Hyperventelating / Panic Attack and my future

[BuoyantC]

There is a lot of good information posted here, but one bit of info you didn't post is how much dive experience you actually have. Even though very experienced divers are not exempt from anxiety attacks, more experience does seem to lessen the chances.

Dennis

 

[Archangel]

if it quacks, it prolly isnt a mule.

You were taskloaded, your mind, overwhelmed with all of the new sensations, triggered an adrenal rush.

Congratulations, you now have a limit to break thru and a goal to attain. Dont worry so much, you are diving with competent team oriented divers arent you? Have them throw crap at you until you become overwhelmed, and you will get a handle on how much you can handle.

Hope this helps

 

[roughwater]

Thanks for all your input. In response to questions that were asked:

* I am not on any medication, nor had I used any medication / drugs within months of the dive. (I can't even remember the last time I took a panadol).

* When I started having the attack, I was breathing deep and fast. So, in response to CO2 buildup, wouldn't that be more caused by Hypoventilating, and not Hyperventelating, or can CO2 retention also be caused by Hyperventelating?

* I've been advised off board to try holding my breath if it ever happens again. Can anyone comment / confirm / rebut this advice?

* As for dive experiences, I've had roughly 50 dives todate in the last 12 months. Most of these in Salt water, and most in tempreatures below 18[SIZE=-1]ºc. Most dives have so far been in wetsuits (as was this particular dive).

* I am diving with a team of compitent divers. Most have been cave for 5-10 years, with a few being instructors, and DM's, so I feel more than confident with them to try taskloading myself up during recreational dives.
[/SIZE]

 

[skiwez2]

What was the quality of the reg you were sharing air with. You might have over breathe the reg which will cause a similar feeling

 

[dave4868]

Thanks for all your input. In response to questions that were asked:
* When I started having the attack, I was breathing deep and fast. So, in response to CO2 buildup, wouldn't that be more caused by Hypoventilating, and not Hyperventelating, or can CO2 retention also be caused by Hyperventelating?

* I've been advised off board to try holding my breath if it ever happens again. Can anyone comment / confirm / rebut this advice?

I'm glad you made me rethink my statements about CO2 retention. I began thinking that shallow breathing would initiate the symptoms and cause increased CO2 in the blood, but I think you're right, that once you began hyperventilating, you cleared more CO2, causing hypocapnia, decreased CO2 in the blood, which can exacerbate the symptoms of anxiety and cause a feeling of being short of breath.

http://www.medic8.com/healthguide/articles/hyperventsyn.html

Interestingly, two common remedies for an acute hyperventilating anxiety attack are to breath in and out of a paper bag sealed to one's face, or to hold one's breath.

I should have remembered that the point was to bring the CO2 in the body back up to normal.

Thanks for pointing it out.

Dave C

 

[roughwater]

Skiwez2,

The regs I was using were Dacor Tec's, and Poseidon Extreme. Both deliver as much as I demand without any problems. (I can't recall which reg I was on at that time).


Dave,

Thanks for your reply. It would appear as though if I have this happen in the future, I should try holding my breath to see if that resolves the situation quicker.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Sjassi]

How long did it take before you took off your mask, for you to recive your attack? It could be, that the cold water in your face increased your stress levels.

 

[Kendall Raine]

Skiwez2,

The regs I was using were Dacor Tec's, and Poseidon Extreme. Both deliver as much as I demand without any problems. (I can't recall which reg I was on at that time).


Dave,

Thanks for your reply. It would appear as though if I have this happen in the future, I should try holding my breath to see if that resolves the situation quicker.

Thanks for all the advice!

Who knows, but I do know it is easy when you're concentrating hard on a new task in a new environment to focus so hard on the task you loose awarenes of things like your breathing pattern, etc. The problem doesn't have to be in your regs-odds are they're fine. Any sustained disruption from your normal sense of well-being can throw off your breathing and body chemistry. Over time, that disruption can lead to symptoms you describe.

Unless you have clinical issues, like asthma, I would go back to that particular excercise and practice it in a highly controlled circumstance. Taking a step forward, and then a step back, before moving forward once more may not be the fastest route to the finish line, but then cave diving isn't (shouldn't be) about getting to the finish line.

Others have noted that you can't afford this type of event in cave. Absolutely right. Caves are unforgiving. Do yourself, your loved ones and your buddies a favor: take it slowly and be honest with yourself and your instructors. Ain't nothing in a cave worth getting killed for.

 

[roughwater]

Hi,

How long did it take before you took off your mask, for you to recive your attack? It could be, that the cold water in your face increased your stress levels.

Pretty much within a few seconds. I'm sure that having the mask off had something to do with it, but I've been diving without my mask plenty of times. I guess it has something to do with taskloading and stress (even though at the time I didn't feel stressed out).

Unless you have clinical issues, like asthma, I would go back to that particular excercise and practice it in a highly controlled circumstance. Taking a step forward, and then a step back, before moving forward once more may not be the fastest route to the finish line, but then cave diving isn't (shouldn't be) about getting to the finish line.

Others have noted that you can't afford this type of event in cave. Absolutely right. Caves are unforgiving. Do yourself, your loved ones and your buddies a favor: take it slowly and be honest with yourself and your instructors. Ain't nothing in a cave worth getting killed for.

Thankfully I'm fortunate enough not to have any clinical issues. The only time I see a doctor is for medical's for one certificate or another.

I agree that cave diving shouldn't be about getting to the finish line (unless the finish line is the exit to the water, and in that case, it's very important to get back there ) and have been completely honest with my instructor as well as my diving companions.

That's why I've chosen to post the question here - to try and get as much of an understanding of the problem as I can.

I've come to the conclusion at the moment that what I had was an anxiety attack, and that an anxiety attack is not mental. (ie - it does not require me to feel stressed or task loaded up) and has more to do with the subconcious - which is why it confused me in the first place. (I felt fine in my mind the whole time), and that given time, and practice - I should be able to eliminate the risk of it happening again under similar circumstances.

I'm just surprised that their haven't been more people mentioned here that have had similar circumstances.

I am thankful that I was able to complete the task without needing assistance, or heading to the surface. That helps my confidence in the fact that if it ever happens again - I should be able to control the situation. Never the less, I will be practising the situaiton with some well experienced buddies nearby ready to assist incase something does happen in the future.

I'm also thankful for all the replies in trying to help me understand this situation!

Thanks

 

[h90]

[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]

Try go cavern without diving. I did that in the past. Sometimes stuck somewhere for 20 min (because to small (or I too big)). Against all official recommendations I went often allone (but left a message). Than there was one point where I asked myself why I am doing that. Since then I never went into a small cave again.
It is really a good task to learn about yourself and hidden fears. Without water you don't die fast and if you get problems they find you on the next day (if you leave a message).