Lake Rawlings/Rashes?

[DrSteve]

I'm cross posting this to Deco as well.

My wife and I both dived at Rawlings this weekend. When we came home she noticed a blotchy rash across her stomach. We dived well within the tables so I am not really worried about a deco situation. So...I'm wondering if it is some kind of allergy to our suits/something in the water at Rawlings?

Any thoughts?

 

[erikharwell]

the water at lake rawlings is very nasty. several people I know have gotten sick from there. the leaches are also nice. I wont be going back there if I dont have to. It is probabally related to the water and the nice things living in it.

 

[jeadiver]

summer and winter, and never had any problems. I've also never seen any leeches in all of that time and I have been all over that lake. I wouldn't discount a reaction to something in the water, but I also wouldn't ignore the possibility it was something in the suit already. Have the blotches cleared? If not, you might want to get them checked out.

 

[O-ring]

I always rinse my ears with alcohol or "ear beer" or whatever after diving in freshwater just to be on the safe side, but have been in Rawlings many times with no problems.

 

[DrSteve]

After talking in the deco forum and just observing we are 99.99% sure that the problem is some kind of heat rash/allergic reaction. We did look at pictures of skin DCS and her rash is nothing like that - it is more like a hive than the red wine style blotches usually associated with a bend.