Long term effects of the bends

[agodwyn]

I was on a dive a few years ago with an instructor when she signaled lets go down, we were around 90 deep, she took off I followed we wound up going down to 200 feet deep, on the way up one of the computers failed, we had trouble communicaticing about a decmpression plan, we exited the water and I am pretty sure I got bent, I felt groggy and tired, no oxygen was given, over the next few weeks I had pain in various joints, this was a few years ago and was wondering if there are any long term effects of getting bent, thanks

 

[jkaterenchuk]

Other than dying? Yes.

You made several mistakes back then....do not make another....go see a qualified medical diving doctor and stop getting your advise from the internet.

John

 

[TSandM]

It is possible to get bone damage from decompression sickness -- it's called dysbaric osteonecrosis, and although it's generally found in people who have done a lot of decompression diving (eg. commercial divers) there was a recent report of someone on TDS who had to have shoulder surgery for what was thought to be arthritis, and turned out to be osteonecrosis. IIRC, he had either never been bent, or had been bent once or twice -- at any rate, not the history one would normally associate with the problem.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

There have been cases of dysbaric osteonecrosis (bone death) in people who have only been exposed to pressure, and been bent, once.

Marl Powell, in his book Deco for Divers, describes the case of the submarine HMS Poseidon - where 5 sailors had to escape from 38 metres and got bent in the process. None of them ever scuba dived. 12 years later x-rays of three of the sailors indicated all 3 had osteonecrosis - one with partial collapse of both femoral heads. All from one incident 12 years before.

Sobering stuff.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[mts0628]

I was on a dive a few years ago with an instructor when she signaled lets go down, we were around 90 deep, she took off I followed we wound up going down to 200 feet deep, on the way up one of the computers failed, we had trouble communicaticing about a decmpression plan, we exited the water and I am pretty sure I got bent, I felt groggy and tired, no oxygen was given, over the next few weeks I had pain in various joints, this was a few years ago and was wondering if there are any long term effects of getting bent, thanks

Hi agodwyn:

So, questions come to mind with your scenario. What class were you doing at 90 feet? Obviously not an openwater class, well I say obviously- I am sure stranger things have happened. Anyway, as a certified diver engaging in some sort of training, you should have realized that it was a bad decision and a maximum depth should have been discussed before the dive, AT LEAST! To blindly follow your instructor and then realize that you're at 200 feet, well I don't know who is more to blame your instructor or you. As a diver you have a right to thumb the dive just as anyone else does.

Then compounding, no pre-plan of contingencies? Plan your dive and then dive your plan. Pre-dive briefing. Sure this get scoffed at by some after class (hey- lets just strap on our gear and computer and go diving!), but depending on your class, I would think that it would have been stressed to perform some form of pre-dive briefing and especially for deep depth diving.

As for a computer dying, stuff happens. But you could have used the other computer for depth and time and then with knowing your emergency procedures for ascending, you should have had little problem. Even so, oxygen may not have been a bad idea for everyone as it sound like it was one thing compounding another and another.

And finally to your question, as others have eluded to, dysbaric osteonecrosis, predisposition to future hits, and maybe more bouts of poor decision making since you may have been lucky once. Unfortunately your luck will not hold out forever.

Call DAN and then go see your personal Physician. I hope you have suffered no long term effects but I also hope you will be more careful and cognizant on your future dives.

Good luck,
Thomas

 

[agodwyn]

This was actually after completing my idc, I was on a dive with my course directors wife who was a master instructor, it was a just a fun dive, I knew the site well it was a down a nice gentle slope we used for training sites off nearby sipadan off the coast of boreno, the coral pretty much became non existent around 90-100 feet, looking back I dont remember if we had a formal dive plan, we were both experienced and familar with the site,diving around sipadan I was familar with going down to deep depths, never beyond the limit though and had a brief feeling of what it was like to be narced, during training we had gone to 135 feet, we were cruising around 90 feet when she signaled down and took off, she was quite a bit faster than me, at around 140 feet starting to get narced it was either follow or surprised and disoriented in the depths and not quite sure of a compass heading to take back up the slope, mistakes were made, lets say things wound up on less than ideal terms with my cd afterwards, previously we had done deep dive beyond deco limits, it was planned, and nothing went wrong but still unwise, the dive with his wif was reckless, eventually I did report them to PADI but nothing was really done, thank you for the information

 

[String]

So you passed an IDC and went on a free for all mandatory decompression dive with no deco planning, no gas planning, no redundant gas or gauges and it would appear absolutely no training or clue what to do when 1 simple thing breaks.

You also don't know much about DCS.

I really hope this is a troll of some such and not a serious post from someone who has allegedly passed through to instructor level!

eventually I did report them to PADI but nothing was really done, thank you for the information

Report them for what? PADI aren't responsible for the actions of people not conducting any sanctioned programme. Nor should they be.

 

[Apecks]

If you do not mind me asking, what is your diving education / training history?

 

[agodwyn]

PADI agreed with me that theree was some wrong doing ons cds part and his wife, she was reckless, no dive was planned, there was never any discussion or planning of going on any depth or deco dive, when we had surfaced my course director had told me not to tell anything to padi, and no oxygen was given, I should have insisted, but probably wasnt thinking all that clear, reviewing my log book the dive took place during idc training, we had done some work going over skills, me and his wife went for a dive, he went off solo to go find 45 meters, during my IE I passed with flying colors, missed 1 question between the 2 exams and all presentations were passed easily

 

[JJTNJ]

I'm new to diving, no expert by any means. But if you were feeling "narced" at 140 feet why would you go further down after your instructor who was faster and swam down? How is that going to help? You should have just made an ascent, no?