The Bends

[cynsearles@hotmail.com]

I'm looking for an answer after my experience with getting the bends. Story: 1st dive in the ocean at approx. 50 ft for 50 minutes. Well within the dive tables. Felt ok after the dive got out of the water at 11:00 a.m. The next day at 2:30 p.m. caught a flight home an about 1/2 hour into it started to develop the bends. Emergency landing took place where I was treated in Virginia (great people!) they gave me two dives in the chamber one for 4 1/2 hours and the second one the next day for 2 1/2 hours. They also performed an ear operation putting holes in my eardrums do that I could equalize in the chamber. No one seems to know why this occurred. I took a flight well within the limits. I arrived in Toronto (by bus) and was treated by a doctor who said that it would be impossible for me to have been bent I must have a sinus condition (never had a problem) when I was in Virginia they noticed bubbles behind my eardrum and that was another reason for the operation. Has anyone experienced this problem? I experienced more of the Neurologic symptoms if anything as well as tingling. Please let me know . I want to dive again but not if I'm going to kill myself.

Thanks

 

[King_Neptune]

cynsearles,

I completely understand your feelings and dont blame you for your concern. I think that would scare anyone. This does sound odd and I will do what I can to see if I can find someone that may know something and can give you an answer.

Is there any other factors that could have played a roll maybe like alcohol?

=-)

 

[rainreg]

Hello, I maybe able to help you better understand your case, my name is mike and I am a Navy Saturation Diver, I am stationed at Navy Experimental Diving Unit in Panama City Florida, I have been a diver for the Navy for over 19 years and have had my fair share of scares... I will need more details on your dive (I.E. Dry suit used, what type of inflation gas?, Temperature of the water, Night before drinks? sleep? food and water intake? as well as dive profile. I have thousands of bends case data at my fingertips and can provide you with some answers to your questions, Granted I am not a doctor but I can also get input from our doctors as well. thanks

Mike

 

[cynsearles@hotmail.com]

Thanks King Neptune and Mike for getting back to me. Yes alcohol could have been a factor I was drinking all week prior to the dive being on a holiday in Saint Maartin and all. I wasn't wearing a dry suit just a bathing suit (water was 82 degrees) I was eating well at the all inclusive hotel as well as drinking. But I had fruit and drank about a litre of water before the dive. I had about 7 hours sleep before the dive and dive profile well 1 dive at 40 ft for about 50 minutes. Inflation gas? not sure if that is referring to the air in the tank or not? please let me know if you need anything else.

Thanks for responding.... I had almost given up hope.

Cyndi

 

[King_Neptune]

Cyndi,

:whoa: You wild party animal you!

I will leave the more advanced answer for Mike, but that "drinking all week" is what I would be willing to bet was what did you in. :idea: Would I be guessing right that you are also of small or slender build? Adding drinking into the equation, especially, "drinking all week", plus the diving and then an Air Flight would be the perfect recipe :boom: for some trouble, in other words a major No-No. :nono:

Again, I wait for Mikes answer on this one though.

=-)

 

[cynsearles@hotmail.com]

Hi King Neptune.....

ooooooops, well then that sort of answers my question. I guess no alcohol period! Well that makes me feel better. At least there is some light shed on it and my hopes to dive again aren't shattered. Thank you once again and yes you are right I am a slender build. But my husband can drank all week long and cracked a beer after the dive and was fine. Could it be just different body types?

 

[King_Neptune]

Cyndi,


Yes, for example, your hubby may be able to drink a couple of beers and legally be able to still drive although the same may not be true for you. Weight does make a difference. Although on the other hand being "Over-weight" could also take its toll. Bottom line is that everyone is different and where 2 people standing the same size, sex and weight could have completely different results to the same actions. Usually it is better to play it safe and not sorry.

Also, if Im not mistaken once you become bent it makes it that much easier to become bent again or to have a relapse. Im not sure of all the factors around this but Ive heard it on more than one case.

=-)

 

[rainreg]

Hello Cindi, Based on the first run of information you posted after the initial posting, things are a little clearer about you scenario.
1.You are a Small build, small sized woman.
2.you stated having alcohol all that week.
3.How much alcohol was consumed up to 36 hours before your dive.
4.alchol not only affects your blood but your body tissue as well, after a night out drinking you can be very dehydrated, (Hence the headache the next morning).
5. Alcohol also affects the body's ability to metabolize.

Granted alcohol plays a role in many reported bends cases but the are always other factors that lead up to the final answer as to "WHY"...the other questions that I asked about a dry suit (I was not sure what part of the country you were diving in) Cold water diving also place a very major role in your scenario but you were in tropical water temps, no dry suit or wet suit would have be required for your dive based on time and depth.

As far as drinking right after a dive that is not the wisest thing to do (It has the potential to mask symptoms of DCS or CNS. So I would recommend to your hubby, try to wait at least 30 minutes before he cracks one open.

Well dive safe and remember you body should be treated like a temple up to 36 hours before a dive and at least 30 minutes after a dive. Drinking in moderation is normally not a problem but because alcohol effects people differently I would recommend you go real easy based on the time zones listed above. and Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate, Even diving dehydrates you so drink plenty of water or juice the night before and the morning of the dive.

Mike

 

[rainreg]

Although I agree with you, that for advice and information it would be prudent to contact "DAN". Dan is a great agency that We at Navy Experimental Diving Unit deal with and speak with on a regular basis; we also work with Duke University on several Issues. The Individual that runs the Science Department at Duke University is Doctor Edward Thalman (He used to be one of our (U.S. Navy Saturation Divers (Diving Medical Officer) before he retired. He as well as many other people at Duke University and Dan both understand the sacrifices the we Sat Divers make when we volunteer for different dive protocols. We are the test subjects and have a full understanding of what we do. Our Medical staff At NEDU is second to None in our opinion and as far as experience they are also 2nd to none. So if you have any questions about diving related medical problems feel free to post a thread here or contact NEDU direct.
Thank you for your interest in learning about diving medicine.

 

[King_Neptune]

Those wondering ....

Do you guys ever wonder who the "Lab Rats" are that places like DAN get their data from? And not just DAN but the agencies and militaries from around the world that deal with these sort of issues get their info from? Do visions of human test subjects strapped underwater to large treeding mills running after the "cheese" in some bad 1960's B rated Frankenstein movie come to mind? hehe , well they actually do exist!

The post above by "rainreg" happens to be made by just such a "Lab Rat". No, we haven't been training house hold pets to type and use the Internet although I believe he is house broken, hehe. Rainreg, aka Mike :loopy: , is one of the U.S. Navy Saturation Divers that "runs after the cheese" for the sake of military as well as those of us recreational divers out there to help us stay safe and understand the effects that we are presented with while diving. Without these guys we wouldn't know what we do to the extent we do about preventing and treating those that are potentially harmed from diving.

So this avenue is truely yet another place to turn to with answers to some rather technical questions. All divers from around the world owes these guys a bit of thanks and my hat definately goes off to them.

Keep up the good work guys and someday you'll get that cheese!

=-)