Skin Bends without a PFO

[Mitch85]

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading alot about skin bends and the association of a PFO that goes along with the malady. Does anyone know of any incidents of skin bends that wasn't associated with a PFO. In my own case I have suffered 3 separate episodes (in the same month) of what I would consider mild cases of skin bends on 1 shoulder that dissappeared within 8 hours. 2 of the dives were beyond table NDL and the 3rd was pushing the limits of the tables. All done on air. The reason for the question is I had a mild respiratory infection and it was also the first time taking seasickness medication (bonine). Next week I am scheduled for a TEE test to rule out or in a PFO. But what if it comes back negative?

 

[wreckchick]

Stop violating your NDLs.

As I understand it, PFOs are more likely to cause DCS when someone is within the tables/computers than someone without a PFO.

Rachel

 

[DandyDon]

:silly: Dude! Don't ignore your lucky warnings! Dive safer.

 

[MoonWrasse]

Yeowww!
I don't like having less than 10mins NDL.
You're asking for serious+expensive trouble. Go EAN if you really need the extra time.

 

[Cacia]

Mitch, you mentioned you dove beyond the NDL. But you did your stops? Clarify this please. Also, if you had a respiratory infection, had you been very sedentary (in bed) for a period before the dive? Have you contemplated that you were dehydrated?
Once you have the echo/bubble study next week, please come back and post. Some antibioyics give strange skin conditions, but your shoulder description does seem more consistent with my understanding of skin bends. Who diagnosed this?
Aloha,

 

[Mitch85]

Both dives that were beyond table limits were planned and executed as decompression dives, including deep stops at half the depth. All stops were made and ascent rates were less than 30 feet per min. It is possible that I was more dehydrated than usual. The respiratory infection was more of a nagging condition that wouldnt go away. It never put me off my feet. I contacted DAN about the symptoms I had and they felt it was a case of skin bends.

 

[DiverBuoy]

Mind sharing the "other" specifics of the dive and profiles?

Dive Time
Depth
Length of deco stop and exact depth of the stop

 

[MASS-Diver]

Both dives that were beyond table limits were planned and executed as decompression dives, including deep stops at half the depth. All stops were made and ascent rates were less than 30 feet per min. It is possible that I was more dehydrated than usual. The respiratory infection was more of a nagging condition that wouldnt go away. It never put me off my feet. I contacted DAN about the symptoms I had and they felt it was a case of skin bends.

Are you trained to do deco dives or self taught? I've never heard a tech diver refer to deco dives as "beyond table limits."

How did you plan these dives?

Being dehydrated is a huge risk factor for DCS.

How much us the TEE costing you?

 

[Kevrumbo]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=1282388&postcount=22

 

[Virgogirl22]

I too have had skin bends three times in the past year, and though there were other potential explanations for each hit (they were relatively minor and I didn't recognize the symptoms right away), I did get an echocardiogram last month, which proved that I do not have a PFO. Hydration, exertion, and excessively slow ascent rates (believe it or not) appear to have been causes for my various hits.