New Diver Paranoia

[Neilwood]

I'm with the guys above - you are probably just very tired due to it being new & your not being used to it. Hauling scuba kit around is not easy and it does take a bit of adapting to.

Try to relax as much as possible.

 

[Nicmac]

Thanks everyone, I took today off to rest and don't feel as tired although my legs feel a bit heavy and weird. I have done my last 3 dives on Nitrox and take my exam tomorrow so I'm hoping that will help. Have mentioned my concerns to my instructor and he seems to think I am being silly.

I have done all dives with an instructor and have been conservative and safe. I think it is the article I read about people getting sick from shallow and conservative dives and I think I am.working myself up about it as from what I have read it would be very unlucky to get sick from these dives.

 

[nolatom]

Your instructor might have termed it "overly cautious" rather than "silly". Your fears aren't irrational, but they may be a bit over-cooked.

Diving's safe if you follow the rules. And not safe if you don't. You've been following the rules. And you might like Nitrox, and the principle that you don't load nitrogen as quickly with that mix than with air, may give you more peace of mind. Which latter might give you some physical and psychological relief as well?

Best wishes.

 

[M DeM]

I'm a new diver, so perhaps I have no right to comment but I know these things are helpful to me:

• don't overdo the caffeine the morning of
• don't have hooch the night before
• DRINK WATER ON THE BOAT. THEN DRINK SOME MORE.
• But don't drink water after dinner or you'll spend the whole night getting up to pee.
• Wear chapstick on the boat. (Salt Water + cracks in lips = ouch]

And this is something my "Peak Buoyancy" instructor taught me: when you're on the boat, visualize. In fact, she suggested learning to meditate. I don't know how, but I have tried visualizing. She suggests just visualizing yourself floating effortless in the water looking at fishies.

I know from running that over-exertion makes my lips and tongue tingle. (But I was at my max BPM which you definitely should not be underwater).

But seriously -- dehydration. (Not to confuse you, but if you're already hydrating don't OVERDO it, or you risk hyponatremia which shows the same symptoms as dehydration. But we're talking drinking about a gallon every 5 hours or something.)

 

[Tippytoes12]

I honestly think that this is just exhaustion , coming from the winter in the UK and doing all of these courses is a lot. The Maldives is a more expensive destination than many more , so try and relax and enjoy it. Unless you have many of the risk factors for DCS , I oils habpve thought that it’s most unlikely that you are anywhere near your Decompression Limit. Try and get some fun dives in before you go home.

 

[Jonny Wishbone]

Getting a little dizzy on accent near the surface I think is normal. At least for me it is. I experience that about half the time. I think it is caused by an unequal pressure difference in your middle ears. One eustachian tube might be a little tighter than the other. Mine goes away almost as fast as it comes on.

 

[Scubis]

Here's your solutions in 6 easy steps. Assuming of course that you are diving a safe conservative dive profile.

Eat a good breakfast. Stay hydrated. Eat continuously throughout your dive day/between dives. Stay hydrated. Get Nitrox Certified. Stay Hydrated. =)

As relaxing as diving is, it still takes a lot out of your body. Especially continuous diving. You need calories to burn for energy and warmth even in warm water. Proper hydration keeps your body functioning optimally. Some of old school divers who dove canisters filled with whisky and pumped by their garage compressor and before there were real certifications will say that nitrox doesn't do anything for you and is a waste of money. I fully disagree. Having led many dive trips, I can say for certain, because I was actually curious myself, that the groups that dove nitrox tended to have a lot more energy, dove more, and would be up for more post dive shenanigans than the groups that did not dive nitrox. It's a relatively inexpensive class. If you could do it there, I believe it will enhance your experience.

Hope that helps!

 

[Lorenzoid]

have now done 7 dives in 4 days. Everything is going fine except I have I believe an irrational fear of getting DCI.

It has been said that the extent to which the OW course dwells on DCI can give a student the false impression that DCI is the most common cause of dive injuries. It's good to understand DCI and keep a healthy respect for the seriousness of DCI. However, keep in mind that if you follow the rules--computer, dive tables, common sense, etc.--your likelihood of getting DCI is very very low. As others have said, although it may be too much for a course, 7 dives in 4 days is not "pushing it" at all. It is not unusual for one to do 4 dives per day for several consecutive days during a trip.

 

[Nicmac]

Thanks everyone for your replies, it is much appreciated. I've now completed my advanced, DVP and Nitrox certification and have my final dive before I go tommorow.

I'm definitely not as tired as I have been so that's good but still getting reoccurring pain in upper arm, knee and ankle, it comes and goes but as everyone has said it is most likely the strain of a newbie so I am trying to relax and enjoy!

 

[mallbritton]

I agree with what everyone else has said. It's probably just that you're a new diver and not used to all the exertion. Definitely stayed hydrated. I'd also suggest you make sure your mask isn't too tight, and try not to bite so hard on the regulator mouthpiece. And relax! You're on vacation, after all.