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I'm new to scuba to scuba diving and was unable to finish my first pool session. My problem is that I can't keep the regulator in my mouth for very long because I start feeling the need to gag. I was told that I probably have an overactive gag reflex, but my instructors have never faced a problem like this before. It's very frustrating because I really want to finish this course, but my body is acting all weird. I got a new mouthpiece, which seems to help a bit.I also swam laps with mask and snorkel. Has anyone here had that problem before? Is the problem mental? Any suggestions? My next pool session is on Friday and I'd really like to finish it.
I have a similarly annoying Gag reflex. Just ask my dentist. But the good news is it does go away once you get more used to it. Using a snorkel to get use to a mouthpiece will probably help you out. Also you need to make sure when you are gagging to keep the mouthpiece in place. If you hurl, hurl right through the mouthpiece, but hopefully it will not come to that.
Also when you are diving try and relax, don't think about the mouthpiece and gagging, think of all the cool things you will get to see. Once I got through the pool exercises and a couple of dives, it no longer bothers me at all.
So don't fret your mind will overcome your bodies ability to try and mess up all the fun activities. Or the drug makes will come out with something to overcome it. Viagra has cured the world of limpy D syndrome, Gagra might cure us gaggers!
I have encountered this problem with several students of mine.
Actualy, this problem IS mental, which is good, becouse it means you can deal with it. You probobly have some kind of fear of breathing underawter, which considering the fact that we all are actualy land animals, is undertandable. Like syruss said, it takes some work to get over it. If you really want to become a diver, all you have to do is work on it.
What you need to do is simple: sit on the bottom of the pool, preferably somewhere shallow. Then start to breathe slowly. THINK of every breath you take. Feel how you inhale and exhale. When the urge to take out the reg comes, you need to work on fighting it. It will probobly be tough when you start, but later on it will become easier, and than the urge will eventualy go away. You have to work with your MIND and be aware of yourself, and in control.
We have one student who could not keep a regulator in her mouth, until she started using the Sea Cure mouth piece. She has a hard time with her snorkle as hers will not accomodate the Sea Cure... I think she would drown furst rather than use it at this point. Still, she went from even throwing up on one pool seesion to just fine (on her regulator) byt using this mouthpiece.
Does the dryness of the throat encourage this reaction? If it does, that can be fixed. Besides if that were the case, we could call this manoever, 'doing it like bunny'.
Glad to hear other people have overcome this problem and are now diving. I'll look for the Sea Cure mouthpiece, and has anyone used the Apollo filters that attach to your regulator hose? Thanks for all the great advise u all!
On a serious note, I had problems like you mentioned, I started with the stock mouthpiece,on the shops rental gear, and I gagged more than once.. I switched regulators and mouthpieces and it helped.. I did like was suggested and with my instructor near by just stayed at the bottom of the kiddie pool and and thought it through..
Now that I own my own Reg,, I tried the Seacure and well I tried to gag so it sits in my emergancy kit..
Hang in there Bunny, just relax and soon you'll be telling all of us about you diving adventures
Me too, used to gag, and that was one reason I hesitated getting into diving, but I found that while I still can gag sucking on a regulator above water, I never feel it when I'm below. Kinda wierd.
And I do have an Apollo bio-filter, but I haven't used it yet. Will report back in Nov, after a Coz trip.
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