Nitrox for older divers

[EFX]

I use nitrox on every dive. Once I hit 35 I decided the risk was just too great to do otherwise.

Ha! Is that 35 years old or 35 feet?

 

[AfterDark]

So, this is entirely on anecodotal evidence, but after an incident I had, I started asking every diver I met while traveling and at local meetup groups.

Nearly 100% have said they've either had incidents of extreme tiredness, headaches, some shoulder pain, etc at some point in their diving career. They went on to say that they probably had mild DCS symptoms.

Again, these probably don't qualify as clinical cases, but we know that as we ascend, even slowly, there probably is always some bubbling going on.

I don't claim to be any expert or have any stats on this, but just start asking around yourself. I also am not commenting on the severity of these symptoms. I just choose to use nitrox because I believe it decreases risk given the same profile/time.

For tiredness a longer safety stop will do the same for a diver as nitrox it doesn't cost a penny more, you spend more time in the water and you don't have the depth restrictions (MOD) as nitrox.

IMO nitrox shines for live aboard multi-diving that's where it'll cut down on possible DCS. If your diving one or two dives on a weekend nitrox is doing nothing for you a 10 minute SS can't do.

 

[-Moe]

Ha! Is that 35 years old or 35 feet?

Whichever comes first lol

 

[ls1dreams]

Fair

For tiredness a longer safety stop will do the same for a diver as nitrox it doesn't cost a penny more, you spend more time in the water and you don't have the depth restrictions (MOD) as nitrox.

IMO nitrox shines for live aboard multi-diving that's where it'll cut down on possible DCS. If your diving one or two dives on a weekend nitrox is doing nothing for you a 10 minute SS can't do.

Fair enough, though you could do both!

 

[MichaelMc]

My best evidence of Nitrox general usefulness was the report that Wookie converted his boat to include Nitrox in all packages instead of as an add on. His boat's DCS rate plummeted. Good enough for me.

Plus it makes it easier to stay further on the good side of the fuzzy DCS line while still seeing as many pretty fish.

Seems fairly straight forward.

 

[boulderjohn]

Since nitrox came into general use, DCS cases have declined less than one-tenth of a percent. There is only a minuscule reduction of risk. Nitrox does give me more ndl, which is the only reason I use it.

Wow! I have never seen that statistic before. COuld you cite the source?

 

[AfterDark]

My best evidence of Nitrox general usefulness was the report that Wookie converted his boat to include Nitrox in all packages instead of as an add on. His boat's DCS rate plummeted. Good enough for me. Plus it makes it easier to stay further from the good side of the fuzzy DCS line while still seeing as many pretty fish.

During the last 52 years I have conducted 2089 dives, 200+ of those dives were air only deco dives, approx. 75 dives were below what today is rec max depth, the rest between 100FSW and 130FSW but of long duration. A majority of the remaining dives have max depths ranging from 25' to 130' NDL dives. I have used nitrox on 2 dives on a dive site that I had logged over 100 air only, including deco dives on. I was able to hit the nitrox NDL (for me that is 1 min before the actual max) because I had IDs and 140cuft of gas. If I had done that dive with a 96cuft tank I would have not gotten near the air NDL never mind the nitrox NDL. Post dives I felt no different then I do after an air dive of the same duration and 12 minute SS, my standard SS on that dive. I have yet to suspect I've had DCS, 52 years and counting....

 

[MichaelMc]

During the last 52 years I have conducted 2089 dives, 200+ of those dives were air only deco dives, approx. 75 dives were below what today is rec max depth, the rest between 100FSW and 130FSW but of long duration. A majority of the remaining dives have max depths ranging from 25' to 130' NDL dives. I have used nitrox on 2 dives on a dive site that I had logged over 100 air only, including deco dives on. I was able to hit the nitrox NDL (for me that is 1 min before the actual max) because I had IDs and 140cuft of gas. If I had done that dive with a 96cuft tank I would have not gotten near the air NDL never mind the nitrox NDL. Post dives I felt no different then I do after an air dive of the same duration and 12 minute SS, my standard SS on that dive. I have yet to suspect I've had DCS, 52 years and counting....

I'm really lost by you answer, beyond you did a bunch of dives and do not see a difference. Cool. I stand by less N2 is better.

 

[AfterDark]

Ha! Is that 35 years old or 35 feet?

Nitrox was in not common use for sport diving when I turned 35, but I managed to survive without it...somehow.

 

[AfterDark]

I'm really lost by you answer, beyond you did a bunch of dives and do not see a difference. Cool. I stand by less N2 is better.

Never been bent, no DCS, no nitrox, is my point. It is just as anecdotal as your post about Wookie was.

Less N2 than what? Once you hit your NDL with or without nitrox you have absorbed the same amount of N2 unless you are using the air NDL, and we all know nitrox does nothing for narcosis. So the only place your getting less N2 is in your gas, it just takes a little longer to get absorbed in your blood.