Possible Decompression Symptoms?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Diver0823

Registered
Messages
16
Reaction score
14
Location
Atlanta
I am concerned about possible symptoms of decompression sickness, but am hoping that someone here can ease my concerns. I last dove on Saturday, July 2. I did two ocean dives with a group through a reputable dive shop and stayed at all times with the dive instructor. I used the dive shop's computer, so I don't have the exact stats, but I did write down the dive times and maximum depths in my dive book. The first dive was to a maximum of 85 feet. The total dive time was 29 minutes (surface-to-surface, including ascent and safety stop). No issues with the dive computer or decompression limits, and we did a three-minute safety stop at 15 feet per the dive computer. After between 1 hour to 1:15 of surface time (probably closer to 1:15), we did another dive. This dive was to a maximum depth of 84 feet, and the total dive time was 30 minutes (surface-to-surface, including ascent and safety stop). On both dives, not all of the dive time was spent at the maximum depth (including, but not limited to, the ascent and safety stop), but I don't have the specifics. On the second dive, my dive computer got down to 4 minutes of no-decompression time remaining, at which point we began to ascend, and the no-decompression time increased. The dive computer never got below 4 minutes remaining. We ascended slowly and did a three-minute safety stop.

I had no symptoms of any kind until Tuesday morning, July 5, when I woke with a minor dull ache in my left shin (appx. 66-70 hours after diving). By this time, I was home. (We drove, not flew, home.) Since then, I've had some fairly constant, but also minor, issues with my left leg. All very minor, and not really any pain. In fact, if it wasn't for worrying, I probably wouldn't even be paying attention to them. Initially, I had just this minor dull ache in my shin. Over a period of several days, the feeling gravitated and changed somewhat, still within the left leg, and still mostly in the shin area, and included some tingling. As you can tell, the symptoms are vague and hard to describe. Yesterday, I felt some tingling in my left knee for the first time, and maybe some more today. Other than that, I wouldn't really say any of the issues have been in joints. Maybe there has been some minor tingling in a few other parts of my body, but I really can't tell.

Is there any possible issue here? Does the fact that I had no symptoms for nearly three days after diving effectively (or entirely?) rule out that these symptoms are DCI based? Or should I be concerned?
 
Don't waste time checking here about possible decompression hit or anywhere else, just get in touch with DAN ASAP and let them take it from there. This isn't an appropriate forum to discuss this matter or to get advice on what to do with a issue that requires medical examination with specialist experts in a physical medical facility.
 
I think it is very unlikely that your symptoms are the result of decompression sickness. The dive profiles you describe do not appear aggressive (though DCS can occur even in what should have been a conservative dive). In addition, the symptoms took a very long time to present themselves and are in a location (shin) that is not typical of DCS.

It would be my guess that what you are feeling is the result of a more direct stress to the muscles, bones or ligaments of your shin. I am not a doctor, though.
 
Call DAN, as others have said. In the time you spent writing your question, you could have already spoken with a dive medicine professional.

. . .
I had no symptoms of any kind until Tuesday morning, July 5, when I woke with a minor dull ache in my left shin (appx. 66-70 hours after diving). . . .

I have read that 48 hours is somewhere around the maximum that's been reported for signs and symptoms to present, so 66-70 hours makes DCS seem pretty unlikely.
 
I moved this to Diving Medicine.

It would be very, very surprising if this were DCS related. The symptoms are not what we normally look for in DCS cases, they are starting much later than normal, and the dives were not pushing the envelope.
 
I am concerned about possible symptoms of decompression sickness, but am hoping that someone here can ease my concerns. I last dove on Saturday, July 2. I did two ocean dives with a group through a reputable dive shop and stayed at all times with the dive instructor. I used the dive shop's computer, so I don't have the exact stats, but I did write down the dive times and maximum depths in my dive book. The first dive was to a maximum of 85 feet. The total dive time was 29 minutes (surface-to-surface, including ascent and safety stop). No issues with the dive computer or decompression limits, and we did a three-minute safety stop at 15 feet per the dive computer. After between 1 hour to 1:15 of surface time (probably closer to 1:15), we did another dive. This dive was to a maximum depth of 84 feet, and the total dive time was 30 minutes (surface-to-surface, including ascent and safety stop). On both dives, not all of the dive time was spent at the maximum depth (including, but not limited to, the ascent and safety stop), but I don't have the specifics. On the second dive, my dive computer got down to 4 minutes of no-decompression time remaining, at which point we began to ascend, and the no-decompression time increased. The dive computer never got below 4 minutes remaining. We ascended slowly and did a three-minute safety stop.

I had no symptoms of any kind until Tuesday morning, July 5, when I woke with a minor dull ache in my left shin (appx. 66-70 hours after diving). By this time, I was home. (We drove, not flew, home.) Since then, I've had some fairly constant, but also minor, issues with my left leg. All very minor, and not really any pain. In fact, if it wasn't for worrying, I probably wouldn't even be paying attention to them. Initially, I had just this minor dull ache in my shin. Over a period of several days, the feeling gravitated and changed somewhat, still within the left leg, and still mostly in the shin area, and included some tingling. As you can tell, the symptoms are vague and hard to describe. Yesterday, I felt some tingling in my left knee for the first time, and maybe some more today. Other than that, I wouldn't really say any of the issues have been in joints. Maybe there has been some minor tingling in a few other parts of my body, but I really can't tell.

Is there any possible issue here? Does the fact that I had no symptoms for nearly three days after diving effectively (or entirely?) rule out that these symptoms are DCI based? Or should I be concerned?
I had similar symptoms, but a much more acute condition:
Deep Vein Thrombosis Status Post DCS type I

Monitor your leg symptoms and go see your Primary Care Physician if they persist, or Urgent Care/ER Dept if acute pain/paresthesia in that limb develops.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I called DAN. They confirmed it is not DCS based on the late onset of symptoms and the type of symptoms. I'm still having symptoms, so must be caused by something else!
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I called DAN. They confirmed it is not DCS based on the late onset of symptoms and the type of symptoms. I'm still having symptoms, so must be caused by something else!

Which is good, and not so good. Good luck with whatever it is.
 
Could still be dive related just not DCS. Its easy to bang-stretch-pull-traumatize part of our body during a dive. Especially if sea state is interesting when getting back on a boat.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom