Ryan Neely
Contributor
Disclaimer: My personal physician would consider me to be a hypochondriac. I tend to believe, instead, that I am simply hyper-vigilant of my physical condition. Potential symptoms of various illnesses do not send me into anxiety-ridden panic wherein I am certain said illness is inevitable but, rather, I tend to note the symptom and ask question with the intent of ruling out any particular illness.
Now, here's some information regarding my question:
On Tuesday, May 21st and Thursday, May 23rd, I completed my check-out dives for my Open Water Certification. These dives were conducted in a couple of mine pits in northern Minnesota. The water temperature for the dives was 50 °F and 45 °F, respectively. Our maximum depth was 30 ft. (likely due to the cold temperatures) and we were down for about 30 minutes. I was wearing a Farmer John and Jacket on these dives. (That's 13 mm around my core and 7/8 mm at my extremities.) Additionally, I had on 5 mm gloves and boots and a 4/7 mm hood.
[I mention all of this because my "gut" tells me that what I'm feeling likely has to do with the water temperature and not decompression illness.]
After each of these dives, my fingers and wrists were ... stiff.
Today, May 27th, I went on my first dive without instruction. This dive was to a depth of 27 ft. for about 40 minutes and the water temperature was 50 °F. Today, I was wearing a 5 mm wetsuit layered with a full-body Lavacore skin suit.
Today, after the dive ... after all the gear was rinsed and washed and hung to dry, I began feeling ... things. First it was the same stiffness in my fingers and wrists. Then a "tightness" in my chest, almost as if the muscles in my chest refused to fully expand. A stiffness at the tendon connections in each bicep where the muscle connects to the shoulder and the elbow. Is that itch crawling across the back of my neck and the top of my thigh another sign? What about the way the balls of my jaw are clenching the way they do just before you vomit? What about the mild headache and dizziness?
During none of the above dives did I feel physically cold. The thermal protection seemed to be doing it's job correctly.
So, I'm feeling all of these things. The logical centers of my brain are telling me it's likely from the cold water. From breathing shallower on land than normal. (I'm forced to change the way I breathe underwater to control buoyancy. Normally, I am a fill-your-lungs-to-capacity kind of guy.) Hauling all that heavy gear from the car to the shore. The hypochondriac part of me, however, the part that worries and doesn't want to be a hero instantly reaches for the worst-case scenario.
Even though my dive profile was well within the limits of no-decompression diving, I can't help but to think ... what if?
As someone who has never experienced even mild decompression sickness, I don't have anything to compare these symptoms against.
For what it's worth, I'm 41 years old, 5' 9" and 180 lbs., physically fit and, while not lean enough to be considered a bodybuilder, I am still quite muscular. Additionally, in December of last year I participated in three separate "Discover Sucba" dives on Bonaire. These dives went to a depth of 40 ft., but were in tropical waters. During these dives I did not experience any of the above symptoms. Though, it is fair to say that we had a much slower ascent during these Discover Scuba dives than on any of my three most recent dives. (Still, none of the three most recent dives wherein I've been experiencing these symptoms were still within the one-foot-per-second ascent rate.)
Does anyone have any advice regarding all of this rambling?
Now, here's some information regarding my question:
On Tuesday, May 21st and Thursday, May 23rd, I completed my check-out dives for my Open Water Certification. These dives were conducted in a couple of mine pits in northern Minnesota. The water temperature for the dives was 50 °F and 45 °F, respectively. Our maximum depth was 30 ft. (likely due to the cold temperatures) and we were down for about 30 minutes. I was wearing a Farmer John and Jacket on these dives. (That's 13 mm around my core and 7/8 mm at my extremities.) Additionally, I had on 5 mm gloves and boots and a 4/7 mm hood.
[I mention all of this because my "gut" tells me that what I'm feeling likely has to do with the water temperature and not decompression illness.]
After each of these dives, my fingers and wrists were ... stiff.
Today, May 27th, I went on my first dive without instruction. This dive was to a depth of 27 ft. for about 40 minutes and the water temperature was 50 °F. Today, I was wearing a 5 mm wetsuit layered with a full-body Lavacore skin suit.
Today, after the dive ... after all the gear was rinsed and washed and hung to dry, I began feeling ... things. First it was the same stiffness in my fingers and wrists. Then a "tightness" in my chest, almost as if the muscles in my chest refused to fully expand. A stiffness at the tendon connections in each bicep where the muscle connects to the shoulder and the elbow. Is that itch crawling across the back of my neck and the top of my thigh another sign? What about the way the balls of my jaw are clenching the way they do just before you vomit? What about the mild headache and dizziness?
During none of the above dives did I feel physically cold. The thermal protection seemed to be doing it's job correctly.
So, I'm feeling all of these things. The logical centers of my brain are telling me it's likely from the cold water. From breathing shallower on land than normal. (I'm forced to change the way I breathe underwater to control buoyancy. Normally, I am a fill-your-lungs-to-capacity kind of guy.) Hauling all that heavy gear from the car to the shore. The hypochondriac part of me, however, the part that worries and doesn't want to be a hero instantly reaches for the worst-case scenario.
Even though my dive profile was well within the limits of no-decompression diving, I can't help but to think ... what if?
As someone who has never experienced even mild decompression sickness, I don't have anything to compare these symptoms against.
For what it's worth, I'm 41 years old, 5' 9" and 180 lbs., physically fit and, while not lean enough to be considered a bodybuilder, I am still quite muscular. Additionally, in December of last year I participated in three separate "Discover Sucba" dives on Bonaire. These dives went to a depth of 40 ft., but were in tropical waters. During these dives I did not experience any of the above symptoms. Though, it is fair to say that we had a much slower ascent during these Discover Scuba dives than on any of my three most recent dives. (Still, none of the three most recent dives wherein I've been experiencing these symptoms were still within the one-foot-per-second ascent rate.)
Does anyone have any advice regarding all of this rambling?
