Nitrox Hangover

[DandyDon]

Hello, uh - why pay for Nitrox if you're only goin gto 60 feet? Maybe I'm missing something here...?

Beche de mer had an interesting response in panel #6. Did you see that...?

 

[fins wake]

I'd guess I've dived Nitrox about 2 dozen times in the past 3 yrs. I mostly dive air. The 'hangover' has only shown up in the last year. I didn't get it at all when taking the course. [snipped]

Thanks, Georgiana. Yes, I'm looking towards any form of impurities in the gas mix that you may be hypersensitive to. To be honest, if you experience symptoms when diving with both shops' nitrox fills (given that they seem to be entirely different in almost all respect) but not with air, it does indicate to me (the very amateur Cracker-wannabe) that either:
(a) you're hypersensitive to greater fractions of oxygen. Which would probably be highly unusual if it even exists, I guess, but perhaps not impossible? The diving docs here might know of other examples?
(b) there's something wrong with your gear. Maybe it really is salt-water aspiration (though I think it's very often a buzz-word) through a defect mouthpiece or through faulty technique?
(c) there are psychological factors at work.

Personally, I'm at a loss. :icon5:

 

[beche de mer]

Seems like something worth looking into and I probably need a new one anyway. Thanks much again.
Sincerely,
Georgiana Hull

Hey georginahull, you've been presented on a plate a perfectly legitimate excuse to BUY NEW EQUIPMENT!! Hoooooeeey!! What are you waiting for??

 

[beche de mer]

PS, FWIW, if you were breathing a contaminated mix, you'd expect to experience symptoms a lot sooner than the next day - i.e. - underwater.

 

[georgianahull]

Hello, uh - why pay for Nitrox if you're only goin gto 60 feet? Maybe I'm missing something here...?

Well, it isn't really a deep diving gas. This article isn't super, but does a better job explaining the benefits than I could.
http://www.idc-phuket.com/english/nitrox.htm

PS, FWIW, if you were breathing a contaminated mix, you'd expect to experience symptoms a lot sooner than the next day - i.e. - underwater.

Yeah, I'd think if the mix was bad it would hit me underwater and not the day-after.

Thanks guys. I'll update you
Georgiana

PS:

Hey georginahull, you've been presented on a plate a perfectly legitimate excuse to BUY NEW EQUIPMENT!!

If it is psychological...that new wet suit would be just the ticket

 

[divemed]

Just to stirr the waters. If you have dove nitrox for three years, and these symptoms are only showing up in the last year, consider that the cause is something completely unrelated to the nitrox. Chattering teeth and joint pain can be "flu-like symptoms". Also could be exposure to something that caused an inflammatory response. In the future, take your temp, and think back if there were any other symptoms of "the flu". Time of year, friends sick, etc. Did you get an abrasion underwater?

I'd guess I've dived Nitrox about 2 dozen times in the past 3 yrs. I mostly dive air. The 'hangover' has only shown up in the last year. I didn't get it at all when taking the course.

AFAIK, there are only two places in the county that sell it. One place is a rec dive shop and they send the tanks to LA to have them filled. The other, is a tech shop and fills the tanks while you wait. I don't know which method they use, but there are two tanks (a small black one with O2 and a larger air tank) and a machine that connects them. I've used both shops. The rec shop is much cheaper, but I normally use the other as it's recommended by the boys who work on the oil rigs. I've also had the tanks filled at a place down south, but I don't get down their very often. I'll ask about the medical quality next time.

I use 32, but also sometimes, though not often 36. My dive buddy and I always get them filled at the same shop and he doesn't have the problem. But he's a big man and probably weighs twice as much as I do (not sure if that matters).

We usually don't go that deep. 15m is about the max, 20m is as deep as I've ever been on it for safety reasons. That's about all I can think of at the moment. Thanks

Sincerely,
Georgiana hull

 

[DandyDon]

Well, it isn't really a deep diving gas. This article isn't super, but does a better job explaining the benefits than I could.
http://www.idc-phuket.com/english/nitrox.htm

Well, yeah - but, well. Let me expand a bit here. {Sorry, but my tables are in feet, yet I'll try to convert to meters}

PADI NDL Limits - Air vs 32% Nx:

50 ft / 15 m: 80 min Air vs. 155 min Nx

60 ft / 18 m: 55 min Air vs. 90 min Nx

70 ft / 21 m: 40 min Air vs. 60 min Nx

80 ft / 24 m: 30 min Air vs. 45 min Nx

You might want to check my conversion to meters there...?


Given that, and your earlier statement...

I use 32, but also sometimes, though not often 36. My dive buddy and I always get them filled at the same shop and he doesn't have the problem. But he's a big man and probably weighs twice as much as I do (not sure if that matters).

We usually don't go that deep. 15m is about the max, 20m is as deep as I've ever been on it for safety reasons.

Since you usually go to 15 m / 50 ft max, I don't understand why you're spending money on Nitrox? 80 minutes isn't enough for you at that depth? It may not be, but I think that something is out of tune here...?

Humor me here, will ya', and give me more information on - say, the last 3 Nitrox dives that caused you problems: Max depth, square or multi-level, dive time, previous surface interval, water temp, air temp, date, were you chilled during or after the dive, anything else...? I'd even like your height and weight, as that might factor in here?

I'm not sure what I'm looking for here. I have a hunch, but I'll wait for these details...?

thanks, don