / Panic Attack and my future

[roughwater]

[SIZE=-1][/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Recently, while doing some training in a Cavern, I experienced an attack where I started hyperventelating. Prior to the attack I was calm, relaxed and even enjoying myself.

When the attack occurred, I didn't feel paniced, and could think quite clearly. Thoughts such as "OK, what do I do to overcome this... Stop what I'm doing, breath deep, etc" were clear in my mind - so I thought at first it wasn't an anxiety attack because I could think clearly (although from some research since, it sounds like it was an anxiety attack of some description, even though I didn't feel anxious).

I didn't have "I'm going to die thoughts". The sole feeling I remember was that I felt I wasn't getting enough air.

The attack occurred when I was sharing air, without a mask, and working with a line reel in a dark environment during training in a cavern with 14ºc water. OK - maybe not the most favourable conditions for diving, but conditions I felt more than calm and confident in. (Well, at least until the attack)

The confusing thing is - this happened out of the blue, but not in a new situation, but a situation I have been in previously without any problems. (The previous dive we had to undertake the same task, and had no problems)

I was finally able to overcome the problem under water, and successfully complete the task. (Not as gracefully as I should have, but managed to control everything and didn't have to abort the dive)

The problem I face is that I wish to progress with my cave diving. The next course I do will require buddy breathing. While I can take a few moments to rectify the situation whilst sharing air, this poses another problem if I'm supposed to be buddy breathing. (It's a bit hard to take the reg out of one's mouth while they're hyperventelating).

I've buddy breathed before without problems, but not under the situaions described above.

I'm not prone to hyperventelating attacks (or any kind of anxiety attack) so this was very new to me.

My first thoughts were to practice buddy breathing whilst under task load to make sure I can do this (while being supervised by competent people of course), but the previous problem happened in a situation I have successfully completed in the past, so I'm not sure that putting myself in the same situation as the next training will guarantee I don't have another attack in the future.

So - I'm wondering.

Have I come as far as I can go?

Is there anything I can do to ensure that I will be able to buddy breathe (under taskloading /stressful conditions) if I decide to further my training/qualifications?

Has anyone else experienced anxiety attacks like this, and then continued on with advancing their qualifications where they've had to buddy breathe?


[/SIZE]

 

[scubaphil562]

i would definately reccomend talking to your instructor about this. as cave diving goes something like this could cause a serious problem. much like asthma in the military...it only takes once. also speak with your doctor and try and analyze wha current stress you are under. are you yourself sure you wan this traingin. i know it may sound like a dumb question but we all have our reasons and sometimes they are not good enough for us...and our bodies will tell us that.

 

[Kray_Z]

[SIZE=-1][/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Recently, while doing some training in a Cavern, I experienced an attack where I started hyperventelating. Prior to the attack I was calm, relaxed and even enjoying myself.

When the attack occurred, I didn't feel paniced, and could think quite clearly. Thoughts such as "OK, what do I do to overcome this... Stop what I'm doing, breath deep, etc" were clear in my mind - so I thought at first it wasn't an anxiety attack because I could think clearly (although from some research since, it sounds like it was an anxiety attack of some description, even though I didn't feel anxious).

I didn't have "I'm going to die thoughts". The sole feeling I remember was that I felt I wasn't getting enough air.

The attack occurred when I was sharing air, without a mask, and working with a line reel in a dark environment during training in a cavern with 14ºc water. OK - maybe not the most favourable conditions for diving, but conditions I felt more than calm and confident in. (Well, at least until the attack)

The confusing thing is - this happened out of the blue, but not in a new situation, but a situation I have been in previously without any problems. (The previous dive we had to undertake the same task, and had no problems)

I was finally able to overcome the problem under water, and successfully complete the task. (Not as gracefully as I should have, but managed to control everything and didn't have to abort the dive)

The problem I face is that I wish to progress with my cave diving. The next course I do will require buddy breathing. While I can take a few moments to rectify the situation whilst sharing air, this poses another problem if I'm supposed to be buddy breathing. (It's a bit hard to take the reg out of one's mouth while they're hyperventelating).

I've buddy breathed before without problems, but not under the situaions described above.

I'm not prone to hyperventelating attacks (or any kind of anxiety attack) so this was very new to me.

My first thoughts were to practice buddy breathing whilst under task load to make sure I can do this (while being supervised by competent people of course), but the previous problem happened in a situation I have successfully completed in the past, so I'm not sure that putting myself in the same situation as the next training will guarantee I don't have another attack in the future.

So - I'm wondering.

Have I come as far as I can go?

Is there anything I can do to ensure that I will be able to buddy breathe (under taskloading /stressful conditions) if I decide to further my training/qualifications?

Has anyone else experienced anxiety attacks like this, and then continued on with advancing their qualifications where they've had to buddy breathe?


[/SIZE]

maybe narcosis?

 

[roughwater]

i would definately reccomend talking to your instructor about this. as cave diving goes something like this could cause a serious problem.

I've had a chat to my instructors about this, and they haven't been able to offer any real information at this point in time, which is why I'm posting the questions here.

also speak with your doctor and try and analyze wha current stress you are under. are you yourself sure you wan this traingin. i know it may sound like a dumb question but we all have our reasons and sometimes they are not good enough for us...and our bodies will tell us that.

