Tips for “Bubblers” - fatigue, headaches and recovery

[UnderwaterJess]

I love diving and I want to make sure I am doing this safely with the least impact/recovery and would love to hear from you. While I don’t think I’ve ever had more than subclinical DCI, I seem to suffer the effects of diving more than my buddies. Exhaustion, headaches, aches, nausea, the not all there feeling, are par for the course for me. I think I get bubbles more easily than many other divers.

After doing some research, it seems like there are a number of us out there. I’m still a new diver (with an advanced cert) with 20 or so dives under my belt so I’m hoping more seasoned divers with the same issues can help chime in with either personal practices or guidance/thoughts.

I’m adding some of the collective wisdom of the internet to share what I’ve come across. I’ve tried to collect from published research or respected sources. Correct or add nuance to anything I post. I would really really love to hear from other people who have this happen to them. Thank you!

1. Slow down the ascent. Even a midpoint stop and an extended safety may not be enough for us.
2. Get on a vibrating bed for half an hour. Seriously. There was a paper written about this.
3. For us sensitive folks keep any mid to difficult exercise more than 24 hours out either way. Though it sounds like light exercise before may help.
4. Ladies be extra cautious on your period and make sure to hydrate
5. Longer surface intervals.

 

[CuzzA]

Assuming you don't smoke and are physically fit, if I had to bet, you're retaining co2. This is very common for new divers. The solution is to slow down and take full breaths and exhale completely throughout the dive.

Focus on this your next trip and see if your post dive symptoms don't resolve. A little ibuprofen before diving probably wouldn't hurt either, but I'm not your doctor, or any doctor for that matter.

You are subjecting your body to new, unnatural physiological stresses. Dive more to work out the kinks.

 

[Outbound]

What CuzzA said. I highly doubt you are suffering subclinical DCI every single dive. Much more likely it's a result of CO2. You might be skip breathing without even realizing it, especially if you are spending a lot of your dive time worrying about all the other tasks. Breathe deeply, slowly, and continuously.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I second what Cuzza said. Rule out improper breathing before you start looking at the possibility of being a "sub-clinical bubbler." It's a tempting theory, but with only 20 dives under your belt, improper breathing, resulting in CO2 retention, is a more likely culprit. Occam's Razor.

edit: I "third" what Cuzza said. Outbound's post appeared before mine did.

 

[Marie13]

If you’re not in shape, get in better shape. Made a huge difference for me.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I'll offer several optional explanations, though I like @CuzzA 's explanation best.

If you're pushing NDL for your group, then you may be in that tail of the curve that gets bubbles more often. Your solutions seem like they'd be a good approach in this case.

If you're not pushing NDL you may have a physiological or anatomical abnormality like a patent foramen ovale.

You may just be weird like me. Some people get seasick on boats. I fall asleep on boats. You'd swear I've got some kind of nautical narcolepsy. Maybe being in the water just relaxes you more than other folks.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

And one more. I sometimes get sinus headaches post-dive. To be gross but frank, I think mucus gets shoved around during pressure changes while diving, and some ends up clogging up passages. Once above water, the mucus gets stuck in it's last location.

 

[Doctorfish]

Two things.
You may be suffering from nitrogen load. Think about Nirox certification. It may be psychological but I always feel better after a day of nitrox diving than air.
IMO, a new diver is more likely to be hyper rather than hypoventillating, which would result in low CO2, not high.
This would not explain your symptoms.

 

[Ana]

1. Slow down the ascent. Even a midpoint stop and an extended safety may not be enough for us.
2. Get on a vibrating bed for half an hour. Seriously. There was a paper written about this.
3. For us sensitive folks keep any mid to difficult exercise more than 24 hours out either way. Though it sounds like light exercise before may help.
4. Ladies be extra cautious on your period and make sure to hydrate
5. Longer surface intervals.

This is a place for basic discussions, not sure this would clarify things for me if I was newly certified. Granted it is aimed at SENSITIVE people, just wondering if this benefits new divers. Remove my post if it doesn't belong here.

Is there a source for #4 or just another wife's tale that ultimately adds fear in the name of pseudo-safety. Everyone benefits from being hydrated. Is there actual added risk to women fit for diving during their period?

Actually every item appears somehow vague for new divers to be able to follow. Slow the ascent to what speed? how light is light exercise? surface intervals longer than what?
Even the vibrating bed suggestion is vague, half hour before or after the dive, during the longer surface interval?

 

[dewdropsonrosa]

Is there a source for #4 or just another wife's tale that ultimately adds fear in the name of pseudo-safety. Everyone benefits from being hydrated. Is there actual added risk to women fit for diving during their period?

The subject is not well-studied, so definitive conclusions are not available. The DAN Medical FAQ on menstruating while diving indicates that the theoretical risk may be higher due to excess fluid retention caused by hormonal changes. The article refers to a retrospective study (no citation provided) that indicates a possible association between DCI and hormonal fluctuations from menstruation or contraceptive medications.

For a female diver with an apparent low tolerance to decompression stress, it may be appropriate to build further risk avoidance/conservatism into the dive plan when period-related risk factors for DCI are present.