When doing dives, do you feel more clear-headed on Nitrox?

[Tjack]

I fell less zapped-out after multiple dives when using Nitrox for sure.

As far as reduced narcosis I'm not sure. I have wondered about this as one of the joys of diving for me is the rapture.

Nitrox tanks seem to help with a hangover?

 

[jmneill]

Nitrox tanks seem to help with a hangover?

I've heard this from my brother. I can't tell. Maybe it depends on the severity of the hangover?
...Still, going by the facts rather than opinions, I don't understand how it could.

 

[k ellis]

I am only curious as this always comes up and always stirs a debate. What I dont understand is why it becomes such an argument. I mean the selling point of Nitrox is that it extends bottom time in which it apparently does (Or else there could be some serious problems with false information being provided)

Now what I dont understand is I know what I feel post dive and no one can dispute it. That is I feel better post dive. No matter if its Placebo or if it really is a fact I know what I feel. People will argue to no avail and this will probably never die because there are the die hards out there who are intent on proving that its placebo and there are those who are intent on believing this as fact.

People honestly rather then tie up resources debating eternally on how does it make you feel why dont people honestly state it as " I feel Nitrox does/does not ..........."

No matter what is or is not proven it all boils down to personal opinion. If you like it use it. If you dont feel it does anything for you then dont use it. Simple and to the point.

 

[TMHeimer]

My no vote should be qualified. I'm usually somewhat zapped out anyway before the first dive due to the ungodly hour getting up for a morning boat dive. Maybe my vote would be different on an afternoon trip?

 

[RJP]

Let's not forget the medically (DAN) highly recomended use of O2 following virtually any symptoms of distress after a dive. If there is only a placebo effect, that seems odd.

I believe that is mostly to increase the offgassing diffusion gradient, no? It's not really to make you "feel better" per se.

 

[agilis]

I believe that is mostly to increase the offgassing diffusion gradient, no? It's not really to make you "feel better" per se.

'Mostly' as a concept is really not relevant in medical emergencies.. O2 is used in all sorts of situations because high levels of O2 do absolutely increase the availability of oxygen to tissue. It is, I've been told, recommended by DAN because of its broad spectrum of beneficial effects. It is helpful in physical injury, shock, convulsions, hypothermia, allergic reactions, maintaing consciousness, and, of course, the decompression sickness to which you refer.

 

[k ellis]

What I find oddly funny is that many of our guys are on the constantly getting new theory. They dont like to carry the same ammo for more then a year or so because they worry it could go bad (Yet it may have sat on a shelf for 10 years before they got it) and this is funny they will fill oxygen tanks and if they dont use them every so often then they drain them and get them inspected every year (Makes since to have them inspected after use right?)

Now the odd thing is that they will play with the oxygen and I have seen these guys come in to work dragging their knuckles and get a snout full of Oxygen they are draining (Dont want to waste it right?) and literally be wide awake in mere moments. I guess this stuff really is placebo since it perks people right up and saves lifes in patients needing it. Now for my personal experience I will say right up front I have no knowledge of medicine beyond emergency field techniques and dont claim too but if it perks you up on a good clean snout full why would people believe that diving would be any different?

There are many variables that go in to play with these claims of nitrox being better (and I am for one a nitrox only diver) but lets look at 1 of these. I go diving with my buddy to a depth (I dont have my charts so this is simply an example not based on actual numbers) where Nitrox gives you 40 more minutes of NDL then air does. My buddy who so happens to be on air has to surface. He would of course be more bogged down and saturated with Nitrogen then I would according to all research and reports. So this would mean I would not have as much nitrogen in my system as he does upon surfacing.

Again I am no scientist and dont claim to be but all the facts of oxygen do support the possibility that it could have a less fatigue effect since it is used in medicinal uses that increase energy from oxygen use. Now I am sure Ill spark a debate on this but its simply and soley my opinions and not meant to be anything more then that.

 

[RJP]

Again I am no scientist and dont claim to be but all the facts of oxygen do support the possibility that it could have a less fatigue effect since it is used in medicinal uses that increase energy from oxygen use. Now I am sure Ill spark a debate on this but its simply and soley my opinions and not meant to be anything more then that.

Not debating here, other than in the intellectual sense...

I have no doubt that O2 has beneficial effects in helping to bring some sort of deficit or problem back closer to the "normal" situation. What I've not seen is any info to support whether 02 can take a person in a "normal" situation and enhance that person's performance or well being.

The theory that I've heard from a dive medicine MD is that those who feel a "physical benefit" diving nitrox are actually sensing the difference between "a problem" they experience diving on air - best described as sub-clinical DCS - and lack/lessening of that problem when diving nitrox. That sub-clinical DCS could be due to many causes, aggressive profile, saw-tooth profiles, rapid ascents, PFO, diving to close to NDLs, poor buoyancy control throughout the dive, surfacing too quicly from safety stop, really anything that could cause a DCS hit, or even just the innate differences that people have in terms of sensitivity to nitrogen loading. (Some people get bent, some don't even diving the same profile.) Fatigue, after all, is symptom of DCS. When those who experience fatigue due to this dive nitrox instead of air, this "sub-clinical DCS" does not occur so they feel the absence of this problem compared to what they experience on air. Sort of like someone who is banging their head against a wall: when they STOP banging their head against the wall they feel "better" but it is "absence of the negative" as opposed to "presence of a benefit." Perhaps this theory explains why many/most/some people do NOT experience this "fatigue benefit" from diving nitrox - if I do not experience "sub-clinical DCS" when diving air, I will obviously not notice it's absence when diving nitrox.

Just a theory that makes as much sense to me as anything else.

Ray

 

[jmneill]

Now the odd thing is that they will play with the oxygen and I have seen these guys come in to work dragging their knuckles and get a snout full of Oxygen they are draining (Dont want to waste it right?) and literally be wide awake in mere moments. I guess this stuff really is placebo since it perks people right up...

The power of suggestion.

 

[agilis]

RJP, I think your analysis is very persuasive, with one small extension or clarification. "Normal" as a human physical condition is not a absolute either/or condition, like death or pregnancy. There is an obvious spectrum of gradations based on all kinds of variables, individual and otherwise. Things needn't be quite serious or defined as subclinical DCS for O2 to provide some benefit or relief. The range of circumstances is probably much wider than that.

As far as the power of suggestion is concerned, a final observation made by a supporter of that line of thinking was "Now he thinks he's dead".