visual "disturbances" after much diving

[opalobsidian]

Thanks so much TS&M! I will check up on how to get those tests. It does seem like I'm not offgassing efficiently.

Conservative diving would mean...less dives and day, and not as deep? Anything else?

I don't have any dive trips planned until next year when I make my annual pilgrimage to Asia. Light diving, like 2 a day, seems to have no ill effect. In Sipadan, since it was Sipadan and we were repeatedly chosen to go, we did up to 5 hour long dives a day.

 

[Doubler]

Go to Scubadiving.com and get a hold of Amazz and Ellene. Both had PFO's and got them repaired. They also have a surgeon who is a tech diver. He knows this stuff and the effects on divers. So even if I am out there with this he'll know what to do. But I swear your symptoms sound like a combo of what they went through. It could be what TS&M suggested, she would know much more than me, in any case I would stay out of the water. Don't put yourself in a situation where you could really get hurt or worse. I think DAN insurance picked up part of Ellene's bill but she could tell you for sure. She has a page long post on the symptoms she had, the diagnosis, and the treatment. Real informative. Good luck and get well!

 

[Lopaka]

It does seem like I'm not offgassing efficiently.

Nothing to do with efficiency, has to do with a possible direct path for bubbles to cross over to your arteries. It is out of your control if you do have a PFO, other than staying well back from getting N2 loaded, and avoiding heavy lifting after diving.

Conservative diving would mean...less dives and day, and not as deep?

Pretty much. Just avoid N2 loading, either more shallow dives, or fewer (or no) deep dives. And avoid exertion, which can open the PFO and pass bubbles.

I never had any issues diving in SoCal, usually was shallow and did not stay down long with the cold water. Hawaii is the exact opposite, long, deep dives. All within limits of course, but guess where I got hit?

A few of us here have gone through this, why I suggested doing a search on aura, and PFO. You will get a ton of hits on PFO, why I suggested your apparent issue with aura. Same topic, just a bit more focused for what you may be encountering.

 

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

Let's keep our eye on the ball here, this is your brain we are talking about. Auras are not ocular phenomena but manifestations of hypoxia in the brain's visual cortex. This is true even in migraine. If this is happening regularly, even when diving well within your limits, and there is any suspicion of a right-left shunt, conservative diving means NO diving until the situation is resolved. Even shallow dives cause microbubble formation and it only takes a small amount of gas in brain arteriole to make the rest of your life challenging, to put it mildly.

And I wouldn't want to be a continent or two away from home to find this out, either.

 

[DocVikingo]

Go to Scubadiving.com and get a hold of Amazz and Ellene. Both had PFO's and got them repaired. They also have a surgeon who is a tech diver. He knows this stuff and the effects on divers.

That would be the same interventional cardiologist to whom I referred them (BTW, he's diving today):

Dr. Douglas Ebersole
Watson Clinic LLP
PO Box 95000
Lakeland, FL, 33804
(863) 680-7000

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[Dr Deco]

Hello opalobsidian:

It appears that this is a dive related problem, since apparently it does not occur when you are not diving. As suggested earlier, this could well be associated with a PFO.

Even if these are conservative dives, the gas loads might be sufficient to result in problems.

Bubble Generation

Bubble formation in divers is the result of microbubbles [gas “seeds”] being present in addition to nitrogen supersaturation. Some individuals are able to generate bubbles [Doppler detectable] more easily than others. [In the laboratory, this is found when the gas loads are identical prior to depress.] You might be an individual who generates gas bubbles quite easily. This has nothing to do with “poor off gassing.”This is unfortunate for a diver.

PFO

You comment that you have a heart murmur, and this can be indicative of a PFO. These come in various sizes, and bigger is not good. A PFO in conjunction with facile bubble generation could be problematic. Depending on the size, position, and your breathing habits, passage of bubbles from the right side to the left side of the heart might be more easily facilitated in you than other divers. All PFOs are not built alike.

Blotches and tingles are a possible indication of a PFO, also. Again, this is unfortunate for a diver.

Check

As the others have commented, this requires a check - before more diving - since the history indicates bubbles are entering the brain.

Dr Deco :doctor:

 

[JohnB47]

.....

I totally agree with Vladimir.

 

[JohnB47]

Conservative diving would mean...less dives and day, and not as deep? Anything else?

Conservative diving: Less frequent dives, shorter bottom times, shallower depths, less exertion, slower ascents.

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

I wondered if I could chime in on this thread. A couple weeks back, I couldn't dive due to a head cold. On our trips, we have a guide and I normally bring up the rear for safety purposes. On this trip, we had weak divers who needed babysitting. I hired a second guide, but as we headed out into the remote areas, couldn't bring him along. Long story short, I did something really, really dumb.

To help with the babysitting, I ended up finding a way to dive by first clearing all mucous and then bathing my sinuses in Afrin...not spraying Afrin, but literally using liquid. It gave me about an hour window so I could equalize. 2nd day, 1st dive using this stupid method, I had a visual aura. Didn't know what to call it until reading this thread. Was like a crescent moon made of water in my left periphery. Was buddying with a woman who's husband decided to bail that day. I let her know I may have to call the 2nd dive, but it didn't happen on the 2nd dive of Day 2.

That was July 5 and I haven't been diving since. Went to a dive doc the day after this incident who couldn't find any problem in either my eyes or ears, so I let it go after that. Congestion is now gone, but if I squeeze my nose shut and blow, left ear doesn't seem to be working like right ear. Now, I'm thinking it's best to see yet another ear specialist on the mainland, though I am someone who has problems with my left ear anyway that no specialist down here has been able to help me sort out. Maybe time for another stress test? Maybe see if I can equalize in the pool? I have about 2 weeks of diving coming up Aug. 1. We shall see.

It did scare me as I had never experienced anything like it. I assumed it was due to my own stupidity and that if I made it through without obvious damage, I was okay. Reading this timely thread leaves me concerned though I doubt my aura was caused by the same reasons. Any input? (Beyond slapping my wrist for stupidity...yes, I know.) But honestly, had to rescue one huge guy, managed to grab him by the fins and deflate his BCD and feel lucky we got through the charter without anyone in the Chamber. Yes, in retrospect I should have let him know he wasn't fit to dive, but chose instead to babysit. He did improve a bit as the week progressed. Not smart to put someone else's well being over your own, but hard not to do when you're an operator.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

Conservative diving mean...less dives and day, and not as deep? Anything else?
Iday.

Conservative would include half the dive above 20 feet. But for now please stop until you get cleared to dive. A lot of red flags have already gone up.