Should I keep going or not?

[abarto]

I started Scuba classes 3 weeks ago. The first pool dives were exciting and scary at same time. I am not comfortable with clearing my mask (in fact I hate it). When the class moved to deeper water I found that I couldn't clear my ears below 5-6 feet. So I used ear drops and tried the next week. Had a different regulator and BC, wasn't comfortable with either. Found out I couldn't go deeper than 5-6 feet again. Spent most of class observing and not liking what I saw. I really was interested in learning to dive but now I just want to quit. Problem is boyfriend paid for classes and is doing well. I don't want him not to continue, but was wondering if I should at least finish class work and take written test. Has anyone else had similar experience and then continued water certification later? Thanks
Angie

 

[DandyDon]

Howdy Angie!

Welcome to SB!! :happywave Put us in your computer's favorites and check in often. This is a great place to learn, compare, argue Look around our various forums - everything from New-To-Scuba to Instructors-Only.

Sorry to hear that you're having problems, but you have come to the right place for help.

First, I'd like to suggest not pushing yourself, nor let anyone else push. This is a sport, but a fun one, and we want you to enjoy it. Talk with your instructor about slowing your pace so you'll have plenty of time to work thru challenges, okay?

Ears/Equalizing - the most common challenge for new divers, to be sure. It gets easier, whether it's because of skills & practice or maybe your ear tubes liber up some, but it does get better. Happens to many of us. If you key the Search button for this forum or Dive Medicine, and use either word, you'll find many, many other posts. You may also find some tricks to help.

The most popular remedy for divers is Sudafed, taken an hour before diving, but even though it is OTC, it has cautions. Ask your doctor, even better - an ENT if you can.

Mask clearing! No one likes that. We're not fish, and we don't like the blury, wet feeling of water in our eyes - especially if there's a lot of chlorine in the pool. You do need to work thru it, yes, but then it won't be something you'll do on ever trip. Just when you need to.

Stay tuned. I'm sure a lot of other posts will be forthcoming, and you'll find help...

don

 

[louisianadiver]

Hello, Angie. I concur with DandyDon; scuba is not something that you should feel pressured to do. Even though some degree of trepidation is normal, it should be exciting and fun. If you've been having trouble in class, your instructor is (hopefully) aware of it and has some concerns of his or her own. Maybe you should give him/her a call to see if he/she could give you some additional help or advice. As for your specific questions, you can practice clearing your ears on land, and it will get easier the more you practice. Do the Valsalva maneuver (pinch your nose while blowing very gently), and you should feel your eustacian tubes open. Practice it often, and do it as you submerge. Keep doing it all the way down. If you can't accomplish it on land or in very shallow water (assuming that you are not congested), then a visit to the ENT might provide some insight. Many divers can clear their ears simply by voluntary contractions without having to pinch their nose--sort of like wiggling the ears and feels like the start of a yawn. Mask clearing will become less disorienting and disagreeable with practice. Do some swimming in the pool without your mask and don't be afraid to open your eyes for a limited time (or the pool chemicals will irritate your eyes and you'll see rainbows). You'll get used to it. But don't do it if you genuinely don't want to. Believe me, neither you nor your boyfriend will enjoy a dive trip together if you just plain don't like it. However, if you decide not to dive, you can still have some great trips with you on the beach while he's on the dive boat (did this response just turn into Ann Landers?). -Clay

 

[pipedope]

It is something we learn and it only becomes comfortable with time and practice.

Equalizing your ears is something that nearly everybody can learn but it is often not taught as well as it could be. To learn more about your ears and diving there is a streaming video at;
http://faculty.washington.edu/ekay/index.html

It will answer lots of your questions and give you strategies for getting your ears to equalize.

One of our members posted a great series of excersizes for getting comfortable with mask clearing some time ago, I think it was Walter. If you search on mask clearing you should come up with lots of suggestions.

Some of the best divers I know had trouble when they started. If you stay with it you may find your self joining them in an amazing world underwater.

