Vertigo....can't remember dive

[rob.mwpropane]

I posted in advanced because I'd like some veterans to give me feedback.

Went diving in the St. Lawrence River this past weekend. What an awesome exciting different place. Did a few wrecks out of Brockville.

I went down the line on the Robert Gaskin, 1st dive of the trip and I got horrible vertigo. There were 3 times I was sure I was going to puke in my reg. I remember the crappy feeling. I remember holding back chunks. I do not remember the dive. I just went and looked at a video and I recall no part of that wreck. I hardly recall who I was with. I don't remember seeing them, I don't remember the fish. I don't remember the side of the haul. I don't remember the safety stop, and I just barely remember getting back on the boat. That's scary for me because I usually have the memory of an elephant.

Came up, felt much better, dove the Lillie Parsons and all was well. Dove the next day and all was well. The only thing I can figure is that I had some air in my ear and with the excitement I didn't get it all out and caused my ears to equalize differently. I normally have sinus issues and take sudafed or mucinex d to clear it up, and I did but it was a little late. I do remember going down the line and feeling different than usual, like I didn't equalize right, and then just the nausea.

It's not the vertigo that bothers me as much as the memory loss. Is that common, any suggestions / ideas?

DC says 69' max depth totaling 30 min, not a very eventful dive.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

First, check your air to ensure you did not suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning. This would be consistent with your feeling better after stopping breathing off the scuba.

Second, unequal equalization should have nothing to do with vertigo, unless you ruptured an ear drum (which it appears did not happen). Also, there should be no way a "bubble" could get to your inner ear to cause vertigo. However, there are two structures, the Round (Eliptical) Window and the Oval (Circular) Window, which if disturbed could possibly cause vertigo. It is the semi circular canals, which are normally liquid-filled, that affect balance in the inner ear, and would be the source of your vertigo. But they really are not affected by equilization unless something happens to one of those windows to the inner ear.

SeaRat

 

[jlcnuke]

I'd call DAN if I was you. Memory loss could be a DCS symptom that you need to get checked out.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

First, check your air to ensure you did not suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning. This would be consistent with your feeling better after stopping breathing off the scuba.

Second, unequal equalization should have nothing to do with vertigo, unless you ruptured an ear drum (which it appears did not happen). Also, there should be no way a "bubble" could get to your inner ear to cause vertigo. However, there are two structures, the Round (Eliptical) Window and the Oval (Circular) Window, which if disturbed could possibly cause vertigo. It is the semi circular canals, which are normally liquid-filled, that affect balance in the inner ear, and would be the source of your vertigo. But they really are not affected by equilization unless something happens to one of those windows to the inner ear.

SeaRat

Well I say bubble because I've had the same feeling when wearing a hood and I don't get the air out of the hood (like there's air in/around the ear). On the first dive (no hood) I did not move my head back and forth to get water in the ear so I assumed this could be the cause of the vertigo. That's the best way I know to explain it.

I was thinking it could of been the gas. It was the first time that I've used nitrox on a dive. It took about 10 min topside to clear things up. I'll have to look into carbon monoxide poisoning. The tank was rented from a reputable LDS. I analyzed the mix myself. I asked people that I dove with if I looked "goofy" underwater, she said no, that I just looked very pale. My wife said I looked very pale when I came back up as well.

I'd call DAN if I was you. Memory loss could be a DCS symptom that you need to get checked out.

I don't think it would be DCS because it happened on the way down the line on my 1st dive almost instantaneously and it cleared up when I sat on the boat for a few minutes. The other dives were good, but I did get a touch of vertigo on the 2nd dive @ the safety stop. It lasted again (not as bad as the 1st dive) until I got back on the boat. Both tanks were the same mix from the same shop.

I'll also note, someone on the boat mentioned that it could just be sea sick. The current was a lot stronger than anything I've ever dove before. It was exciting, but I will admit coming up or down a line with no real reference point can be a little disorienting.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I don't think it was carbon monoxide poisoning. Looking into it, it seams everyone get headaches and I'm prone to headaches from that sort of stuff. I did not have a headache and it did not get worse while diving. It stayed as f-ed up in the beginning as it was at the end.

 

[Stoo]

The vertigo can be explained by a few things, mostly innocuous.

The memory loss sounds to be more serious. I agree that bad gas is a possibility. One of your buddies might have a CO analyzer you could borrow.

Calling DAN this long after the fact likely won't solve anything, but they will have some possible causes.

 

[Marie13]

OP said the tank was rented. He needs to contact whoever he rented it from today to let them know in case there was carbon monoxide in his air. Other customers might have reported issues already.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

As @Marie13 said, it was rented. I did not analyze for CO2. I'll call them today and see, but I doubt that they would admit to it. Doesn't hurt to ask.

Maybe there's a chance that I was just so preoccupied with the nausea that I didn't experience the dive, because I vividly remember trying my damnedest not to puke, but I don't remember the wreck.

 

[Marie13]

As @Marie13 said, it was rented. I did not analyze for CO2. I'll call them today and see, but I doubt that they would admit to it. Doesn't hurt to ask.

Maybe there's a chance that I was just so preoccupied with the nausea that I didn't experience the dive, because I vividly remember trying my damnedest not to puke, but I don't remember the wreck.

If there truly was carbon monoxide in the tank, they damned better admit to it. If they don’t, and don’t contact other customers who got fills/rented tanks about the same time, they are risking dead divers. And lawsuits.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

If there truly was carbon monoxide in the tank, they damned better admit to it. If they don’t, and don’t contact other customers who got fills/rented tanks about the same time, they are risking dead divers. And lawsuits.

All seriousness aside, I've read quite a few of your posts. I know your a smaller woman, but make up for it tremendously with confidence and attitude. If I'm being honest, I think I'd be scared to get on your bad side at all costs!

Agreed about the shop being up front. My limited experience with the few in my area always seems to feel like a "hush hush" kind of club, but maybe this ones different. They took great care of us and were super nice. They had an awesome shop to boot.