SCR and headaches

[divebag]

I've been working to reduce my surface consumption rate. During my last trip to Cozumel my SCR ranged from 9 to 11 psi/ minute. However, I would develop headaches toward the end of the dives and after the dives. (two tank dives with interval - 88 ft max on 1st dive, 60 ft max on 2nd dive). I'm not skip breathing. Would this cause these headaches. The headaches would disappear after an hour or so after diving. Would this cause carbon dioxide buildup and result in the headaches?

 

[diver_paula]

I'm not a medical doctor but I can tell you my headaches went away when I started taking deep, slow breaths. It took some concentration to change my natural breathing pattern but became second nature in no time.

 

[scubablue67]

Sounds to me like carbon dioxide buildup. You shouldn't try to increase air consumption by shallow breathing, skip breathing or other breath control. Work on bouyancy, trim in the water, move slower and more deliberate. Most of all RELAX and get comfortable in the water. You'll improve that way much more so. Headaches after a dive are a sign to reevaluate your condition. Do you need more water? Wetsuit or hood too tight? Bad air? If there is a funny taste check out the place you get fills.
I bet deeper slower breathing will help eliminate those headaches.
Good luck,
Rich

 

[Andreas]

Probably a very mild case of CO2 build-up.
A number of years ago I almost always got severe headaches (to the point of throwing up) when surfacing, and they didn't go away for 6 hours. I was basically a mess.
Then I went through a number of tests at a military testing facility and a hospital, and we came to the conclusion that is was CO2 build-up that caused this condition.
So I started thinking about my breathing during my dives (so I was breathing more than I actually wanted), and all problems just went away!
As Paula said it takes some concentration, but you get used to it after a while.

Hope things work out.

/Andreas

 

[DepartureDiver]

Sounds to me like carbon dioxide buildup. You shouldn't try to increase air consumption by shallow breathing, skip breathing or other breath control.

I agree. I'm also curious if you were using a nitrox blend. If so, what was your ppO2 at depth? I consider myself a CO2 retainer and find that I do best at 1.3 or less.

 

[divebag]

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like I was breathing to shallowly and causing carbon dioxide buildup. By the way I was breathing air on some days, nitrox on others. My highest PO2 was less than 1.16. I guess trying to have the lowest SCR isn't such a good goal. haha

 

[sharpenu]

Are you sure this is an accurate SAC? If you were using 80cuFt tanks, this puts your SAC at .23 to .28 CFM. I have only known one diver that was that low, and she was a very small female.

 

[divebag]

Are you sure this is an accurate SAC? If you were using 80cuFt tanks, this puts your SAC at .23 to .28 CFM. I have only known one diver that was that low, and she was a very small female.

I did the calculations properly based upon the formula. Also, my air integrated computer was showing gas consumption at.39 cuft/min.

 

[steevke]

.39 cuft/min is, for a male, very low. In the tropics/warm water I use about the same amount of air and I hardly ever meet anyone that uses less air than me.

Unless you get a refund or a free dive because you only used half your air, I'd advise breathing a bit more! Some head-aches are also caused by the mouthpiece. If breathing more does not alleviate your problems, try changing to another mouthpiece.

Steven

 

[pasley]

.39 cuft/min is, for a male, very low...

I agree with the others, if you are getting headache, then you are probably having CO2 build-up.

Me: Male, age 50, height 6 ft, weight 148.2 pounds, reasonably fit. SUUNTO Dive Manager calculates me with a SAC at 0.39 to 0.42 depending upon currents. My best SAC was 0.37 on some particularly mellow and “in the zone” dives..

Breathing technique? None, I just breath normally, not puffing, not blowing, not skip breathing. Just breathing like I am sitting at my computer. I also just slowly fin along.

I believe far to much effort is put into so called breathing technique. While I will agree it is a factor. If you are taking chest heaving breaths, you are going to blow through a lot of air, and quick. But, a lot of improvement in SAC can be achieved by the following:
1. Proper weighting
2. Perfecting your buoyancy control of which item 1 plays a major role.
3. Exercise. Conditioned and toned mussels will use less oxygen than the out of shape ones.
4. Do not use your hands! Keep them still unless reaching for or pointing at something. Hands are not efferent at propulsion. Those long things on your feet work so much better at this.
5. Dive often. Getting comfortable in the water will help with the heavy breathing.
6. Do not skip breath, do not breathe rapid and shallow. Take what I would describe as normal breaths, slow in and slow out.
7. Move in S-L-O-W motion. I swim slow, I move everything slow. Water is dense, trying to move anything fast uses more energy and that means more air.
8. Streamline everything, reduce drag.