Unfortuantly, the local doctors know near nothing about scuba diving. (Most gasp at the thought of diving, and try to talk people out of diving because of 'unknown' complications by being introduced to multiple atmospheric pressures).

If my local doctors don't know much about general scuba diving (and the safety of it), then I'm not real confident going to them with this. It'll just add more fuel to their fire about diving been unsafe all round, and not give me a real answer.

 

[roughwater]

maybe narcosis?

Sorry - should have added that this happened at a dive less than 10m.

 

[Kray_Z]

Sorry - should have added that this happened at a dive less than 10m.

oh ok... well then i guess thats out

 

[fisherdvm]

It would not be a bad idea to see a physician when you have panic attacks or anxiety that arise suddenly. A careful review of your medications is needed to make sure none are contributing (sudafed, decongestants, ritalin, asthma inhalers, etc).

Base line exam to make sure you don't have tumor of adrenal gland. Blood test to make sure you don't have hyperthyroidism.

If it is found that the situation you were in is severe enough to have a panic attack, then continued training in that situation should cause the anxiety to diminish.

 

[Thalassamania]

Given the described symptoms, what comes to mind is CO2 retention. The shallowness of the dives argues against it, but does not eliminate it from consideration.

 

[RiverRat]

I think we all have a different threshold, that when we bump up against it will get us to feel anxiety of varying degrees. And what may not bother us one day may really bother us the next depending on the state of our minds and bodies. What used to get me anxious post OW-AOW now doesn't even register. Training can get us past certain issues but as we progress I think our threshold moves up but is always there. For me sometimes decending with no visual references (blue water, low vis, dark) makes me feel a little anxious. Why I'm not sure. I think it triggers vertigo to some degree in me. So I've learned to expect it and overcome it by stopping decent for a bit and getting in a few deep breaths, get my bearings etc. I remember doing my DM pool work. Gear swap (PITA) No mask, buddy breathing etc. My buddy was not timing right and not giving me air (we spent forever trying to fix my mask strap). At one point I thumbed it and we went up. So my instructor drilled into me "you can't solve your problems underwater!" I was bummed out, I felt I just "killed" myself. If it was a real scenario in deep water I'm sure I could have killed or hurt myself. But now that I look back I'm glad to have done the exercise as it made me really think. What I should have done was just go to my octo if he didn't give me air in time. Would have showed more control but I was so hell bent on "passing" that I thumbed the exercise? In any event as I continued I was able to knock it out and became more relaxed. With a little practice it's no big deal. I think if you get into Cavern and up you have to really look at the Physics, CO2, Panic cycles etc. and practice, practice, practice so you become comfortable in environments/scenarious that are more difficult than the conditions you may be encountering.

 

[dave4868]

[SIZE=-1]Recently, while doing some training in a Cavern, I experienced an attack where I started hyperventelating. Prior to the attack I was calm, relaxed and even enjoying myself.

When the attack occurred, I didn't feel paniced, and could think quite clearly. Thoughts such as "OK, what do I do to overcome this... Stop what I'm doing, breath deep, etc" were clear in my mind - so I thought at first it wasn't an anxiety attack because I could think clearly (although from some research since, it sounds like it was an anxiety attack of some description, even though I didn't feel anxious).

I didn't have "I'm going to die thoughts". The sole feeling I remember was that I felt I wasn't getting enough air.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]

I agree with Thalassamania:

Given the described symptoms, what comes to mind is CO2 retention. The shallowness of the dives argues against it, but does not eliminate it from consideration.

CO2 retention makes sense to me, but it's prudent to continue your efforts to determine the cause and watch for symptoms on future dives.

It's very easy for shallow breathing and hyperventilation to begin without one knowing it.

By the time we become aware of it, it's probably already changed blood chemistry a bit (increased CO2).

As you probably know, hyperventilation doesn't effectively clear the lungs of CO2, hence, the retention of CO2.

Higher CO2 levels can cause a feeling of not getting enough air and a feeling of panic.

Some good simplified info on hypercapnia:

http://www.answers.com/topic/hypercapnia

My first thoughts were to practice buddy breathing whilst under task load to make sure I can do this (while being supervised by competent people of course), but the previous problem happened in a situation I have successfully completed in the past, so I'm not sure that putting myself in the same situation as the next training will guarantee I don't have another attack in the future.

No guarantee, but successfully performing this skill will probably lower the chances of another attack, provided it's related to anxiety and/or CO2 retention.

Try making a conscious effort to take slower, deeper breaths during the practice sessions.

Also, even more diagnostic perhaps, if the feeling occurs again, ask those around you to stop so you can take some deep breaths. See if the feeling goes away after half a minute or so.

So - I'm wondering. Have I come as far as I can go?

Is there anything I can do to ensure that I will be able to buddy breathe (under taskloading /stressful conditions) if I decide to further my training/qualifications?

Has anyone else experienced anxiety attacks like this, and then continued on with advancing their qualifications where they've had to buddy breathe?

If the problem is related to anxiety or hyperventilation, it may be controllable.

By the way, although you are well-versed in much of this, here's a good link about anxiety...

....not that you have it, and not that there's anything wrong with it.... [/SIZE]

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/anxiety_types_symptoms_treatment.htm

Dave C