Raging headache after ascending

[indigo_dc]

Why did you do 9. Minutes worth of safety stops for such a relative shallow dive?

To slow the ascent, hopefully so any reverse block would clear slowly/naturally over time and lead to less pain on surfacing. Probably showing my lack of experience here but after the pain from the first one and only a couple of mins safety stop (after 60' dive), I figured that taking it slower second time around and ascending more gradually might be better?

Was that a waste of time or inadvisable?

r.e. the skip breathing, I don't THINK I do this. Having said that, after having shocking air consumption on my first half dozen dives (hitting a "record" 17 mins at 20') I've talked about ways of trying to improve consumption, relax etc. with dive guides and professional friend. Most of the time while diving I'm not even thinking about my breathing which I was taking for a good sign?

Listening to myself on videos it seems like "breathe in for 3 or 4, pause for 2 - 4, out for 4 or 5, pause" and so on. The only times I was aware of consciously holding my breath was the half-second or so I lined up the odd photo. Peridocally on the video I can hear myself breathe out a long time, implying I'm "flushing out" maybe? Sorry, have sort of side tracked this question into a breathing analysis, though I suppose it's sort of relevant.

Hmm. Please don't read "professional friend" and leap to the wrong conclusion

 

[Dr Dog]

My cigarette smoking wife normally mentions a head ache if she smokes within an hour of a dive

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

As soon as I started descending it disappeared, immediately, and I felt wonderful.

Based on that statement I agree with the other posters in that this sounds most like reverse block.

So even though I had no sinus problems, no cold/lingering cold, no trouble equalising on ascent/descent, I assumed having had the advil earlier meant the reverse block kicked in when it wore off somehow.

Are you getting over a cold or sinus infection? Sometimes sinus problems present themselves after the most obvious symptoms (runny nose, etc) have cleared up.

 

[indigo_dc]

Are you getting over a cold or sinus infection? Sometimes sinus problems present themselves after the most obvious symptoms (runny nose, etc) have cleared up.

No, I'm pretty sure I was illness free. I do have chronic allergies though, specifically to dust mites and pollen, but holiday trips usually IMPROVE those things - hotel linen is fresh daily and it wasn't pollen season. Also, the prior 5 days of 2x dives each day had no problems, it was just that day that gave me trouble, and I had no runny nose or anything at any stage.

Definitely picked up a lot of tips to think about. The suggestions to premedicate before diving are new though, isn't that specifically recommended AGAINST?

 

[tracydr]

To slow the ascent, hopefully so any reverse block would clear slowly/naturally over time and lead to less pain on surfacing. Probably showing my lack of experience here but after the pain from the first one and only a couple of mins safety stop (after 60' dive), I figured that taking it slower second time around and ascending more gradually might be better?

Was that a waste of time or inadvisable?

r.e. the skip breathing, I don't THINK I do this. Having said that, after having shocking air consumption on my first half dozen dives (hitting a "record" 17 mins at 20') I've talked about ways of trying to improve consumption, relax etc. with dive guides and professional friend. Most of the time while diving I'm not even thinking about my breathing which I was taking for a good sign?

Listening to myself on videos it seems like "breathe in for 3 or 4, pause for 2 - 4, out for 4 or 5, pause" and so on. The only times I was aware of consciously holding my breath was the half-second or so I lined up the odd photo. Peridocally on the video I can hear myself breathe out a long time, implying I'm "flushing out" maybe? Sorry, have sort of side tracked this question into a breathing analysis, though I suppose it's sort of relevant.

Hmm. Please don't read "professional friend" and leap to the wrong conclusion

Pausing for that length of time is technically skip breathing.
i don't think it caused your headache in this case but be aware of it and try to smooth out your breathing pattern. Some yoga can teach you how to breath properly and really reduce your air consumption, along with just experience.
You did the right thing coming up slowly. With a reverse block, they will often clear by staying at the level where pain went away, giving it a minute or two before starting your ascent again. I've only had ear blocks, never sinus.

 

[indigo_dc]

I've been watching all the videos taken over the trip and in particular those from the last couple of dives. The 2-4 second pause seems like an over estimate, rarely I seem to go over 3 seconds on the pause, mostly it's 2 or less.

What's interesting though, for the few cases where I have the DM guides and other, more experienced divers in frame, they seem to be ROUGHLY the same in terms of pause. Harder to tell of course because I can't hear THEIR breathing on tape (unlike my own), but assuming they breathe in about the same length of time as me, they seem to pause upto a couple of seconds each time too.

Skip breathing is new to me. Of course my instruction covered not holding your breath but many divers I know have commented that "natural" breathing does include a pause that can sometimes be a couple of seconds when relaxed, i.e. you don't continually breathe in and out.

Thanks again for the advice