Narcosis

[razorbackdiver]

Is there a way to simulate the initial symptoms of narcosis on land? I may be overly concerned about narcosis but feel it would be better if I knew firsthand what the effects feel like?

I have fifty dives under my belt (yes, I know I'm still a newbie) and have never noticed the symptoms of narcosis. On my last dive trip I was fortunate enough to have an instructor willing to take me to 150 and 170 on different days. Still did not experience any of the symptoms that I have read or been warned about, despite consciously looking for them. The instructor told me that the initial effects of narcosis is a lot like being on gas in a dentist office. Haven't been there and haven't done that. Also, I doubt they would let me have the experience for non-dental reasons.

Before anyone jumps on me for violating recreational limits, I am not a dare devil diver. I just don't want to get narc'ed and not be able to recognise it.

 

[DevonDiver]

The only accurate way I can think of is via a compression chamber.

The effect of inert-gas narcosis is more akin to anesthetic than intoxication, so a dentist's nitrous oxide would be a closer comparison physiologically than alcohol or drugs. However, as narcosis often presents different symptoms, varying individual-by-individual, day-by-day, it probably wouldn't be an effective form of exposure for the sake of experience.

 

[PfcAJ]

I suggest running kicking and screaming from that instructor.

However, just because you didn't 'feel' narcosis, that doesn't mean you were under its effects. That's one of the reasons why narcosis is so insidious and dangerous. We're under the effects of narcosis every time we descend, even if its not patently obvious.

Did I mention to distance yourself from that instructor? Dangerous grounds you're walking on...

 

[nimoh]

you are a dare devil diver, a non dare devil diver trained to 130 would never go to 150 just to see what happens

 

[mala]

being narked and recognising being narked are 2 different things.

normally the latter comes a long way after the former.

its not all about depth but also about time.
a short dip to 60m and you might not be to bad -5 mins later its a different story.

if you really want to understand the difference do a 50m dive on air and then swop to a helium mix.

dry dives in a chamber will give you some idea but its not reality.


narcosis is not always bad-if fact a little of the narks is probably a benefit.

obviously everyone is different.

 

[Lead_carrier]

Is.....I have fifty dives under my belt (yes, I know I'm still a newbie) and have never noticed the symptoms of narcosis. On my last dive trip I was fortunate enough to have an instructor willing to take me to 150 and 170 on different days. Still did not experience any of the symptoms that I have read or been warned about, ...........

Wanna bet? The above post expains it very well.

 

[mala]

you are a dare devil diver, a non dare devil diver trained to 130 would never go to 150 just to see what happens

its probably riskier to go to 130 with a buddy thats only been to 130 than it is to go to 130 with a buddy thats been to 150 in the past.

 

[danvolker]

Is there a way to simulate the initial symptoms of narcosis on land? I may be overly concerned about narcosis but feel it would be better if I knew firsthand what the effects feel like?

I have fifty dives under my belt (yes, I know I'm still a newbie) and have never noticed the symptoms of narcosis. On my last dive trip I was fortunate enough to have an instructor willing to take me to 150 and 170 on different days. Still did not experience any of the symptoms that I have read or been warned about, despite consciously looking for them. The instructor told me that the initial effects of narcosis is a lot like being on gas in a dentist office. Haven't been there and haven't done that. Also, I doubt they would let me have the experience for non-dental reasons.

Before anyone jumps on me for violating recreational limits, I am not a dare devil diver. I just don't want to get narc'ed and not be able to recognise it.

Best way to prevent this, is to get the tech cert, and then buy helium for divers over 120 feet deep. If you buy your own T bottle, the helium cost can be less than $80 for a T-bottle, and this will make the cost per tech dive relatively painless.

 

[electrix]

It can be like being a little drunk, you just don't realize your thinking and reactions are impaired at the time, are you thinking about trying out ox tox also? We may be reading about you in the past tense if you don't take diving more seriously.

 

[TSandM]

I think it's very difficult to describe narcosis, because it's different for different people, and for the same person on different days or under different conditions.

I have seen a student get so loopy at 80 feet that we turned the dive and basically escorted him shallow enough that he could think again. I don't know how he felt, but his coordination went to pot, his light was waving vaguely around, and he wasn't responding to signals much at all.

I have also had the personal experience of not being AT ALL aware that I was narced until I made what could have been a very dangerous mistake on a cave dive. I've done it three times. All three times I felt fine, except I looked at information I needed and went, "Huh?". I no longer go to 100 feet in a cave, and I hope that I'll recognize that the "Huh?" reaction is a sign that I'm severely disabled and don't know it.

Those experiences are why I completely disregard the people who say, "I went to 170 and I wasn't narced." They were. They just didn't have the right situation to point it out to them.