Shallowest that you've been Narc'ed?

[drbill]

Spectre- we must have similar friends. I'm sure my worst cases of narcosis are during my surface intervals. My physiology must be inverted. Probably wouldn't surprise my doctor!

I dive to 100-120 ft occasionally and the only time I realized I was narced was when I was on the Great Barrier Reef and being timed on a puzzle I did at the surface. I had no idea I was narced until I saw the time difference in completing the puzzle at depth. Without that evidence I would have claimed I was fine.

Dr. Bill

 

[-hh]

RichLockyer once bubbled...
Sometimes it takes something not quite so obvious to let you know that nitrogen does mess you up....Narcosis is not something that suddenly hammers you. It comes on slowly, like the impairment from sipping a beer. After a 6-pack, you may not realize how messed up you are until you try to stand up.

FWIW, what you describe, I'd call a "Warm" Narc...the "feel good fuzzy forgetfulness" stuff. There are also the less common "Cold" Narc's that are 'High Anxiety/Panic/Paranoia' types of symptoms; I've had one of these due to a CO2 buildup.

We are all "narc'd" as soon as PPN2 > 0.79, it's just the degree that varies, and like the impairment from alcohol, it will vary from day to day based on rest, comfort, and other conditions.

Agreed, and that's what makes this a learning opportunity. For example, I still consider the shallowest Narc that I've ever had to have also been the worst - - probably in no small part because of denial that the problem could have been as simple as Narcosis.

IMO, if a diver doesn't have a broad depth range from which he's detected Narcosis, he either doesn't have much dive experience, or he isn't in tune with his body's signals.


-hh

 

[5615mike]

To my knowledge I have not experience this. Last May my wife and I were going on a deep dive and we both discussed watching each other for signs but at 132 ft. neigher of us noticed effects on the other or ourselves. I do remember feeling a bit slower with my motions but not the feeling that others have described. Maybe a more experienced diver would have seen signs in one or both of us.

 

[scuba_junkie]

Still not sure, but everthing seems to point to it. My freaky little incident at 60feet must have been from what -hh stated.... I think someone else called it thermal narcosis. It was pretty cold (48F) and I was somewhere around 60-70 feet, then got a tad freaked out because I couldnt get enough air... probably from co2 buildup. When I ascended about 10 feet, I felt fine. I suppose based on those facts, I did get a little narc'd. The funny thing is that I did the exact same dive the day before, and have also been deeper at the same temps with no problem (that I was aware of at least)...

 

[detroit diver]

I was about 5 feet above the water in my dentist's chair.

Oops. I guess that was nitrous, not nitrogen....=-)

 

[kingdiver]

No, sorry, that was 4 ft. Sorry.

Kingdiver

:boom:

 

[mddolson]

I have found my narcotic limit to be around 110 -120 ft depth range. Above these depths the impairment is not noticeable, and it is much more severe below 120 ft.

On one occation however I recall feeling the symptoms at about 80 - 90 feet. This was following a rather heavy climb down a high rocky shore line with twin 98's, and I was rather fatiqued, and there was a tidal flow to contend with.
In hind sight I should have waited longer berfore starting the dive.
High CO2 loading was probably a large contributer to the early onset of symptoms.

Mike D
:blfish:

 

[o2scuba]

I get narced when I splash my a** on the toilet.

That's not only shallow, bud crude!

 

[Atticus]

I'd say that as I've become a more capable diver I've become more aware of the affects of narcosis. Where previously I wouldn't detect anything in myself until I hit 150' or so on air, now I'm feeling it at 70'.

I agree with the earlier post that it is an issue with how in tune you are while diving.

--Atticus

 

[Charlie99]

Soggy once bubbled...
Everyone begins getting narced as soon as you begin to raise PPN2...i.e. when you get below the surface. This is like asking someone "what's the fewest drinks it's taken you to get drunk?" *Everyone* has some impairment when they are below water.

I wonder if this means that someone from Denver gets narc'd when they descend to sea level?

If we lower the ppN2 level do we get smarter? Maybe THAT'S why those oxygen bars are so popular.

Seriously, I'm amazed that even such basic, simple questions as whether of not O2 is narcotic have little or no scientifically studied answers.