Vertigo...nausea...again..why?

[cougar]

A while back...just for curious I asked what you guys thought of my one time only episode in a pool in ABQ. During the discover scuba thingy I developed major nausea and vertigo a few seconds after I was up. Finally attributed to low blood sugar. 12 more dives...never happened. UNTIL TODAY!

Decided to try silty, cold water in Hong Kong. Had the right sort of breakfast but didn't manage to fit in lunch. First dive at 4:00 PM...vis about 3 feet , dive shop paid no attention to what size wetsuit I asked for and gave me one a size too small...already halfway to Bejiing. New BCD, everyone's English limited,my CHinese non-existant. Very stressfull, mask problems, trying to duck the major sealife in the area which was long spined sea urchins. Lost my buddy TWICE! Ears were exceptionally tough to clear...discomfort down right side of neck (eustachian tube??)We are talking really bad vis...probably should have had a buddy line. Was very glad when it was time to ascend. (very shallow dive...deepest was 25 feet) Got up to surface...inflated BCD..and suddenly got so dizzy and nauseous that had I been on land, I couldn' t have stood up. It sorta passed. Back on the boat I thought, "Oh, yeah...in ABQ I decided it was low blood sugar. Had a cup of ginger tea to settle the stomach and a cup o noodles for the blood sugar.

Next dive about 5:30...everything went smoothly, fixed mask problem...ears still a little problematical..max depth 18 feet. 45 minutes down...no big problems...very slow ascent. Got to surface...buddy says, "how are ya?" I answer "great" and 2 minutes later I am feeding the fish recycled cup o noodles. Is it my ears? Cold water? 12 dives in warm, clear Cozumel and this never happened once. I don't ever want it to happen again.
Do I go see an ENT...stay clear of cold water. BTW...major red blotches on my face and stinging sensation...like the salt water was too salty. Face still looks kinda blotchy. How do I keept this from happening again. Cancelled tomorrows dive. Something just isn't right.
:toilet:

 

[John Reinertson]

If I remember right, both times the nausea occurred after shallow dives, and the pool one was without motion.

I would bet that both times you suffered alternobaric vertigo, which occurs when one middle ear equalizes and the other doesn't, and the resulting pressure imbalance on the twin balance centers (left and right) causes the brain to not know what is moving and what isn't.

This doesn't happen in every case of poor equalization, but it often repeats in susceptible individuals.

There have been several previous threads about ways to improve ear clearing, and they might be worht reviewing.
Basically,
1. practicing before the trip helps some.
2. decongestants such as Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) are commonly used and many people find them helpful. There are multip[le discussions in the archives about them, but they are relatively safe in most circumstances.
3. Decongestant nose sprays such as Afrin or Duration immediately prior to the dive often are helpful.

4.Cortisone nose sprays, when taken for a few days prior to the dive and continued throughout the vacation often give excellent relief for people with chronic clearing problems.

5. Slower ascent and descent is helpful. Always go back to where you were comfortable when you get ear pain on ascent or descent, then equalize carefully and try again.

This doesn't tell you with any certainty what happened, but it gives some ideas. Discuss them with your diving doc and let him check you over. Hopefully, preparation wil;l decrease the clearing difficulty and make for happier and safer dives..

May your fish feeding be planned and intentional,
John

 

[cougar]

John
DIscussing this with a diving doc sounds like a great idea...but in the entire state of New Mexico..DAN says they have nada as far as diving docs go. My current plan is to look for one in Cozumel while I'm there this summer. There was never any ear pain and ascents were slow. But I do aagree that it seems likely there is an imbalance going on. Local regular doc looked at my ears )which are still squealling when I blow my nose) and said.."tympnic memberane is clear ...there are no bulges they look good to me."

I'm bettingthere must be some diving docs in Cozumel.

 

[simba7171]

I get the same thing you do but worse in some ways. I get it as soon as I start leaving the bottom (I dive 120-150) and I get dizzy for about 5 seconds, then it goes away. It was scary getting dizzy that deep the first few times, but now I'm used to it.

I hear cold water helps cause it although I get it in warm water too. I get it about 80% of my dives. I have never puked although thast probably just because it takes a lot to make me puke.

Anyway, I dove for years (No dive buddy 90% of the time) in fairly deep water spearfishing and its never got better or worse. Seems like no matter what I try medicane wise, it doesnt help, it does it when it wants to, I cant seem to control it. I have accepted it though and am prepared to be dizzy for about 5 seconds when I start my accent. Good luck to you.

 

[sister scuba]

I also have nausea and vertigo mostly at the surface after a dive. It's really annoying since I have been trying to work on my OW cert and it makes me sick .,Thus unable to perform the skills.My ears seem fine on equalizing the pressures. No pain.
I will continue to research this, maybe dive doc specialist could help, Hope we can get some input on this.