Reoccurring DCS Symptoms?

[mepc]

Eight months ago, my wife experienced what we assume was DCS. The dives were not too deep (60 ft) or too long (40 min), but we flew about 10 hours after the last dive. We live overseas and do not have access to dive medicine experts or chambers. She ignored the symptoms for a few days (aching/tingling in arms). Finally she was examined by a local doctor who ran various blood gas tests and couldn't find any obvious problems. DAN was also consulted but was unable to give additional assistance without further medical tests. The symptoms went away and we figured that if it was DCS it cleared itself. Now she is experiencing the same syptoms along with back aches. We have not been diving since December 2003.

I know that the nitrogen gassed off within a day or two of the last dive, but is it possible that she is experiencing symptoms of nerve damage or neuological problems resulting from the December dive? Any suggestions what we should do to determine what's going on?

 

[gazzahawkes]

Hello ,
Assumed Dcs Then had flight Ten hours later.
Really need to see a dive dr.Its more than possible for Neuro damage to have taken place and the effects to still be felt wks/ months /years later.Particulary if untreated in the first place.

You mention you live overseas. Where? maybe i or someone can point you in the right direction and get some help.

Good luck
Gary

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello mepc:

Diving and Neurological DCS

You state that the dives were not too long or deep. That means that the gas loads were not excessive as considered by the dive tables.

My question would be, did your wife do anything with here shoulders, back or arms that could have resulted in excessive nucleation? That is, did she lift something heavy, strain or pull on something, use her arms or shoulders excessively when reboarding the boat.

Divers have a tendency to put too much stress on gas loads and too little on nucleation effects. Readers of this FORUM will know that I stress it continually. [I might also add that at NASA, we have little problem with adjusting gas loads to be favorable. Where we experience problems is in nuclei generation.]

The blood test performed (I will assume it was blood gases) would not should anything even if performed immediately following the dive. It is not uncommon to here of tests such as these. [I have even heard blood draws considered negative because hey did not find bubbles in the blood in the syringe.]

Other Causes

I would suggest that your wife consult a neurologist concerning this. Many people experience problems of numbness and tingling and have never gone diving in their life. I might guess that it is not dive related.

Dr Deco :doctor:

Readers, please note the next class in Decompression Physiology :1book:
http://wrigley.usc.edu/hyperbaric/advdeco.htm

 

[pasley]

The dives were not too deep (60 ft) or too long (40 min), but we flew about 10 hours after the last dive.

Sorry to hear your wife is having an issue.

The injury your wife suffered may or may not be dive related as Dr. Deco points out, but your dive planning was defiantly pushing it a bit. You may do it a dozen times with no issues, but then again you may get DCI from it. The cost IMHO is not worth it. DCI can result in : temporary discomfort cured by chamber rides, or, permanent paralysis, or worse! So take a 24 SI after the last dive before you fly and enjoy the local area attractions topside.

Just my $0.02.