Unresolved DCS symptoms

[DandyDon]

I think what Jeff was probably trying to say in his usual minimalist way was that when doing agressive tech dives, minor DCS hits go with the territory and when divers who don't dive like that pass judgement on us for our actions it tends to get our backs up a little. I chose to post this question here to get a broader spectrum of replies than I might get from other more technically oriented forums. So thank you for your thoughts.

Cool. I'd never heard of "Couldn't be sure I was bent until I got underwater again. The navy calls it trial by pressure." Interesting concept. Makes sense for one dive, but wouldn't repeated diving after establishing the temporary improvement at depth be obviously adding to the problem? If the bubbles are there, it'd add more to them would it not?

Not criticizing your choices, just asking for your opinion. After traveling that far to dive from that liveaboard, it'd take a lot to stop me and I am sure your training and experiences farrrr outdistance what I'll ever do.

 

[gkndivebum]

Out of mild curiosity (and forgive the hijack), what were you using to plan your dives?

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

My first statements were obviously "should haves", because I said Should have. A moot point, but something to remember for the future. Now all you can do is clean up work and prevention in the future.

Monday morning quarterbacking is always a should have thing.

I am glad that you did not develop any worse symptoms and that you self-resolved some of the problems.

I also hope that you won't have permanent nerve damage. Again, good luck

 

[wedivebc]

Cool. I'd never heard of "Couldn't be sure I was bent until I got underwater again. The navy calls it trial by pressure." Interesting concept. Makes sense for one dive, but wouldn't repeated diving after establishing the temporary improvement at depth be obviously adding to the problem? If the bubbles are there, it'd add more to them would it not?

Obviously the navy does it in a chamber under much more controlled condition. As I mentioned small niggles and such go with the territory. When I reported my first DCS hit I was amazed at how many "welcome to the club" PMs I got.
I honestly expected the thing to resolve quicker than it did.

Out of mild curiosity (and forgive the hijack), what were you using to plan your dives?

This is a pretty frequently dived profile for me and although I have it commited to memory I used v-planner to generate the initial plan.
I also have a HS explorer set in CCR mode that I use in RGBM mode.
My error was after doing my 10ft stop at 20ft due to the rough weather conditions I was rapidly dragged to the surface by a large wave when I began my ascent. I usually take at least a minute or so to surface. I half expected DCS trouble as soon as I surfaced.

 

[diver 85]

IMO, you're asking the wrong fools---I would be asking these questions to a good neurologist, hopefully a diving one......good luck & keep us informed.......

 

[Rick Inman]

My error was after doing my 10ft stop at 20ft due to the rough weather conditions I was rapidly dragged to the surface by a large wave when I began my ascent. I usually take at least a minute or so to surface. I half expected DCS trouble as soon as I surfaced.

Thanks Dave for the info, and hope this resolves and does not repeat.

The wave that took you up doesn't sound like your error. What could you have done differently? Longer at 20? Most of my dives are with very little surface issues so we get to take as long as we want from 20 to 0. My IANTD instructor doesn't like planning the last stop at 10' for that very reason (possible surface issues), but I "feel" cleaner when I spend lots of time at 10 to 0. What say you?

 

[wedivebc]

IMO, you're asking the wrong fools---I would be asking these questions to a good neurologist, hopefully a diving one......good luck & keep us informed.......

I must disagree. I hold SB members opinions in high regard, no matter what experience level they are coming from.
I have consulted DAN on the matter and their opion was very similar to Dr Deco's reply above.

The wave that took you up doesn't sound like your error. What could you have done differently? Longer at 20? Most of my dives are with very little surface issues so we get to take as long as we want from 20 to 0. My IANTD instructor doesn't like planning the last stop at 10' for that very reason (possible surface issues), but I "feel" cleaner when I spend lots of time at 10 to 0. What say you?

After that event I applied a technique of using my primary reel as a jon line and easing myself to the surface with better control. I stay at 20ft for the last stop and just inch my way up to 10ft in the last couple of minutes. I also flushed my CCR with O2 at 20ft several times during the last stop and adjusted my bottom PO2 to 1.3 while still diving a profile made for 1.2.
Later in the week using this technique I conducted a 330ft and 360ft dive on 2 consecutive days without the slightest twinge.

 

[DandyDon]

Obviously the navy does it in a chamber under much more controlled condition. As I mentioned small niggles and such go with the territory. When I reported my first DCS hit I was amazed at how many "welcome to the club" PMs I got.
I honestly expected the thing to resolve quicker than it did.

Obvious to you perhaps but not so to me; glad you said that. I thot you meant the Navy did that with inwater recompression, which seems to have been your approach. Yes, I am familiar with the idea of try a chamber ride to see if it helps, and continue as long as it does. I know a lady who was air evacuated from Cozumel to Miami unconscious for example, who was repeatedly treated that way for days - even tho DAN and her Miami doc had no idea why she took the hit.

 

[kbuschmann]

I did.


Couldn't be sure I was bent until I got underwater again. The navy calls it trial by pressure.

A 'trial of pressure' occurs in a recompression chamber under proper medical guidance.
It does not occur by re-immersion in water and in the absence of medical supervision. At least not by Navy standards. Wouldn't want anybody to think we condone that sort of thing.

 

[wedivebc]

A 'trial of pressure' occurs in a recompression chamber under proper medical guidance.
It does not occur by re-immersion in water and in the absence of medical supervision. At least not by Navy standards. Wouldn't want anybody to think we condone that sort of thing.

Did you read the posts just prior to yours? I made that clear as well since |I had neglected to in the original post