Recompression Chamber experience this past weekend
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This may be an easily answered question (since I'm a noob I'm not sure...) but on top of that, how would the medic avoid being narced? Sounds like a pretty delicate procedure...
TheScubaBOB
Contributor
I took a "real" chamber ride on Navy Recompression table 6 Sunday (06/28/2009).
Dived to 60ft on the Oxygen Demand Mask. It was interesting how much more often I seemed to need to equalize. The "Tender" was using the valsava (forced nose pinch) method while I was able to simply swallow. There was a "Blower" (the outside tech called it that) device to compensate for the increase in temp as we compressed. The chipmunk effect was amusing to myself and the Tender.
The biggest thing I got from the experience was realizing that I spent 5 hours in the chamber (could accomidate 12 sitting), knowing that there was no way to quickly open the door and exit, without having even the slightest claustrophobic reaction. I've been claustrophobic all my life and have indeed had panic attacks in much larger places. My trigger has always been more about my ability to exit the situation than the size of the confinement.
All of the lab results can back good and I've been symptom free since the chamber dive so my Doc thinks it was a psychosymatic hit as opposed to a DCS hit. I guess that's what happens when you get dragged to the surface from 55ft (5 mins bottom time) just a month after you complete Rescue Diver!
I would agree that every diver should do a chamber dive as I was a bit nervous, ok completely freaked-out when the Doc told me DAN said "Get him to the Hyberbaric Chamber". Just the knowing what to expect if you ever must do it has immeasurable value.
Dived to 60ft on the Oxygen Demand Mask. It was interesting how much more often I seemed to need to equalize. The "Tender" was using the valsava (forced nose pinch) method while I was able to simply swallow. There was a "Blower" (the outside tech called it that) device to compensate for the increase in temp as we compressed. The chipmunk effect was amusing to myself and the Tender.
The biggest thing I got from the experience was realizing that I spent 5 hours in the chamber (could accomidate 12 sitting), knowing that there was no way to quickly open the door and exit, without having even the slightest claustrophobic reaction. I've been claustrophobic all my life and have indeed had panic attacks in much larger places. My trigger has always been more about my ability to exit the situation than the size of the confinement.
All of the lab results can back good and I've been symptom free since the chamber dive so my Doc thinks it was a psychosymatic hit as opposed to a DCS hit. I guess that's what happens when you get dragged to the surface from 55ft (5 mins bottom time) just a month after you complete Rescue Diver!
I would agree that every diver should do a chamber dive as I was a bit nervous, ok completely freaked-out when the Doc told me DAN said "Get him to the Hyberbaric Chamber". Just the knowing what to expect if you ever must do it has immeasurable value.
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