Well, so as to quell suspision and rumor, I got a DCS hit at Ginnie on Tuesday afternoon. First dive was at 11 am did the Sherwood circut with 3 others. Nitrox 32%, Deco 80%, deep stop at 50 feet, total dive time 104 minutes including deco. Second dive after 90 min surface time was again using 32% and 80% deco, to the Worm Hole tunnel. Total dive time of 63 minutes including deco. Again did a deep stop at 50 feet. 90 minutes later when we got to Amigo's to fill up. I completely lost my hearing to my right ear. Right ear pain and pressure, severe vertigo with nausea and vomiting. Could hardly stand up. Sat down in the Van for 5-10 minutes and sommond help. Went on O2 with only slight improvement. Wife met me at Wayne's and we drove to Shands U/F ER. On oxygen all the way. By the time we got to High Springs, my ear cleared and vertigo lessened. Too late to turn back now especially since wife was driving....lol. Got to Shands and went off oxygen to get into the ER and register. In the brief time 5-10 minutes I was off O2 the symptoms rapidly returned. Well ya know what they say...the good news was that oxygen helped, the bad news that oxygen helped...Chamber Ride!!! The folks at Shands ER and the Hyperbaric team were great. Rapid evaluation and treatment. So....around 9 pm I entered the chamber for a US Navy schedule 6 treatment... Five hours to start at 60 feet. With the application of oxygen at 60 feet my sypmtoms resolved...all that was left was to complete the treatment. As it was 2 am when I got out, they kept me overnight on the neuro/ortho unit. Final diagnosis: DCS with a vestibular (inner-middle ear) hit, resolved with one hyperbaric treatment. DAN recomends 3 months out of the water...bummer. Guess it's time to get all my gear repaired and overhauled.




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