Diving Panglao Phillippines and skin bends.....

[doctormike]

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I read it was recommended to set to air with nitrox. Can you confirm?

Yes, that is a way of reducing your N2 loading... just asking since some people figure it’s safer to use nitrox and then dive nitrox tables which really doesn’t change your DCS risk, all other things being equal.

Of course, you need to respect the MOD of your actual mix and track your real O2 clock, but the clock is rarely a problem with recreational diving.

 

[uncfnp]

Dive highest nitrox available for the dive and dive a conservative computer or with computer set for air. I prefer a conservative computer since it adds other conservative factors besides a
shorter NDL.
Avoid exercise before and after the dive.
If a week or more of diving take a day off mid week,
Extend safety stops to at least 5 minutes.
No hot showers or hot tubs soon after dives.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Yes it was March 2016. He was seen at Anthony Key Resort clinic by a Dive Dr. I can't remember his name. Since he wasn't symptomatic he didn't have to go in the chamber. It wasn't a normal rash (I'm a RN). It was something I had never seen before. Blue/purple streaks all over my husbands abdomen. He was very fatigued, chilled and felt like needles were being poked in his skin on his stomach the day before. He slept for a few hours then woke up feeling fine and dove again the next day. It was after that dive that the discoloration appeared and we were instructed by our DM to be seen. He hasn't dove since. We are looking at nitrox now with very conservative dives for the Philippines. If he has a repeat, he will be tested for a PFO.

Did the doctor put your husband on oxygen?
I have had the cutis marmorata form of skin bends twice. For me, it was extremely painful in the deep tissue. The mottling that look like bruises of my skin was not as bad as what you will see in the link attached below. For me, diving nitrox and losing weight appears to have been helpful.

Divers Alert Network, Skin Bends

 

[emjaty]

Did the doctor put your husband on oxygen?
I have had the cutis marmorata form of skin bends twice. For me, it was extremely painful in the deep tissue. The mottling that look like bruises of my skin was not as bad as what you will see in the link attached below. For me, diving nitrox and losing weight appears to have been helpful.

Divers Alert Network, Skin Bends

No he didn't put him on oxygen because he wasn't symptomatic at that point. However, the dive dr. did say if he would have come in a day or 2 earlier when he was symptomatic he most likely would have advised a chamber session. I'm not gonna lie...a little concerned about this diving trip. Def taking lots of precautions this time! Hydration, nitrox, one dive a day and maybe skip a day.

 

[emjaty]

Did the doctor put your husband on oxygen?
I have had the cutis marmorata form of skin bends twice. For me, it was extremely painful in the deep tissue. The mottling that look like bruises of my skin was not as bad as what you will see in the link attached below. For me, diving nitrox and losing weight appears to have been helpful.

Divers Alert Network, Skin Bends

do you have a depth limit that you now do? I've read 45 is good to start out with after skin bends. Have you extended your surface interval time as well?

 

[chillyinCanada]

How many dives has your husband done total?

As for me, I'd had hundreds prior to my events, with perhaps a 100 more in between events and hundreds more since. The only changes that I've made for what it is worth, is weight loss, nitrox and the longer safety stops with as slow a surfacing from the stop as I can manage, no hot shower to follow not even a warm one, for many hours after a dive day. I will take opportunities for longer surface intervals but that is not always possible. I take dives and/or a day off when on trips and liveaboards, as much as I dislike doing so.

Definitely follow all other tips in this thread, do longer safety stops and then as slow slow slow to the surface from there as he can go.

I'm wishing him the best.

 

[Jryan1204]

I did a refresher course and a couple of dives with Bohol Divers and found them to be fine.

 

[KenGordon]

I'm not gonna lie...a little concerned about this diving trip.

Could you do some local diving first, see how it goes? That will either improve your confidence or save a trip.

Remember too, this is a game of probability, there are factors which make a bend more likely but you can’t always point at a cause.

 

[Centrals]

Test for PFO.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

We will be going to Phillippines next month (end of May) I'm looking for recommendations for a dive shop on Alona that takes smaller groups and we can have our own guide. We are a group of 4. One in our group got skin bends last time we dove (3 years ago in Roatan--all of our dives have been there over the years). It was just a rash, no neurological problems or ride in the chamber...just a painful rash and tired. He has dove many times before this with never having any issues and we still can't figure out from his safe dive profile how it happened. From what we have read, it can happen...dehydration perhaps?? It was recommended to dive with nitrox. . Anyone use a shop that they recommend? Also, any other divers have the skin bends and want to tell us how you proceeded to dive again? Thanks!

Also, if you have another spot you like recommend let me know. I picked Alona due to Buscanga, decompression chamber close by in Bohol and other things to do other than diving, easier dives as in depth and currents. I understand Alona is touristy and can get crowded. TIA.

I hit cebu every year to dive and last year took the ferry across and stayed at the Bellevue hotel On Bohol. Recommend their Green Mango shakes. Well I recommend everyones green mango shakes over on those islands.

The Bellevue has a Scottys Dive Center and it should have all kinds of scuba rental gear including pony tanks and backplate wings even. Its a good solid safe diving operation with locations on several islands in the area. The bellevue I believe the best hotel on Bohol possibly and is high end for bohol or cebu even btw if you like nice places.

Btw Bohol is NOT crowded like the rest of the philippines. Only the port town you come into by ferry is crowded. There are NO cars on the roads of Bohol. Long straight roads. Pretty sweet compared to crowded Cebu and insanely crazy crowds of Manila.