Diving with hangovers

[jimdiverman]

We know the safe diving rules. We must be responsible for ourselves and others who we dive with. I know that many people with hangovers dive but do you want to be calling DAN? Drinking and diving increases the risk of DCS basic knowledge. Dive safe.

I don't know this because I don't plan to drink and dive, but does anyone know if DAN still covers you in the event of a diving emergency if you are willfully negligent by diving under the influence or in a hung over state?

Just wondering...

 

[DiverBizz]

Oh good question jimdiverman. I never even thought of coverage issues with drinking and diving. I don't dive if I drink the night before. Just a good rule of safety for me. Good question for DAN forum.

 

[nereas]

Here's a timely, New Year's Day, topic -- Diving with hangovers

As many of us dive on vacations we inevitably stumble into a dive shop or onto a boat with a ripping hangover.

Any surefire hangover remedies?

I remember in the Philippines a dive instructor would take a mix 40% Nitrox for a shallow, warm water dive in the morning and claim that was the best cure.

I once did a freezing 45 degree cold water dive -- in a 7 mm wet suit -- with a horrible hangover. The cold water worked and at splash down it was gone.

But for me, it has just been the Gatorade or banana shake to clear the head and make the early morning dive.

What are your cures? Any are there any serious health worries from diving with a hangover? We're taught that dehydration can increase risk of decompression illness. Anyone here of a case of the bends where a hangover was a real factor?

A single glass or two of wine or spirits before, with, or after your dinner on a dive trip should not be a problem on a day to day basis. You do need such limits, though.

If you must get soused on a dive trip, it would be better to restrain yourself until after the third day of diving, then take the 4th day off. Booze really dehydrates you, so you should drink a lot of water and juices on the 4th day to recover your fitness to dive.

Boozing is not as bad as smoking for your diving, although if you cannot restrain yourself for a few days for the sake of a safe dive trip, then you probably should consider detoxification treatment before you go.

And should you dive while afflicted with a hangover (dehydration and headache)? The short answer is "No." The cure is temperance and self control.

 

[nereas]

I've only been witness to one case of DCS requiring a chamber ride since I started diving in 77'. The guy was crew on the Bottom Scratcher and got hit on his first dive of the day. He was healthy, young and in shape. He was also very hung over.

There are quite a few local divers who give the recompression chamber business due to their "deco on the fly." Other than these, the only other person whom I know of who required a chamber visit was due to excessing boozing during a dive trip.

Therefore I would steer clear of both, to be safe.

 

[ev780]

For the record my earlier post had a bit of a troll factor. But only about 10%.

There are a group of divers who are total cowboys that are just plain dangerous!!
There are group of divers that were toilet trained at gun point!!
The rest of us fit into the rest of the bell curve. We load up on Psuedofed, and Afrin when a cold impinges on our vacation. A few too many the night before and we use our cures and hit the water. Differing levels for everyone.

Aboout the DAN insurance question. If insurance didn't pay when we did something stupid then we would not need insurance. But that's a whole 'nother thread.

That's all. I'm done now.

Well almost. For the record I am in no way advocating diving under the influence of alcohol. That's dumb!!! A hang-over by my definition is the alcohol is gone and you are now paying the price. And if you can't tell the difference well that's a whole 'nother thread too.

 

[24940]

Well almost. For the record I am in no way advocating diving under the influence of alcohol. That's dumb!!! A hang-over by my definition is the alcohol is gone and you are now paying the price.

The price you are paying has a direct effect on the likelihood that you will develop DCS. That's a fact. Ignoring that fact is lower on the stupid scale than diving drunk, but it's still on the scale.

 

[jimdiverman]

This is excerpted from the DAN member benefits. Check out Exclusions - Item #9.

Exclusions for Covered Diving Accidents and Accident Medical Expense Benefits
No benefits are payable for charges for:
1. services or supplies for which an Insured Person is not required to pay or charges made only because insurance exists (subject to the right, if any, of the United States government to recover Reasonable and Customary Charges for care provided in a military or veteran’s hospital);
2. a diving accident or Injury for which benefits are paid or payable under Workers’ Compensation or any Occupational Disease or similar law whether such benefits are insured or self-insured;
3. any act due to war, declared or not;
4. Custodial Care;
5. drugs and medicine that may be obtained without written prescription and/or not furnished by and administered during a Hospital confinement as an Inpatient;
6. charges that are more than the Reasonable and Customary Charges for the services and supplies furnished;
7. Hospital services and supplies when confinement is solely for diagnostic testing purposes;
8. nervous, emotional, or mental disorders;
9. a diving accident or Injury that occurs after drug or alcohol use unless such drug was prescribed by a Physician;

 

[dkatchalov]

This is excerpted from the DAN member benefits. Check out Exclusions - Item #9.

Exclusions for Covered Diving Accidents and Accident Medical Expense Benefits
No benefits are payable for charges for:
9. a diving accident or Injury that occurs after drug or alcohol use unless such drug was prescribed by a Physician;

Nuff said.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

I've been kidding around a little in this thread. Why can't people go on vacation and have a good time without getting sloppy drunk to the point of being hungover, the next morning? I certainly do... When I'm in Cozumel or Key Largo, just soaking up the beauty, being relaxed, laughing and talking with friends, stellar diving... How is getting stinking drunk going to improve on that, especially if it means that I may end up missing a day of diving because of my lack of self control?

Maybe if a person can't refrain from getting sloppy-arsed drunk to the point of being hungover and unfit to dive, then maybe scuba is really not the sport for them in the first place. Scuba diving is fun, but it also calls for self discipline, attention to detail, and situational awareness, and it is not without the element of risk, the potential for emergencies, and situations where people may be relying on you for their very life.

What part of that is compatible with getting rip-snorting drunk? I honestly don't understand it. I'm no saint, certainly. I've had a few dives when I've been hungover. Fortunately, I learned from them and haven't repeated that behavior. Especially as I've progressed as a diver and matured a little, besides.

Anyway... For whatever it's worth...

 

[drbill]

It doesn't require that one get sloppy drunk to incur a risk of dehydration and possible DCS. In fact, it might not take much drink if one is already dehydrated from hot tropical sun and lack of proper hydration.

I, for one, will continue to exercise caution regarding drinking when I plan on diving. In addition, I will not suffer buddies who have indulged (but then most of my dives are solo anyway).

The DAN exclusion for incidents where drinking was involved is a real kicker too.

As for those folks who want to be cowboys, I hope you don't expect me to assist you.