HELP please - Vertigo and feeling "off" since completing OW dives

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Location
Durham, NC
Hello -

I completed my open water certification dives on August 27th and 28th in a local quarry. While driving to work the morning of August 30th I was hit with the most intense feeling of disorientation and feeling like I was going to pass out. I immediately pulled over and it subsided enough for me to continue to work, but ever since then I have been feeling "off." It feels as if I have had a few alcoholic drinks and am "buzzed" even though I haven't been drinking. I've been to urgent care and the ED. Both doctors I saw said my ears looked normal on physical exam and don't suspect it's dive related. I'm not having any pain or ear fullness, just occasional discomfort like a pin pricking feeling that goes away when I wiggle my ear lobes. I can still successfully do a valsalva without any issue or pain. I've had a head CT, bloodwork, ekg, several other tests and all have been normal/negative. I have an appointment with an ENT today to hopefully get some answers. I have also contacted DAN and the person I spoke with said that while it could be diving related, it's unlikely and to follow the recommendations of my ENT. I'm not convinced because diving is the only thing I've done differently from my usual routine in the last several weeks. I had no issues equalizing during descent or ascent. I can remember one potentially forceful valsalva while I was diving, but I had no problems immediately afterwards. It has been two weeks today and I'm still not feeling back to my normal self and it is wearing me down. Does anyone have any idea what this could be and how I can get better? And should I still continue to dive? I'd hate to think my diving has ended before it ever really started.

Thanks
 
Hello -

I completed my open water certification dives on August 27th and 28th in a local quarry. While driving to work the morning of August 30th I was hit with the most intense feeling of disorientation and feeling like I was going to pass out. I immediately pulled over and it subsided enough for me to continue to work, but ever since then I have been feeling "off." It feels as if I have had a few alcoholic drinks and am "buzzed" even though I haven't been drinking. I've been to urgent care and the ED. Both doctors I saw said my ears looked normal on physical exam and don't suspect it's dive related. I'm not having any pain or ear fullness, just occasional discomfort like a pin pricking feeling that goes away when I wiggle my ear lobes. I can still successfully do a valsalva without any issue or pain. I've had a head CT, bloodwork, ekg, several other tests and all have been normal/negative. I have an appointment with an ENT today to hopefully get some answers. I have also contacted DAN and the person I spoke with said that while it could be diving related, it's unlikely and to follow the recommendations of my ENT. I'm not convinced because diving is the only thing I've done differently from my usual routine in the last several weeks. I had no issues equalizing during descent or ascent. I can remember one potentially forceful valsalva while I was diving, but I had no problems immediately afterwards. It has been two weeks today and I'm still not feeling back to my normal self and it is wearing me down. Does anyone have any idea what this could be and how I can get better? And should I still continue to dive? I'd hate to think my diving has ended before it ever really started.

Thanks
Concur with DAN in that this is highly unlikely to be related to diving if your symptoms didn't present until two days after your dives. I would recommend not diving until you find out what's going on. The differential here is pretty wide, and includes a lot of things outside the purview of an ENT physician, so you may need additional specialist follow-up.

Best regards,
DDM
 

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