1st day at the Quary

[Dawn]

Well, 1st time down went well. I was fine. Took a break for lunch and felt real uncomfortable about left ear.(I've been fighting an ear infection for 10 days prior). Went down anyway and got dizzy! Tried again, did okay and then as soon as we started to swim off, I got dizzy and upset stomach. So my husband and I went up. At 12ft I got that dizzy feeling again, took two breaths and thought I would pass out so I headed for the top! Couldn't dive the next day because the dizziness got so bad. Felt like I was drunk and sick to my stomach! Now I'm a bit scared! Can someone calm me down and tell me that when my ears are better, I'll feel better? Has this happened to anyone else on this board?
P.S. I am heading to the Dr. again,ASAP!

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Dawn,

Episodes of dizziness & nausea in an otherwise healthy diver are most often the result of unequal middle ear pressures or temperatures. Such inequalities can be caused by infections or other processes that impede the normal & symmetrical movement of air & fluids around the ear system.

The spatial disorientation & anxiety attendant upon episodes of vertigo while diving obviously can be quite dangerous. For this reason, it is unwise to scuba with an unresolved infection or other condition that obstructs either external or internal ear passageways.

This material is educational only and does not indicate or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other indiviudal, and should not be construed as such.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[Dawn]

Thanks Doc, I did go to the Dr. and my head is still dizzy and I am still nauseous. So I am a little more comfortable about the idea of diving again. Now that I know my problems were truly due to my ear and not my mind, if you will. So I will give it an extra week or so once I'm feelig better, before I try to finish my certification. I guess my inner ear was pretty bad. Never had this problem before.

 

[BetterLateThannever]

Hey Dawn. Yeah, that sounds real familiar. I had to interrupt my Cert training earlier this month because of previously unbeknownst to me sinus blockage. It seems that conditions like ours which may be minor in our everyday environments are much more noticeable at depth. After a couple of weeks of medication mine got better.

Good luck.

Jimbo