inert gas...

[Stu]

The only Inert gas I've ever used in diving was argon, I did hear that the chris and crissy rouse once experimented with an argon breathing mix. not sure what they were trying to acomplish, because argon leaves your body much slower than nitrogen so it doesnt make much sense to use...

But a basic trimix of argon, nitrogen and oxygen would also give you less narcotic effect at depth, avoid some of the chill of breathing helium, and probably be a whole lot cheaper. However, from what I understand, Helium is the least narcotic gas on the planet. While Argon may allow you to hit (just a random guess, before any Trimix gurus clobber me for my "facts") 500 ft without narcosis, Helium may go twice that on a well planned mix. However, I agree that you may have to take the extra hang time to get it out of your system on the way back up. Worthwhile? That's probably why they were just experimenting with it....
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[Gary]

But a basic trimix of argon, nitrogen and oxygen would also give you less narcotic effect at depth,

I think you are thinking Neon... argon should be a little more then twice the narcosis of Nitrogen.

[DeWayne]

That's what I was thinking. I've read accounts of the old school guys breathing argon/air mixtures sitting on their couches in an attempt to learn how to deal with narcosis at extreme depths. If it will narc you on your couch, hate to see the effect at depth.

[NitroxWarrior]

I didnt know it was so narcotic at sea level even, I wonder how dangerous it is. Teenagers might stop snuffing brake cleaner and start breathing argon mixes to get high, never thought being narced was very pleasurable though, lol...

but anyway I have a question,
I'm not certified to use trimix and I have never tried so I don't know about all this stuff, thats why i have this question. When using heliox do you have to undergo any decompression at all? can the helium eventually build up to the point in which decompression is needed like with nitrogen?
I know the helium makes you cold but theres ways of getting around that(i.e. batter powered heating pad, lol)

[Gary]

Plenty of Deco with Heliox. Starts sooner and deeper but the stops tend shorter and faster. Can actually be an advantage on diver with deco longer then about an hour.

I can't imagine Argon being much of a thrill at sea level. I did my experimentation with Nitrous Oxide which is something like 20 times as narcotic as Nitrogen (and about 10 times argon). Nitrous Oxide use by teenagers isn't something new either - they already do it. I'm sure it's a lot healthier then brake cleaner or most of the other horrible asphyxiant fumes they snuff. I did hear about a pool drowning associated with Nitrous though. It's very narcotic on the surface - at 16 ft depth it's an anesthesia (1.5 ata x 20 = 33 ata nitrogen or 637ft nitrogen narcosis equivalent) (ref: IANTD Technical Diver Encyclopedia p104)

[pst]

If you breath pure argon it only takes a couple of breaths to pass out. Since it contains zero percent oxygen, the oxygen will not only be metabolized but also off gassed - tissue hypoxia.

I suggest try breathing argon sitting on your couch. Take deep breaths. Just make sure someone can catch you so you don't hurt yourself when you pass out. I mean it, seriously.

Peter

[JLH]

That can be very dangerous for the very reasons you stated.

[Sid]

If you breath pure argon it only takes a couple of breaths to pass out. Since it contains zero percent oxygen, the oxygen will not only be metabolized but also off gassed - tissue hypoxia.

I suggest try breathing argon sitting on your couch. Take deep breaths. Just make sure someone can catch you so you don't hurt yourself when you pass out. I mean it, seriously.

Peter

Don't breath anything but air on the couch, argon is heavier than air, it might be difficult to get rid of it while your laying there passed out not breathing and well dying, also don't sit around beathing anything else that has no 02 in cause well thaat will kill you too possibly

[Caver95]

I like darwin, Please feel free to breath what ever you want. don't let anyone tell you that you can't prove them wrong.

[tanto]

I think there is a bit of confusion between death and loss of conciousness.
Two deep breaths of any inert gas are sufficient to wash out oxygen from the lungs and make you lose conciousness immediately. I do believe this is from the body attempting to protect the vital organs, like in shallow water black-out when breath-holding, so I believe that the heart would continue to beat for some time before you actually die.
A simple experiment can be done, we did it, that's why and how I learned: take a tank of helium and breathe off it, to speak like donald duck; if, to maximize the donald duck effect you completely exale prior to inhaling helium, and exale again completely to wash out all the air you had in the lungs, you lose conciousness and fall down. Of course, if you only partially exale, it takes three or four breaths.
Do it gradually and you learn to almost faint, it's quite an awful experience, I would recommend to have someone capable of cpr next to you. Or take my word for it.
The anesthetic used by the doctors is added with oxygen, is never used pure.