 

[H2Andy]

hi angie... ditto for me

you can always say no, and that must be respected. the fact that you don't want to continue with the class because you are so uncomfortable sends alarm bells ringing
in my head. while you may care a great deal for your boyfriend, you should be diving
because YOU want to, because YOU are exicted about it, and because YOU can't wait
to learn to dive. there will always be obstacles in your way, but if you are motivated,
you will find a way to overcome them.

if you feel bad about your bf paying for the classes, pay him back your share. also,
you can always come along to bubblewatch or to snorkel.

bottom line: decide what you are comfortable with at this stage, and do no more. that is your choice. if your bf has his poo-poo together, he will understand.

only you can answer your own question whether to stop or go on. what does that voice in your head tell you? listen to it!

divers have a saying, "anyone can end a dive any time for
any reason or no reason at all." the same principle applies.
if you don't feel comfortable enough to go on, stop.

if, on the other hand, you want to go on but are just hesitant
or not sure if you'll do ok, be assured that many people have
been where you are and they have kept going and they have
done great. mask clearing and equalizing problems are very
common. you should talk to your instructor, explain what's going on,
perhaps do some one-on-one work with them to work on your skills. its YOUR learning experience. demand that you be helped to learn what you're having trouble with. if you take this route, you will do ok too.

but do listen to yourself. listen to what you are telling yourself,
and decide what you really want to do. only you can make
that call.

best of luck!

 

[nonameisgood]

Howdy, Angie! Obviously you are still interested in trying if you're here.

My wife had/has the same issue with mask clearing. (She thinks it is mainly her fear of losing a contact lens.) But...

Once she was on a real dive (open water class in Curacao), could breathe underwater, and could see the things you see, she loves it. Try to relax - realize that the instructor isn't going to let anything happen to you - and fake it 'til you make it. That is the purpose of learning in a controlled environment, like the pool.

If the instructor you have now can't help with the ears (ask him/her specifically about the ears away from the class), check around to see if there is another instructor that could try. I stopped lessons when I was 16 for that reason, but now I have no problem (at 39) - I believe the main difference was my instructor.

Good luck.

 

[mania]

As everybody else said - you may but you don't have to do it. And if you decide "no" this decision must be accepted.
Equalizing is a matter of practice - also start equalizing ears the moment you are descending. Do it all the time during the descend - in a delicate way but all the time not only in the moments when you feel any pain.
I was the lucky one that didn't have a problem with the mask. Maybe because since childhood I was taught to swim with my eyes open. But there is a small and a very good trick.
Before you start diving but when you are already in the water still at the surface put your head with your eyes open for a few seconds underwater. Relax and allow your senses to accept the fact that you are in the water. Let them feel the wet. Then put your mask on. Then with the head under water try to take it off. You will see the difference. It's mostly psychological trick but I saw it working.
I do hope you will find that diving is a lot of fun.
Mania

 

[dutch-scuba-kid]

Heya,

I agree with every post here. And I guess there isn't much to add.
Just like don said... your ear tubes just need to liber up a bit. I had the same thing, and I think everyone else had it too. The first couple of dives your ear tubes just need to get used to it. After a couple dives you will feel it going better and better, until you have no problem equalizing anymore at all... Just keep trying, but don't push it.
Good luck. And let us know what you decided.

Ramón.

 

[stefo2]

I'd just like to comment one more thing about the equalising - you say you couldn't equalise below 5-6 metres - does that mean you were able to equalise above that (in which case there doesn't seem to be a physical problem but you simply didn't equalise frequently enough) or did you only start trying at that depth? In that case, you simply didn't start eraly enough, as pointed out above.
Apart from that I agree with what others said - don't let anybody or anything push you, if it's not for you then it isn't, but it's definetely worth trying!!!

 

[abarto]

Thanks for the advice. Actually I'm the one who wanted to SCUBA and he agreed. I think the problem with my ears is a problem that I need to consult an ENT about. I have had 2 bad head injuries in the past and now have calcification within my brain ventricles. After all the cat scans and MRI's the Doc told me that I have an air cell that never fully formed in my mastoid bone. Probably why I have occasional bouts of vertigo. My right ear will clear every time, but not my left (where the malformed air cavity is). My instructor knows and recommended an ENT appt or take some sudafed. I won't be able to see a doc until after our scheduled check out dives. I am going to ask instructor today if I can get credit for class room time and have money paid for pool time credited towards next attempt. If the ENT doesn't clear me at least I can say I tried.
Angie