Regulator Vomiting

[Scuba_Noob]

Just recently, I vomited underwater while diving.

So I was feeling a little sick before the second dive, and we had a short surface interval on pretty wavy waters on a boat charter. I felt that once I got into the water, I'd be fine as usual. We went down to a maximum of 35ft on our second dive.

During the dive, I started feeling a little dizzy and short of breath. I suspected something wrong with the air, although it tasted fine on the surface, so I signaled an ascent. At around 10ft, I puked. From Scubaboard, I read that puking in the regulator can be done, so I puked in my reg and breathed in.

However, I found I couldn't breathe out, so I had to breathe out without the regulator. I guess some chunks were stuck. I switched to my octo and ascended to avoid any issue. I then purged my primary regulator very thoroughly, and breathing was fine. Then we decided to redescend as I was a bit more comfortable after the puking. I called the dive after another 15 minutes, feeling the same symptoms. On the boat, I puked a couple more times off the side. Then I felt great the rest of the trip, including the boat ride back and the next four dives throughout the week.

So the question here is: Is it normal to get chunks stuck when vomiting in a reg, enough that you can't exhale properly?

And are any of these symptoms indicative of a CO hit (note that I felt better after the final vomit and didn't feel any symptoms again, even with more diving on future days)?

[danvolker]

Just recently, I vomited underwater while diving.

So I was feeling a little sick before the second dive, and we had a short surface interval on pretty wavy waters on a boat charter. I felt that once I got into the water, I'd be fine as usual. We went down to a maximum of 35ft on our second dive.

During the dive, I started feeling a little dizzy and short of breath. I suspected something wrong with the air, although it tasted fine on the surface, so I signaled an ascent. At around 10ft, I puked. From Scubaboard, I read that puking in the regulator can be done, so I puked in my reg and breathed in.

However, I found I couldn't breathe out, so I had to breathe out without the regulator. I guess some chunks were stuck. I switched to my octo and ascended to avoid any issue. I then purged my primary regulator very thoroughly, and breathing was fine. Then we decided to redescend as I was a bit more comfortable after the puking. I called the dive after another 15 minutes, feeling the same symptoms. On the boat, I puked a couple more times off the side. Then I felt great the rest of the trip, including on the next four dives throughout the week.

So the question here is: Is it normal to get chunks stuck when vomiting in a reg, enough that you can't exhale properly?

And are any of these symptoms indicative of a CO hit (note that I felt better after the final vomit and didn't feel any symptoms again, even with more diving on future days)?

And now another 20 people that read your post, just vomited on their keyboards... thanks

CO was very unlikely. Regs will clear this with purge. Next time, irrigate with double strength saline with neil med nasal irrigation system ( get at local drugstore) and an hour before you get on the boat, take 1 or 2 triptones....If it is really rough, you can add 2 aspirin.

[ermaclob]

Your not the only one. ive seen plenty of people throw up. me included.

[HowardE]

Just recently, I vomited underwater while diving.

So I was feeling a little sick before the second dive, and we had a short surface interval on pretty wavy waters on a boat charter. I felt that once I got into the water, I'd be fine as usual. We went down to a maximum of 35ft on our second dive.

During the dive, I started feeling a little dizzy and short of breath. I suspected something wrong with the air, although it tasted fine on the surface, so I signaled an ascent. At around 10ft, I puked. From Scubaboard, I read that puking in the regulator can be done, so I puked in my reg and breathed in.

However, I found I couldn't breathe out, so I had to breathe out without the regulator. I guess some chunks were stuck. I switched to my octo and ascended to avoid any issue. I then purged my primary regulator very thoroughly, and breathing was fine. Then we decided to redescend as I was a bit more comfortable after the puking. I called the dive after another 15 minutes, feeling the same symptoms. On the boat, I puked a couple more times off the side. Then I felt great the rest of the trip, including the boat ride back and the next four dives throughout the week.

So the question here is: Is it normal to get chunks stuck when vomiting in a reg, enough that you can't exhale properly?

And are any of these symptoms indicative of a CO hit (note that I felt better after the final vomit and didn't feel any symptoms again, even with more diving on future days)?

Sounds like you were seasick.

While I've never hurled in my regulator, i don't believe it's normal to get chunks stuck in the exhaust. However... Purging and shaking the regulator vigorously should solve that, and remove any chunks while on your dive. If not... Remove the cover and diaphragm, and clean thoroughly.

While hypercapnia can result in nausea and even vomiting, it's unlikely, and more likely that you were just seasick.

[Scuba_Noob]

Yeah, I was pretty sure it wasn't CO (based on further research), but I'm just extra paranoid. The dizziness and such were probably due to the seasickness.

The seasickness was probably due to the breakfast I had, the excessive boat rocking during the surface interval, and maybe some nerves due to it being my first few tropical dives. I almost never get seasick, but I guess it was the perfect chain of events that day. I guess Gravol is my friend now.

[HowardE]

Yeah, I was pretty sure it wasn't CO (based on further research), but I'm just extra paranoid. The dizziness and such were probably due to the seasickness.

The seasickness was probably due to the breakfast I had, the excessive boat rocking during the surface interval, and maybe some nerves due to it being my first few tropical dives. I almost never get seasick, but I guess it was the perfect chain of events that day. I guess Gravol is my friend now.

Almost never? So you have been seasick?

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[g1138]

[Doc]

Almost never? So you have been seasick?

Not me, nope, never. You?

Fed the fish a few times, but no- never been seasick.

[50Fathom]

Had a buddy get seasick on a boat one morning. It didn't help that he was out partying the night prior.

First dive, he barfed through the regulator. We dive with 7' hoses, so he switched to his backup, deployed the primary, unscrewed the faceplate, cleaned out the reg, put it back together and drove on.

We found out two things that day:

1. Scrambled eggs are neutrally buoyant.

2. The fish LOVE you if you provide breakfast.

The rest of the day was uneventful.

[CajunDiva]

Same thing happened to me on my very first ocean dive! Fortunately, I had just completed my OW course and learned that the regulator could take it...so I tested that theory. I was happy to learn that it was true! But immediate purging is definitely necessary. I was amazed that the regulator was able to handle such an offense, but that's a lot of "stuff" getting forced in there at one time - it would be easy for things to get "clogged up". Just practice a little binge and purge action