Best ~ $140 I've ever spent

[DandyDon]

I was just diving. Five other people had the exact same profile as I did over a two day span. All dives were nitrox. mixes were tested, and the dives were well within limits of the most conservative computer. I took the hit, everyone else was fine and continued their diving. I exercise 3-4 times weekly , I am not obese and I am in my 50's. I was probably less hydrated than I should have been.

I was surprised to see that DAN had discounted dehydration as a significant risk factor. It's always good to stay hydrated for any activities, but it's not the common cause of bends we used to think. I know that Dr.P and many other chamber docs still mention it, but then their focus is not really to determine the why of a hit, but to treat for resolution - which of course you received.

No one knows why you were hit on such benign diving, and there is just nothing there to even suggest it? It just happens at times, rarely - but many hits are unexplained. There currently a lot of debate on PFOs but that is far from settled. It would probably be a good idea to get with a dive doc at DAN or Duke, send them copies of all of your records and your computer profiles, and see if they find anything missed before.

As I said, I saw a lady take a worse hit in Coz once, from pretty casual first day diving, and no one could ever find a reason for it - not the docs in Coz, Miami ICU where she went next, DAN or Duke, just unexplained, and she didn't wake up for weeks. Caca happens.

 

[cvchief]

Why would you think I'd just have one beer with lunch? I've had lunch beers all the time in Bonaire, they make for very peaceful afternoon dives. However, if I'm on a cruiseship, by default I'll be staggering before I even get off the ship.

Yea, what was I thinking. I guess I thought you might have been nursing a hangover and not yet to the hair of the dog....

 

[scubavaquera]

Dmeeve, I am glad you are ok. I am not interested in nitpicking your incident, but would like to gain a better understanding for building my own knowledge base. I was surprised to see that your Cutaneous DCS (skin bends) was diagnosed as a type II hit, as I think that those kinds usually present with more serious symptoms. I believe that skin bends alone is classified as a type I. In my experience, skin bends are very often treated and resolved by breathing oxygen. I am curious if they tried putting you on an oxygen treatment before giving you your chamber rides. Did you also have any other symptoms at all, like joint pain, in additon to your skin rash and a nice rack of moobs? Again, please don't take my questions as an affront, but mearly as me trying to become a more informed diver. (And I agree that DAN is a very good investment.)

 

[ggunn]

One of us must be the outlier. Me, the guy who routinely dives severely hungover and underhydrated, over 600 dives and never bent? Or the OP. I guess I'm just lucky, but I always attributed it to skill.

Now THAT'S funny!

 

[Pelagicsal]

Why isn't there a Sigh button?

 

[diverokc]

Well i got bent in coz. in sept. Did the same chamber rides as dmeeve. Since everyone is different- my pains started in my abdomen the night before. I wrote off the dull pain as to much activity. went diving the next day- pain returned and moved into mhy chest, By the time i got to the chamber my head and arms went numb and i was seeing light flashes. I had done four dives that first day- which of course Dr. Piccolo said was to much. I think i just had the skin bends the first day and moved to type 2 dcs when i went diving the next day. I have been diving since and am just taking it very very slow. Was in cozumel in nov. and had no problems Between my primary ins. and DAN i was reimbursed 100 percent., Only thing i had to pay before leaving was $550 US for a night in the hospital.

 

[KD8NPB]

Did you do a 3 to 5 minute safety stop?
Did you do a 1 to 3 minute "deep stop"?

 

[dmeeve]

Unless he has some super x-ray vision, he's just guessing.

Coincidently he did. He said he was originally going to go for the sea monkeys, but thought the x-ray glasses were both practical and fun, especially at the beach, so he went for those. He also mentioned he was thinking of getting his law degree since that would enable him to make a diagnosis based purely on anecdotal evidence and personal opinion without having to go through all the hassle of actually examining the patient or letting facts get in the way.

nos vemos

 

[Mike]

Dmeeve, I am glad you are ok. I am not interested in nitpicking your incident, but would like to gain a better understanding for building my own knowledge base. I was surprised to see that your Cutaneous DCS (skin bends) was diagnosed as a type II hit, as I think that those kinds usually present with more serious symptoms. I believe that skin bends alone is classified as a type I. In my experience, skin bends are very often treated and resolved by breathing oxygen. I am curious if they tried putting you on an oxygen treatment before giving you your chamber rides. Did you also have any other symptoms at all, like joint pain, in additon to your skin rash and a nice rack of moobs? Again, please don't take my questions as an affront, but mearly as me trying to become a more informed diver. (And I agree that DAN is a very good investment.)

When you have a hammer, everything is a nail. When you have a chamber, that's how you treat everything. Better safe than sorry, better to do a ride than to not. And your statement about the 4 dives done the day before is what many seem to miss in this equation that there can be a cummulative issue, and it's not always just the profile of the dive you were last on.

 

[DandyDon]

Well i got bent in coz. in sept. Did the same chamber rides as dmeeve. Since everyone is different- my pains started in my abdomen the night before. I wrote off the dull pain as to much activity. went diving the next day- pain returned and moved into mhy chest, By the time i got to the chamber my head and arms went numb and i was seeing light flashes. I had done four dives that first day- which of course Dr. Piccolo said was to much. I think i just had the skin bends the first day and moved to type 2 dcs when i went diving the next day. I have been diving since and am just taking it very very slow. Was in cozumel in nov. and had no problems Between my primary ins. and DAN i was reimbursed 100 percent., Only thing i had to pay before leaving was $550 US for a night in the hospital.

Whoa?! Bent in Sept, diving 2 months later? Wonder why DAN didn't pay for that night?