Getting Bent

[georoc01]

I just returned from a group trip where one of our divers got into serious decompression sickness.

It was our first day, and she did three dives. She is an experienced diver, with over 1000 dives and looked fine under water, came up at a normal ascent rate with the rest of us, did a 5 minute stop. All three dives never got below 60 feet. Everything looked fine.

About an hour after the 3rd dive she collapsed. Looked like the classic symptoms of heat exhaustion. After spending an hour at the hospital, she began to show the signs on her skin that she was in trouble and they transported her to the chamber for the night.

She is being medi-evaced to Miami today and hopefully will be ok. And DAN has been great.

We had a long discussion and the biggest factors they brought up were dehydration and a lack of sleep. She had pulled an all nighter in traveling to the trip the day before. And was physically out of shape, hadn't dove in 3 years, and apparently has a history of diabetes that makes the conditions worse.

Everyone associates getting the bends with coming up too fast or spending too long under in a dive, but don't think about the other conditions that can lead to a deco situation that you don't normally think about.

[deepdiver47]

Thanks for sharing this. I am sure that it is traumatic for your group. I trust that she will fully recover.
You know what they say about disasters, it isn't just one thing but a sequence of events. In this case here physical condition.

I travel frequently overseas and my trips may take me upwards of 48 hours to get to where I need to be. I am acutely aware that during this time that rest and hydration are key factors in me not getting bent.

Hydration is huge. It is a slow process of hydrating your tissues over days that helps you stay healthy. Add to the fact that I am traveling to a hot and humid destination just makes it that much worse. Divers need to be aware that it isn't about drinking a small bottle of water just before you dive. Do not underestimate the fact that heat, fatigue and air travel can do to anyone's body.

Dave

[finflippers]

I hope she has a full and speedy recovery.

I had an instructor that got bent and his was from dehydration. I had never given much thought about getting bent from dehydration until it happened to him, since then I start drinking nothing but water and plenty of it the night before a dive and start loading up on water when I get up the day of the dive. If doing multiple dives I make sure to drink a couple bottles of water in between the dives and water on the way home from the dives. And of course I carry DAN just in case.

[Illini_Fan]

Thanks for posting -- always good to keep learning.

Larry/Joe -- should this be moved to the Accidents forum?

[georoc01]

That would be fine with me, I hadn't even noticed an accidents forum until after I posted it.

[cummings66]

Originally Posted by finflippers

I start drinking nothing but water and plenty of it the night before a dive and start loading up on water when I get up the day of the dive. If doing multiple dives I make sure to drink a couple bottles of water in between the dives and water on the way home from the dives.

To be honest, you need to really start drinking a couple days before to insure adequate hydration. It is a good idea to drink water during the SI, but you really don't need to drink 2 bottles of it unless you're hot and thirsty and need it. I myself drink about 2 bottles of water for a two dive trip and it's done throughout the trip finishing it up as we get back to shore. My routine is 1 liter in the morning, 1 in the afternoon and 1 at night. That's normally done everyday for me as well and if it's hot out and I work outside I'll drink yet another liter of water. Yup, 4 liters of water in a day if it's hot outside and I'm there. 3 otherwise.

[fire diver]

I hope she recovers fully and quickly.

It sounds like she had many strikes against her before even gearing up. Tired and dehydrated... Already been discussed.

Out of shape, no recent dives... Leads to more stress, higher heart rate, and possibly shallower breathing / harder to off-gas. Studies have shown that higher levels of exertions and heart rate cause result in increased bubble formation

Diabetes. This cuases as sorts of circulation and nerve damage. Even harder to off-gas properly.

Sounds like a case of the bends waiting for a chance to hit.

FD

[DivingsInMyBlood]

hope shes doing ok, anymore news?

[georoc01]

No I haven't..I will post more as I get it.

[lucidblue]

Thanks for posting this. I know I don't think enough about rest and dehydration, especially the rest part. I try to drink a gallon of water daily on a regular basis. However when I was on vacation diving, I didn't drink anywhere near enough water. I find that when I'm not in my daily routine I don't drink anywhere near enough water. And rest, well I rarely get get more than 5 hours of sleep a night. Definitely something I have to think about before diving.