Today I think i survived a CNS hit at depth

[Griffo]

What you describe is unusual enough that I doubt anyone can say anything with certainty. The topic is quite interesting, though, so speculation and discussion can be valuable.

A friend of mine is a tech instructor, so he has a lot of deep diving experience. He knows that narcosis is always present to some degree on deeper dives, but like many people he usually does not consciously feel its effects. What he describes as his most obvious example may be helpful in this case.

He was not particularly deep--only 85 feet. It was a relatively benign environment--just a routine dive. He suddenly felt a wave of panic come over him. He felt a tremendous dread, a fear that seemed to have no cause. But he was able to think analytically, and he decided it must be narcosis. He calmly ascended about 15 feet. The rest of his group was puzzled and joined him, asking if he was OK. He very soon was OK. He soon felt better, and they went on with the dive with no more effects.

Sorry if I sounded defensive, it's just that I'm positive it wasn't panic. Not saying I'm adverse to panic, just man enough to admit it if I did. In fact I'd rather say it was panic, because that way I could identify it and work on it. As it I is, I have no idea if my desire for deep wreck diving has just been put on permanent hold.

I've also felt a little dizzy before during arduous swims against current(which I assume is co2) and it didn't feel Iike that either.
However I just consulted the DAN handbook and they list muscle spasms as a possible effect of CO2 poisoning, whic I haven't read before.

Maybe it was a dark mark plus co2 plus dehydration, but who will ever knows. I guess the lesson is to not panic, remain calm, and dive with competent, trained buddies who you feel comfortable enough to literally trust with your life when the stuff hits the fan. If i was with an instabuddy, who knows how I would have reacted.


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[Maples]

Wow, what an experience! Glad you are here to share it with us, I hope we can all learn something from it.

You have given us a good description of what happened from your perspective, and I'm sure you have discussed the incident with the DM and the Instructor, so what was their take on it? Was your shaking and inability to use your arms obvious to them? Did you actually lose consciousness at any stage? It would be great to get an account from their perspective, especially given it was a successful rescue with a positive outcome.

Hope the rest of your trip is great and you're safe back in Oz soon!

 

[Griffo]

So I spoke to the instructor about it. She admits that she has never witnessed anything like it. Apparently my hands were definitely shaking. And she could tell that I needed help so took over. Apart for that... All I can say is that I have been diving since, not enjoying its so much, and my sac rate is through the roof. For me, it's been a massive blow confidence wise, I'm struggling to keep trim, feel uncomfortable in the water etc. and generally feel pretty **** about my diving ability.

I did laugh however when someone suggested I try droppings my knees and keeping my legs straight...

I realized I haven't said thanks to everyone who said nice thoughts about my making it back safely, so thank you. It's just been a bit weird and isn't so easy replying to everyone via tapatalk, but thanks again.

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[Mitchell Teeters]

Griffo, this is just another thing in your adventures. It's just one of the things that can happen when you scuba. Dive a bunch more and get comfortable again.

 

[tyesai]

Is this something that could be explored taking a chamber ride? Depending on where a person wants to go with diving in their life it might be worth the expense....

 

[Maples]

Your reaction to being back in the water is completely normal. You have been through one of the scariest things a diver can experience, and survived. Putting yourself back in that position is going to trigger a physical and psychological reaction. I would be worried if it didn't! Getting back in the water and doing nice relaxed shallow dives is the start of the way back. Your attitude to diving will be forever altered, but this you can turn into a positive.

 

[Bombay High]

Days of high O2 exposure diving along with reasonably high alcohol consumption can bring on the shakes.
Scotch Tox and Ox Tox.

 

[Griffo]

I thought I would come back and post some of my updated thoughts. Since the original post I have been contacted, or have had contact with a suprisingly large number of highly qualified medical and diving experts. I have had the "definately not Ox Tox", "Could have been Ox Tox", and "sounds like Ox Tox" versions. Nobody will ever know, not even I. I still strongly feel that is was a physical thing, not psychological, but that's almost by the by.

What I have decided going forward is a set of rules for MY diving. It took a number of dives for me to enjoy diving again, and I want to continue to go deeper and more technical, so I am going to establish my own set of additional safety rules. Those being

a) I'm never going to push the PPo2 past 1.3 for the working section of ANY dive. GUE limit PO2 to 1.2 for tech, 1.4 for rec dives. But you never know when a rec dive is going to turn into a cluster F, so why risk it? My new personal limit will be 1.3 and closer to 1.2 whenever possible.

b) I am never going to go past 100ft without feeling 100%. Lets be honest, i'd spent a week in a half in a hot climate, drinking a little too much, so was likely to some extent dehydrated. I'd also started the holiday getting over a flu, so my lungs were probably not 100% either. Stupid. I felt fine, but in retrospect probably was not

c) I am athsmatic. It's allergen triggered, but still.. I had spent 2 weeks doing zero exercise, recovering from a flu, drinking beer. My lungs were probably not optimal. I always feel crap on the first run after a 2 week layoff from cardio, why should I consider a dive to 140ft differently? I should have kept up the exercise to keep my lung function optimal. I'm not a doctor, but I always feel like a good hard run /swim / bike helps to "clear out" my chest and improves my breathing for days afterwards. From now on, i'll keep up the exercise in the week before deep dives.

d) Helium. Maybe there's something in this "thinner, less narcotic" gas strategy afterall. I will actually pursue the tech1 path now with a view to trying out my personal reaction to balloon gas at depth

e) Diving partners - while I will never turn down an instabuddy for a fun dives, no more deep dives without a member of the team who is rescue certified. The fact I had not one but TWO rescue divers with me, not only likely saved my life, but ensured that I never at any stage paniced as I knew i could literally place my life in their hands.

These are my rules, and I don't expect everyone to agree with them, (hell I will probably change them) but they will keep me feelling far more comfortable as a diver as I move forward into more technical dives.