DCS symptom questions

[Jimmy P]

I made two dives one week ago, was fine that whole day, the next day, had severe problems with my balance throughout the day. Some nausea accompanied this, but otherwise, no symptoms of DCS. (Dive 1: 20m max, avg depth 12m, time 38 min, dive 2: 16m, avg 7m, 36 min)
The day after, it was resolved, I felt fine. So I did another two dives that day. (8m, 20 min, 10m 25 min)
The day after that, the balance issue came back, accompanied by nausea. I am a non smoker non drinker, in decent health, 29 y/o.
I had no problems equalizing.

Now I haven't dived since then, 5 days ago, my balance is much better, but I'm still not feeling well. I've seen one doctor who thinks it is barotrauma, one dive medic (not a dr.) who thought it might be DCI, and I've been referred to one more doctor who I'm seeing tomorrow.

Is there any chance this could be a severely mild form of DCS/I with a very slow onset time? I'm worried I'm rationalizing it away cause it has been so long and I am otherwise symptom free. It's been one week since the dive(s) that would be the culprit, and I just feel generally unwell and have poor balance. I've also been noticing a dull throb in various parts of my body, as well as my ear (though 3 docs looked at my ears said they were fine) but that only started a couple days ago.

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Jimmy,

Going only by your description of your dive profiles and symptom presentation, it seems unlikely that this is DCI. You said that you had no difficulty equalizing, but did you forcefully valsala at any point? Have you ever experienced these symptoms before?

Best,
DDM

[nimoh]

did you call DAN?

[TSandM]

The profiles are pretty benign, and the delayed onset argues against DCI as well. I'd be suspicious of a barotrauma-related issue. I think you need to see a diving-savvy ENT doc.

[VooDooGasMan]

jimmy what was the water temp.

[Jimmy P]

Water temp was 27 C, I was wearing one short 3mm and one long 3/2mm as I get cold easily.

I can't remember if I did a forced valsalva, I want to say no; I had no noticeable equalization problems on any of those 4 dives; I could "feel" it more in one ear than the other on the last dive, but equalized fine. The whole day of those first two dives I felt fine, it was only next day when I woke in the morning that I had the balance impairment.

I've never had symptoms like these before. It might also be worth mentioning that last year I did a LOT of dives, 7-800 I would estimate, rarely with a free day between diving days, and never had an issue. In the last month I've only done 10-12 dives, never more than 2 days in a row. I know susceptibility varies from day to day.

It is difficult to get to savvy docs here period, so I'm seeing one more local doc today, and if he is clueless or doesn't satisfactorily assure me that this isn't DCS, I will go off-island and find a more experienced doctor.

It has now been 7 days since the first day of balance impairment, and I feel far better than the day it came back. I'm struggling to believe it is DCS because of this long timeline, and also the fact that I appear to be getting better with time, as well the fact there are no other significant symptoms. I want to see docs to get this properly diagnosed, of course, but meanwhile I just want to reassure myself, as being stressed out & worried is no good for a body with ailments.