Side effects of hyperbaric treatment?

[wickedsweet23]

Does anyone know of potential side effects from hyperbaric treatment or what to expect as one recovers from dcs?

On July 20th I was placed into a hyperbaric chamber to be treated for delayed dcs symptoms (my last dive was July 16th and symptoms did not appear until July 19th). With hyperbaric treatment the dcs symptoms went away, but I came out of the chamber with a feeling that can best be described as a "heaviness" or maybe even weakness in my left arm which has not subsided. The hyperbaric doctor didn't seem terribly concerned, but I'm just wondering if this could be a side effect of the hyperbaric treatment or if something else could be going on. Thoughts, anyone?

 

[flots am]

Does anyone know of potential side effects from hyperbaric treatment or what to expect as one recovers from dcs?

On July 20th I was placed into a hyperbaric chamber to be treated for delayed dcs symptoms (my last dive was July 16th and symptoms did not appear until July 19th). With hyperbaric treatment the dcs symptoms went away, but I came out of the chamber with a feeling that can best be described as a "heaviness" or maybe even weakness in my left arm which has not subsided.

Weakness isn't a side effect of treatment (AFAIK), however it can be a symptom of DCS. You should call the doc that treated you and express your concerns.

flots.

 

[DocVikingo]

Does anyone know of potential side effects from hyperbaric treatment or what to expect as one recovers from dcs?

Hi wickedsweet23,

I have asked our HBO MD to respond.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[HBO MD]

Hi wickedsweet23,
Thanks for your inquiry.
With HBO treatment the onset of new or different symptoms in someone who has late onset or late presentation may merely represent part of the evolution of the illness, and is not a side effect of therapy. At this point we are not seeing bubble effects but the sequalae of the inflammatory process initiated by the injury. That is, that the bubbles initiate an inflammatory response which is not merely local, but systemic, and continues independently of bubble resolution. Hence the appearance of symptoms that may vary with treatment and differ from your original presentation.
Typically in such a case , HBO is usually continued until the symptoms resolve or the clinical pattern of improvement has plateaued.
I would be curious to know if the onset of this weakness in relation to the number of treatments and if ongoing therapy impacted upon it.



These remarks just represent opinion, are not legally binding blah blah blah, don't blame me etc kind of stuff.

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello wickedsweet23:

Of the treatments with which I have been associated, I have not heard of anyone complain of “residual heaviness.” I do not know if this left arm problem was present before you had the HBO treatments. I suspect it was not.

Since your problems evolved over hours, inflammatory responses are a definite possibility. HBO does not load the body with nitrogen such that new problems can develop. Prior to oxygen treatment, compressed air was used and many new problems developed post treatment. Air is not used for therapy for this reason.

Dr Deco :doctor: