Narc'ed - what does it do to you

[geraldp]

one of my most interesting narcosis (in fact any diving) experience was diving in a chamber.

We were taken to 100fsw and just the fact that the density of the air at that depth gives you squeaky voice was enough to give everyone the unstoppable giggles, that and the fact thatoyu cant whistle at that depth.

OK now I'm curious... what excitement brought you to your ride in a chamber?

 

[Snowbear]

OK I'm a bit confused...

Sorry - I'll try to clear it up...

I also don't know how deep the Munson is.

IIRC, it was ~110' to the mud and ~90'+ at the deck.

I thought one of the benefits of diving different gasses is that they can lower the depth of when Nitrogen Narcosis hits you.

You are correct. The Helium replaces some of the Nitrogen, reducing the narcotic effects of the Nitrogen.

So should you have felt a narcosis on the Munson when diving 32% nitrox?

Yes. There is very little difference in the narcotic effects of air vs nitrox. The O2 decreases the amount of Nitrogen your body absorbs. There is very little effect on the narcotic effect. The Helium is what changes that.

Forgive my ignorance but what gas did you switch from at 70ft?

The gas switch at 70' was from 30/30 (30% Helium, 30% Oxygen, the rest - 40% - Nitrogen) to the deco gas, which was 50% Nitrox. The narcosis that hit me was surprisingly strong at only 70', which is a depth most folks say they don't get narced. If I descend to 70' on an EAN or Air mix, I don't generally notice much effect at 70'. It was when switching from the very low narcotic potential of the 30/30 to the higher narcotic potential of the Nitrox that I noticed the effect.

Does that help?

 

[cobaltbabe]

Would those be double pinks???

Don't you remember that I am the vic-president of D.A.P.S.

DIVERS AGAINST PINK STUFF.

 

[MB104]

Now here's the question. What symptoms do you have when you get Narc'ed? I know we all are different but was just curious.

I've been "Narc'ed" a few times and would describe it like driving home after working a night shift and feeling a little "dopey". We all have driven tired and shaken it off. This is how I react when narc'ed. Almost like a wet dog shaking off his coat (but not as drastic).

I know that if I dive air, I will get the feeling between 90-105'. Oddly enough I have felt the "feeling" as shallow as 60 but only for a short few seconds. I have never had it bad enough where I felt the need to call the dive, but have had to ascend to a shallower depth to help the symptoms go away.

 

[cobaltbabe]

I've been "Narc'ed" a few times and would describe it like driving home after working a night shift and feeling a little "dopey". We all have driven tired and shaken it off. This is how I react when narc'ed. Almost like a wet dog shaking off his coat (but not as drastic).

I know that if I dive air, I will get the feeling between 90-105'. Oddly enough I have felt the "feeling" as shallow as 60 but only for a short few seconds. I have never had it bad enough where I felt the need to call the dive, but have had to ascend to a shallower depth to help the symptoms go away.

....that although most of experience basically the same thing with a few exceptions. We don't all have tunnel vision and we don't all see pink elephants. For me the motor skills were the big issue. That was the one thing that really bothered me.

 

[mddolson]

Now here's the question. What symptoms do you have when you get Narc'ed? I know we all are different but was just curious.

I start to notice the symptoms of narcosis at about 110 ft.
The first is usually my hearing, the exhaust bubbles from my regulator passing by my ears make a metalic crackling sound some what like an empty coke can being crinckled or twisted. It is very irritating.

The next (about 125 ft) is a feeling of extreme anxiety, or nervousness, along with a "full head feeling". The full head I difficult to explain , something like when you've got a bad sinus cold all congested, and a dopy feeling like you've take too much medication.

The anxiety increases with depth. I have been reported shouting into my regulator to cancel the dive, and even shaking by buddy pretty rough because I didn't think he got the message.

I remember on a 140 ft dive, I was coping with these symptoms, when I got the feeling I had lost bouyancy control, and was suddenly bouyant. We had been swimmin near the bottom and I was looking off into the clear gray waters of the St lawrence River so I had no visual reference, when I got the feeling. I immediately rolled to my right to vent my BC, when I saw the bottom , right there infront of me, I was not rising, but neutral.
The sensation passed once I regained a visual reference.

Now when I dive below 120 ft I use trimix.
Related exposures or so called training have not improve my abilty to manage the narcosis.

Helium does work.

Mike D

 

[Tom R]

Now when I dive below 120 ft I use trimix.
Related exposures or so called training have not improve my abilty to manage the narcosis.

Helium does work.

Mike D

Smartest thing I read on this board in a while

 

[mddolson]

Thanks Tom,

I've heard lots of chatter about deep air training.
It just does not make sense to me, to try to dive while that narc'd.
I blend my mix for NED of 110 ft and I'm sharp and clear.
Just makes sense to me.

Mike D

 

[d33ps1x]

I've heard lots of chatter about deep air training.
It just does not make sense to me, to try to dive while that narc'd.

Sorry Mike. I couldn't hear you over Captain Wawawa. What did you say about balloon gas?

note: the above is Canuck humour Hopefully Boogie912 doesn't give me an unsolicited slap with his diving bible over it.

 

[R_Deluca]

note: the above is Canuck humour Hopefully Boogie912 doesn't give me an unsolicited slap with his diving bible over it.

Better be carefull, Boogie912 has a pretty big bible!