Uncontrolled breathing and mask squeeze at JB.

[jcook]

Drysuit was inflated. I keep off the squeeze and like to keep a little gas in my legs for trim.

I am taking medication for sleep but consulted with a diving physician before ever taking it. I was told it would be out of my system well before I got in the water. I have dove while using this medication for at least a dozen dives now, with no ill effect. I dove the very next day at Madison and had a perfect dive with no symptoms, plus I took the medication the night before. I worked a heck of a lot harder on the dive at Madison than my one at JB, so I am at a loss for an explanation. All I did on my drive home to Atlanta was think about what possibly caused it, I have gone over every option with nothing.

FWIW I dive a rebreather sometimes and have purposely gave myself a (mild) CO2 hit, to know what to expect. Plus during my CCR course my instructor had us breathe CO2 (on the surface), to have an idea of what effect it had on us. This was nothing like I have ever felt, CO2 gives a narrowing of the field of vision, plus a kinda narced feeling. What happened to me at JB, my mind was still sharp, it was just my body telling me to relax and give up. I never felt narced in any way.

[JCGoodwin]

Glad you are ok jcook!
Sounds like you have had quite a come to Jesus moment.
I have had several of those in different contexts but both have been fairly easy to untangle.
Yours is not so easy but it could have been a combo of all the factors.
It numbs me to think that our physiology can be so different on any given dive on the same day!
But the fact of it it can and it will be, there are times are bodies want to revolt!

You are very correct in turning the dive when you first sense the onset of trouble.
I have pushed a few dives in OW but in the cave NO WAY!
Just not worth it!
Another day or another dive the same day everything will be good!

JCG

[JamesK]

Jordan,
That is a crazy event that seems to have no cause. It could have simply been your mind. Our mind will do crazy things for what appears to be no reason. This shows how much one person can struggle with themselves. I amnglad you are OK, and that you came out of this.

[billb]

Just wondering how you were able to clear your mask after you removed it and put it back on
Did the problem go away?

[skip]

Exercise induced asthma? Diving is exercise, despite the free floating weightless feeling and the apparent ease of movement underwater. Add a sinus squeeze (can't breathe out of nose), and an eyeball squeeze, which increases anxiety no doubt, and it may be that this particular combination of events at this particular time.... once breathing gets out of whack it doesn't just come back into whack, but takes time and attention - maybe even attention off breathing and onto something else, like a goal of slowly swimming out. a slight squeeze on descent down the chimney may also turn into a block (or reverse block as some say) upon ascent.

I once did not turn valves on all the way and during the dive it got harder to breath, not enough at first to notice much, but as I kept going I was soon sucking air...of course I turned the valves and it was resolved instantly, but my hard sucking breathing had already caused a CO2 buildup and it took a bit for my breathing to return to normal. Regs may breath fine on the surface, then deliver just enough air at depth so you don't notice until there's a problem. then on ascent, they return to giving full breath. I'd check the regs on one of those test machines. I'd also look into that exercise-induced asthma thing. health issues change over time and what was once easy and mild, may be on it's way to more pronounced.

How often have you dove alone? New to solo diving? My first few cave solo dives were scary, more so than I would have thought. I know my anxiety level, even now after years of solo cave dives, is much higher solo than with a buddy. I think of it as that little extra bit to help me pay more attention. so add heightened anxiety (even if a little) to the mix?

skip

[AB8CD]

I am not familiar with the Florida caves. What were your depths? The mask squeeze could certainly explain the eye pressure and broken blood vessels. I have had some sinus issues that resulted in bloody mucus. My daughter has dealt with anaphalactic (spelling?) issues for some time. Some have involved an epi injection and hospitalization, some have been resolved with benadryl and resting. We have still been unable to determine what she is allergic to (may be a combination of things). I should note that she never had a problem for the first 19 years of her life then... sudden onset.

+ 1 on DAN email.

[TONY CHANEY]

Very good answer Skip. About what I was thinking. I am glad that you made it out Jordon. Just my opinion but it sounds like you are somewhat playing down the chance of it being an asthma attack. That is the very first thing that I would be considering. Are you using your Peak flow meter 2-3 times a day? Meds? Advair, albuterol, atrovent, etc. I work as a Respiratory therapist and I see asthma attacks flair up very fast.

[a64pilot]

I've had exercise asthma for a very long time. I think many people do, just they don't push themselves hard enough to get into it. For me , it was running in the Military that I first ran into it. To get it, I have to have been running so hard and so long that I am about to or have already puked, but the thing about exercise induced asthma is you can continue to push yourself and you work through the symptoms, they are temporary. That is not to say that maybe you have developed full blown asthma, some people do as they age.

[Greenwood_60]

I've had exercise asthma for a very long time. I think many people do, just they don't push themselves hard enough to get into it. For me , it was running in the Military that I first ran into it. To get it, I have to have been running so hard and so long that I am about to or have already puked, but the thing about exercise induced asthma is you can continue to push yourself and you work through the symptoms, they are temporary. That is not to say that maybe you have developed full blown asthma, some people do as they age.

I'm in the same boat. Hit's every year the first couple time I have to run hard in the cold (relative). Lot's of fun. I am expecting it tomorrow night.

[Squirrel Girl]

Me, three.