Son experiences nausea after dives

[crawford]

My 13 year old son got certified last fall. Since his certification (no problem on certification dives), we have been diving twice, once at Ginnie Springs, and once at Lake Rawlings, VA. Both are very easy dives, and we are usually diving very shallow and easy. At Lake Rawlings recently, we never went below 30 ffw, and well within our NDL (SI's are very conservative). Accent rates were well controlled, and usually our safety stops were spend at 15 ffw for longer than 3 minutes (enjoying the fishies).

After both diving at both places, he has experienced nausea to the point where he doesn't want to eat (very unusual for him). It's a bit more than mild nausea. He's pretty sick after these dives. There's no joint pain, ear pain, headache,and the next day after the dive he is perfectly fine. He seems fairly relaxed in the water, but I guess this could be nerves/anxiety during the dives.

Any ideas on what's going on with him?

 

[norcaldiver]

No help, but moral support. I have a friend that dives 3-4 times a month and she gets sick EVERY TIME. She'll swim out to the bouy and ralph before descent EVERY TIME. Usually ok after that but motion sickness can be a bear.

 

[bridgediver]

Just a thought...

could he be swallowing air or water? Salt water will make you sick but thats fresh water right?

puzzling....

 

[crawford]

Fresh water at both sites. About as clean as you can get, too.

The air part does bring up an idea we talked about, could the drier air from the tank be causing a little reflux or something? I do get a bit of acid reflux after diving, I think due to dry air in the tank. Maybe that is setting off the nausea?

I dunno.

 

[fins wake]

... hopefully come with suggestions on this one (I'm not one of them so be careful and take any advice below at its face value). My guess is that he could have some sort of ear/balance-related problem. The key question is, does your son feel nauseous during the dives?

But there are other possibilities.

Does your son suffer from migraine? Sea sickness (not very likely in itself but ...)?

Ask your son if he feels nervous about the dives. Be upfront, explain that there are many other great hobbies and pastimes and that his manhood isn't called into question and that the main thing is that he is happy. It might be a simple question of nerves, which is understandable for 30-year-old men, let alone 13-year-old boys. If the nausea indeed is due to anxiety, perhaps there are other sports you could do together? He always has the option to return to sports diving later in life.

If the nausea isn't due to anxiety, I recommend that you get in touch with a doctor well versed in dive medicine. The best solution might be to call DAN and ask for a doctor in your area. There is of course the possibility that the nausea has nothing to do with diving at all. In any case, you might decide a medical checkup is a good idea. All the best.

 

[scubadoc]

Here is a thread on the board that might be helpful in answering your question:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=26866&highlight=nausea+after+dives

 

[Zagnut]

The air part does bring up an idea we talked about, could the drier air from the tank be causing a little reflux or something? I do get a bit of acid reflux after diving, I think due to dry air in the tank. Maybe that is setting off the nausea?

Now, I'm no doctor....but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once...

Anyhows,
Your pulmonary system and your digestive system are two seperate systems. You shouldn't get acid reflux from breathing dry air. If you are experiencing acid reflux after diving, my guess would be that you are probably diving in a slightly head down/ feet up position. I do this alot when I want to look at something close on the reef or the bottom of the quarry as it lets me get close without dragging my fins or other equipment across the reef. In that position, though, gravity can go to work and pull your stomach contents back up toward your throat to your esophogus where that sphinctor valve (spelling?) is, causing acid reflux.

There was a good article in the last issue of Alert Diver from DAN
about a diver who had this happen to him while diving. He ended up puking and aspirating some of it, which ended up putting him in a hospital.

That would be my well rested guess... (get it?!?.. as in:Holiday Inn!!..get it?!? :tease: )

 

[Zagnut]

..OK I just read Scubadoc's link thread and it reminded me that I forgot to mention the swallowing air into your stomach thingy (good post BTW, doc).

I have this happen to me just about every morning. When I brush my teeth in the morning and I'm reaching for the back teeth, I'm lucky if I can get through it without gagging. The gagging always makes me actually swallow air. I then feel bloated and really nauseas(sp?) so I commence to forcing myself to burp up the excess air...cause if I don't get it out quick, then the rest of my stomach contents end up coming up rather violently. That's the only way I could figure air would be a factor.

Yeah, it's quite a site... My lucky wife get to experience me in my underwear, doubled over infront of the sink with a toothbrush hanging out of my mouth and toothpaste dripping down my chin, gagging and making these frog-like burping noises and fighting off a vomit attack, just about every morning.... sorry ladies, I'm taken. :tease:

It only happens in the morning after I get up. That's when my stomach is most volatile. I'm OK when I brush my teeth any other time of the day. The good doctor hit the nail on the head with his link post. I am a GERD fella (just like he suspected in the other thread's case) and take Prilosec once a day.... in the morning..... right after I'm finished brushing my teeth.

 

[crawford]

Thanks everyone. I've read all the posts and will follow the advice given. I think the doc's thread on swallowing air hit the nail on the head as well. On the Ginnnie dive, we did raid Burger King right before diving, as I remember, and is our custom before a day of diving where we only snack until dinner that night. At Rawlings, it was only after the second dive that he got sick, and I think he said he was refluxy (word?) after the dive. I'll let him read these, and see if this makes sense. We'll follow all the recommendations the doc gave in that separate thread, myself included (since I experience mild reflux after the dives).

I'll also ask him if he's feeling any anxiety during the dives, but he seems relaxed and even playful in the water, which makes me think he's o.k. here, but what's going on in their minds is often a mystery.

Thanks to everyone, if there are further ideas, please let me know.

Zagnut, how bout some video of you brushing your teeth in the morning. Maybe you could mail it to Jackass. I know appreciate my ability to brush my teeth in the morning so much more!

 

[Zagnut]

Crawford once bubbled...

Zagnut, how bout some video of you brushing your teeth in the morning. Maybe you could mail it to Jackass. I know appreciate my ability to brush my teeth in the morning so much more!

Yeah, I'll see what I can do.
My fifteen minutes of fame...or better yet it could be my gimmick!

You know, Gallager smashed watermelons with a hammer, Steve Martin was a wild and crazy guy with an arrow through his head, I brush my teeth in the morning!