CO2 retention?

[Aigtbootbp]

I did some diving yesterday and well, it didn't go that well. The water was cold and I was wearing a 7mm farmer john and 7mm jacket. The dive was a fast paced affair and I was finning vigorously the entire time. After the first dive I went back to my car and laid down for awhile. Feeling better I went back for the second dive. This dive was worse. I did switch to nitrox (30) because I thought it might help (I think it did actually) I was kicking as harder as I could to keep up the whole time. I was getting quite tired and once or twice I felt a wee bit dizzy. (Yeah, I should have thumbed it but I thought I could make it) After climbing out I felt pretty bad. Even threw up a small amount. After making it home my shoulders and legs were sore and I was finished for the day.
I did have some trouble equalizing but it wasn't that bad. What I believe the problem came from was all the exertion from fighting bouyancy problems and trying to keep up.
So, does this sound like CO2 retention or should I be worrying about something else?

 

[Bubbletrubble]

You reported nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and feeling tired. At the time, were you aware of being breathless or having a rapid breathing rate? Did you experience any headaches during the bottom or ascent phases of the dive...or post-dive? A post-dive headache is one of the most common symptoms of CO2 retention. It's worth noting that some people are more predisposed to retaining CO2. Fundamentally, this is due to a failure to increase pulmonary ventilation enough in response to exertion. For more info, read this essay on CO2 retention in the context of scuba diving.

The lightheadedness could have been caused by hypoxia (very high probability of this considering your account).
The soreness in your shoulders and legs was likely caused by the strenuous physical activity.

Assuming that you don't have any unknown medical conditions (and you've had a recent physical check-up with a physician, right?), I don't think it would be unreasonable to try another dive under more favorable conditions. This time don't exert yourself much underwater. Relax. Spend more time in one place, hovering. Make sure that you're taking full breaths.

I'm curious about one aspect of that first dive...
Why was the dive such a "fast paced affair"?
The pace of the dive should be dictated by the slowest diver. That's something that should be discussed in pre-dive planning.
Beginner divers tend to fin a lot more than they need to due to poor buoyancy control and not moving efficiently through the water (affected by streamlining, overweighted, kicking technique, horizontal trim). Many also feel they need to rush around to see more on the dive. That's simply not the case.
If you really had to fin vigorously the entire time, it's not surprising that you tired yourself out. I would hate to do a dive like that.

In the future, if you do plan on exerting yourself underwater like that, make sure that your fitness level is up to the challenge. Scuba diving shouldn't be the most strenuous physical activity in your life.

 

[boulderjohn]

You know that stupid old joke..."Doctor, it hurts when I do this." "Don't do that!"

If my diving was like what you described, I don't think I would be a diver any more. Why was it like that, and what can you do to prevent that in the future?

 

[Aigtbootbp]

After resting from the first dive I did feel better but still not 100%. IIRC the headache started sometime during the dive and I do know I was breathing way too fast. I was actually very concerned about my air consumption. I do have a good aerobic capacity, I occasionally run half-marathons so I know the lungs work well.
I was trying out a new set of fins so maybe that contributed. As for why it was so fast, well, the guide wanted to hurry through so we could get the whole dive done. Personally I wonder if it wasn't so he could get out of there since we were the last group that day.
As for doing that again. No, never. Cold water diving having to wear all that crap just isn't for me. I will stick to my carribean drift diving from now on.
Bouyancy problems were due to me wearing all that neoprene. I am used to diving warm and wearing a 3/2 fullsuit, short burst of air in/out is all that is needed to maintain depth. That huge stretch of wetsuit I was wearing doesn't respond like the thin stuff, long blast off air in and long releases were needed to stabilize at depth.

 

[TSandM]

Man, the only time I've felt like you describe is when I've been diving the Devil's system at Ginnie Springs -- fighting a couple of knots of current through most of the dive. I don't find it fun, and I don't blame you for not liking it. Where were you diving? Bonne Terre? I've read other reports of people feeling hurried on those dives.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

@Aigtbootbp: The headache during the dive, combined with rapid breathing rate, does suggest that you were suffering the effects of CO2 retention.

Did the guide warn you of the brisk pace in the pre-dive briefing?
Did he discuss what to do if the pace became too fast?
Did you try to communicate to the guide to slow down?
How did your buddy cope with the brisk pace of the dive?
If you tried telling the guide to slow down and he didn't comply, did you consider getting your buddy's attention, communicating to him that the two of you should stick together...and just letting the guide motor off on his merry way?

There has to be a compelling reason for me to follow a dive guide who wants to go faster than my comfortable pace: to avoid current, to see a rare aquatic critter, or to find sunken treasure. If I tell him to slow down a couple of times, and he insists on zooming off (or even worse if he jets off without checking to see whether the rest of the group is keeping up), then he's on his own. My buddy and I will conduct our own dive. And I'll never use him as a dive guide again. I'm sorry that your dive wasn't that much fun. Perhaps your guide was just very inexperienced. I hope you weren't paying for his services.

Yeah, wetsuit neoprene compresses at greater ambient pressure. You have to compensate for this at depth. The more neoprene, the more compression, the more gas you have to add to your BCD. It shouldn't be a deal-breaker for cold water diving, though. With experience, you just learn to manage addition/subtraction to your BCD better.

There's an interesting array of underwater life to be appreciated in temperate and cold water diving. That's why I really enjoy "cold" water diving. I put quotations around the word cold because my local water, at its very coldest is 49°F. I acknowledge that others dive in much colder water. Exposure protection is just a necessary compromise. Whether that's a thick wetsuit configuration or a drysuit, I'm willing to make that compromise.

 

[lamont]

So, does this sound like CO2 retention or should I be worrying about something else?

hydration?

low on blood sugar?

 

[Aigtbootbp]

I Don't think it was dehydration though that could have been a contributing factor. Low blood sugar, hmm... could have contributed too but neither one was the main factor. I will keep that in mind for next time, I hadn't consider it at all but I definitely should/will have.
TS&M, as much as I would like to identify the location/operator I don't feel comfortable doing so right now, sorry.
Bubbletrouble, I don't recall anything concerning the pace of the dive being covered in the pre-dive briefing but then again I wasn't really listening for that sort of thing. I was more interested in the procedures for the more challenging sections and of course the procedures in case of emergencies. The dive was quite unique and all my thought were wrapped around that, not listening for the mundane stuff which to be perfectly honest, never crossed my mind as something to watch for.
I was getting better at dumping/adding air toward the end but by then I was already work out and it wasn't getting any better.
Right now I am burned on cold water diving but I don't hold grudges like this for long. I am sure by the end of the year I will be jumping into a local quarry somewhere.
Apparently what all was ailing me was temporary, yesterday (day after the dive) I was fine (hungry as heck though, I was doing some serious eating) and of course today I am back to normal. The back of my neck and calves are still a bit tender but that is the normal worked-too-hard soreness, it will be fine.
Thanks again everyone, I feel much better and will definitely know how to deal with situations like this in the future.