Just wanted to post my fun experience (not) of the last couple of days here on La Isla.
We red eyed from LAX to Cozumel and landed at 11:30am. Made it to BA and decided to hop on the 1pm boat. Did a quick weight check shore dive to 15 feet for 5 minutes.
All dives on air with Oceanic Geo2.0 set to DSAT and conservative off. I've done a couple hundred dives on this computer with no issues.
89' max 60 min trt on first dive Palancar to Delilah, one hour SI.
70' max 61 min trt on second Cedral top of wall, all within profile and 3+ minute safety stops.
Felt fine after the dives, took a shower and got some food before crashing hard at 7:30pm.
I got up at 11:30pm to pee and felt a soreness in the ribs/belly like I'd done too many sit-ups and I just thought I'd slept on a pillow funny or lifted my BC from the boat weird. I'm a chubby guy 5' 10' 220, but not house size. Non smoker and had been going to the gym 3-4 days a week for the last two months doing all cardio. Didn't feel overly tired or dehydrated, but had not been drinking tons of water on the plane. Drank a lot of water here at the hotel and on the dive boat because I'm always concerned about my beloved kidney stones!!
Took two ibuprofen and went back to bed. I felt fine in the am, and went diving-
1st dive 70' 60 min trt at Palancar Gardens, one hour 2 minute SI and 2nd dive 50' for 65 min trt at Chankanab shallows. Never had less than 10 mins NDL showing. Also slow ascents and 3+ minutes safety stops with the last part of the 1st dive spent in the sand at 20 feet watching an eagle ray dig in for a conch or something. About 1 hour after returning from the dives, the pain came back even stronger than the previous night, but now with a blotchy rash on my torso. I don't know if it had been there the previous night as I never looked. No itching, but a slight needling burning.
I had read a case study in the DAN magazine about skin bends and the blotches sounded familiar so I thought, hmmm??
I went to the Blue Angel dive shop and asked for some O2 which I used for about 5 minutes. The rash was greatly reduced, but the soreness remained. Now my anxiety is rising-how could I be bent??? I didn't do anything wrong and our dives were not crazy at all. My buddy was diving the same computer and he showed numbers almost identical to mine and he was fine. Other divers on the same 1st dive went to 117fsw and were also fine.
Did some more reading/worrying/hurting and decided a consult with the Dr. was in order.
With the advice from my friends at Tres Pelicaons, I Went to the CmC DAN hospital and the doc was there in 10 minutes. He looked and listened and agreed with the diagnosis. Skin bends, but a mild case and didn't recomend any further treatment. Did a basic neurological exam 'look at the light, walk heel to toe' and said you're fine, but call if anything changes. So I'm dry for now which is really the only major problem at this point thank goodness!
30 hours later and the soreness remains, and the blotches seem to come and go, but not as much as at first. I emailed the doctor and he said that if it's not getting worse, then keep up with hydration, staying cool, and lots of rest. If it gets worse, call for a follow up.
In talking to other divers, it seems like there are many folks who have experienced this in one form or another over the years , but most thought it was a sting, or an allergy, and not all reported pain, mostly a rash and itching.
It is the first complication worse than an ear squeeze or hydroid sting that I've ever had in 25 years of diving.
It seems I'm done for the week (not sure if this kind of incident merits that, but safety first), and from now on conservative factor on, and nitrox on air profiles with an 80' hard bottom for me. Sucks and is scary, but big thanks to DAN for the information in their magazine, and for the doctor and facilities here in Cozumel!!
Hope this passes along some info to others!! You don't want to see this room on your dive trip!!
We red eyed from LAX to Cozumel and landed at 11:30am. Made it to BA and decided to hop on the 1pm boat. Did a quick weight check shore dive to 15 feet for 5 minutes.
All dives on air with Oceanic Geo2.0 set to DSAT and conservative off. I've done a couple hundred dives on this computer with no issues.
89' max 60 min trt on first dive Palancar to Delilah, one hour SI.
70' max 61 min trt on second Cedral top of wall, all within profile and 3+ minute safety stops.
Felt fine after the dives, took a shower and got some food before crashing hard at 7:30pm.
I got up at 11:30pm to pee and felt a soreness in the ribs/belly like I'd done too many sit-ups and I just thought I'd slept on a pillow funny or lifted my BC from the boat weird. I'm a chubby guy 5' 10' 220, but not house size. Non smoker and had been going to the gym 3-4 days a week for the last two months doing all cardio. Didn't feel overly tired or dehydrated, but had not been drinking tons of water on the plane. Drank a lot of water here at the hotel and on the dive boat because I'm always concerned about my beloved kidney stones!!
Took two ibuprofen and went back to bed. I felt fine in the am, and went diving-
1st dive 70' 60 min trt at Palancar Gardens, one hour 2 minute SI and 2nd dive 50' for 65 min trt at Chankanab shallows. Never had less than 10 mins NDL showing. Also slow ascents and 3+ minutes safety stops with the last part of the 1st dive spent in the sand at 20 feet watching an eagle ray dig in for a conch or something. About 1 hour after returning from the dives, the pain came back even stronger than the previous night, but now with a blotchy rash on my torso. I don't know if it had been there the previous night as I never looked. No itching, but a slight needling burning.
I had read a case study in the DAN magazine about skin bends and the blotches sounded familiar so I thought, hmmm??
I went to the Blue Angel dive shop and asked for some O2 which I used for about 5 minutes. The rash was greatly reduced, but the soreness remained. Now my anxiety is rising-how could I be bent??? I didn't do anything wrong and our dives were not crazy at all. My buddy was diving the same computer and he showed numbers almost identical to mine and he was fine. Other divers on the same 1st dive went to 117fsw and were also fine.
Did some more reading/worrying/hurting and decided a consult with the Dr. was in order.
With the advice from my friends at Tres Pelicaons, I Went to the CmC DAN hospital and the doc was there in 10 minutes. He looked and listened and agreed with the diagnosis. Skin bends, but a mild case and didn't recomend any further treatment. Did a basic neurological exam 'look at the light, walk heel to toe' and said you're fine, but call if anything changes. So I'm dry for now which is really the only major problem at this point thank goodness!
30 hours later and the soreness remains, and the blotches seem to come and go, but not as much as at first. I emailed the doctor and he said that if it's not getting worse, then keep up with hydration, staying cool, and lots of rest. If it gets worse, call for a follow up.
In talking to other divers, it seems like there are many folks who have experienced this in one form or another over the years , but most thought it was a sting, or an allergy, and not all reported pain, mostly a rash and itching.
It is the first complication worse than an ear squeeze or hydroid sting that I've ever had in 25 years of diving.
It seems I'm done for the week (not sure if this kind of incident merits that, but safety first), and from now on conservative factor on, and nitrox on air profiles with an 80' hard bottom for me. Sucks and is scary, but big thanks to DAN for the information in their magazine, and for the doctor and facilities here in Cozumel!!
Hope this passes along some info to others!! You don't want to see this room on your dive trip!!
