Nitrox discussion (Split from "Reasons not to use Enriched air" thread in Basic)

[ianr33]

Do remember to not to try to lift someone while still in the convulsion phase of the attack (up to 2 mins)- the airways is closed and they'll embolise.

Agreed. Which brings up an interesting point: Buddy seizes,wait until he breathes again.If you only have one gas then the only thing to breathe is the gas that just brought on the seizure,not a good situation at all.
If the seizure was brought on by,say,switching to 100% O2 at 70 feet at least you have a low O2 gas to breathe (backgas)

I pretty much figure that if I ever tox on a dive then for all practical purposes I am dead.

 

[hypertech]

With nitrox, you need to make sure you obey your depth limits, and you need to make sure you allow a 1 hour surface interval between repetitive dives.

Interesting advice. One of the benefits I have seen posted a lot is that nitrox reduces your surface interval impliedly into the sub 1 hr range. Unless floating, I would think most SI's, especially those shore diving would be an hour anyway by the time you get out of your gear and get a good drink of water.

If I remember correctly the procedure was not to reverse the seizure, but the correct way to ascend with the diver experiencing the seizure was to:

Hold regulator in their mouth.
Tilt head backwards to open the glottis and prevent expansion injuries.
Make a controlled ascent to the surface.

I don't recall anything about stopping / reversing a seizure. A diver who suffered a seizure would be in no condition for quite some time afterward to be able to dive self sufficiently.

Do remember to not to try to lift someone while still in the convulsion phase of the attack (up to 2 mins)- the airways is closed and they'll embolise.

What class do you learn these skills in? Being a new diver, my training has mostly been on how to avoid the situation and not how to deal with it if it does come up. I think these are skills I want to have sooner than later. I had planned to do AOW next summer and rescue the next. If you learn this in rescue, I may try to get AOW in this fall and do rescue in the spring.

 

[Blackwood]

What class do you learn these skills in? Being a new diver, my training has mostly been on how to avoid the situation and not how to deal with it if it does come up. I think these are skills I want to have sooner than later. I had planned to do AOW next summer and rescue the next. If you learn this in rescue, I may try to get AOW in this fall and do rescue in the spring.

It was covered in my Advanced Rescue, Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures courses.

 

[HowardE]

Interesting advice. One of the benefits I have seen posted a lot is that nitrox reduces your surface interval impliedly into the sub 1 hr range. Unless floating, I would think most SI's, especially those shore diving would be an hour anyway by the time you get out of your gear and get a good drink of water.

Frequently we do boat dives where we get 30 minute or less SI's with nitrox. We often dive in the 60-90 foot range (with a sandy bottom at a known depth) with 36-40%... Since we're staying down longer than the air people, and the boats often need to get back at a certain time... we usually take shorter intervals. Nitrox lets us extend our bottom time, and shorten our SI's.

What class do you learn these skills in? Being a new diver, my training has mostly been on how to avoid the situation and not how to deal with it if it does come up. I think these are skills I want to have sooner than later. I had planned to do AOW next summer and rescue the next. If you learn this in rescue, I may try to get AOW in this fall and do rescue in the spring.

Most of this info is explained in a basic nitrox course.

 

[hypertech]

Most of this info is explained in a basic nitrox course.

I was talking about the discussion related to helping a toxing diver and how to bring them up.

In my nitrox class, we discussed ox tox, what it is, how its caused, and signs of it. We did not discuss how to treat a toxing diver - is that something you learned in basic nitrox?

 

[HowardE]

It was discussed... Yes.

 

[scubadobadoo]

One other thing, and nothing scientific about it, I don't get headaches on Nitrox. I do on air (and no, it's no skip breathing).

That is correct. Nothing scientific about it because it's all in your head. (yes, pun intended )

To add to the OP's question...Reasons not to use nitrox include thinking that..."it will make me less tired, it doesn't give me headaches, and it makes me safer." The first two are placebo and I'll explain my take on the third.

It is my belief that only the diver can make the diver safer, not nitrox alone. Nitrox is only a tool the diver chooses to use. If you want to be safer then dive hydrated, ascend more slowly, drink less alcohol, be healthy, smoke less, go to the gym frequently, dive within your limits, dive with your brain and not just your computer, and keep your skills/gear in good shape to name a few things. All of the things I just mentioned are all more likely to lower your risk of a hit than simply using nitrox. Using nitrox IN RECREATIONAL DIVING hasn't yet lead to a significant decrease in the number of hits even when used within air limits regardless of the fact that having less nitrogen in your system is better as is obvious.

Now realistically we all are humans and nobody is perfect. I can't always and don't always go to the gym and have been known to eat cookies and cake...a lot. Beer is good too. What can ya do. Do what you can do but don't expect nitrox to eliminate a lifetime of bad habits and certainly don't expect it to eliminate bad diving habits.

 

[TSandM]

We learned to bring an unconscious diver up from depth in Rescue. Managing a toxing diver was covered in my 5thD-X Rec 2 class, in Rec Triox, and in NAUI Helitrox. We also did unconscious diver/toxing diver recovery in Intro to Cave and Cave 1.

 

[ianr33]

I never learnt how to deal with a toxing diver in any of my TDI classes (Deco procedures and Normoxic trimix)
The internet has its uses

 

[Anti-Hero]

We learned to bring an unconscious diver up from depth in Rescue. Managing a toxing diver was covered in my 5thD-X Rec 2 class, in Rec Triox, and in NAUI Helitrox. We also did unconscious diver/toxing diver recovery in Intro to Cave and Cave 1.

Question for you TSandM since you're a Dr.

If a diver is having a tox seizure, is the closed glottis a function of the muscles contracting due to the seizure, and if so, will only allowing the seizure to pass will it relax?

I'm asking because I used to have an epileptic dog and when he would seize he would make "hmmmm" noises as the spasms occurred, which sounded like they were from the diaphragm. I have also witnessed a person seizing which also made guttural sounds. Would this be an indication that the glottis was indeed open?

I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question. :11doh: