Niggles...

[Nwbrewer]

So I did two dives yesterday, the first was a quick shallow dive, 30 minutes, average depth was 30fsw or so, nice slow ascent. Did a 2 hours surface interval, then did a second deep dive, with a nice long ascent, average ascent rate was somehting like 2 fpm, with a 2-3minute half stop and a 3-4 minute 15' SS.

When we got out and I took my gloves off and I noticed that the seal on my left hand had been folded over or something, and had left deep marks in my wrist. The viens in the back of my hand were throbing like they do when you're restircting circulation. When I got the drysuit off, the back of my hand was numb.

Any other sport and I would've brushed this off, it doesn't really hurt, it's more of an irritation. I called DAN on the way home, (cause I'm a paraoid person) and was told it's probably nothing, call back if it persists. It's still there, so I called them back. Took some Ibuprofin at thier advice, it it's not gone in a few hours I'm going to the doctor. Even though the rational part of my brain says it's nothing, I didn't sleep worth a damn.

So how many of you have had something like that? Do you go straight to the doc? Call DAN? Blow it off?

Jake

[Joshua Smith]

I'd call DAN for sure- it's free, you don't even have to be a member. For your problem, I guess it's a judgement call- it does sound kind of like a "skin bend". I'm not sure how serious that is- I hear about people blowing them off all the time, but if it was my skin, I'd probably take it a little more personally....you don't have any 02 do you? I'd probably want to breathe that for a while, and see if the symptoms got any better.Please let us know what happens, Jake- and I hope you're OK!

[lurch]

As the victim of pinched nerves in the past I sincerely hope that's all this is.

[Nwbrewer]

Nailer, I already called DAN. 2X. I don't have any 02, I asked last night if I should go get some, but they didn't think it was necessary. I'm leaning towards pinched nerve, but I think I'm going to the doc today anyway.

[Joshua Smith]

Yeah, sorry, I know you did- thought you were asking what I would do......coffee hasn't kicked in this morning. I guess my general feeling is that even if it is a skin bend due to impaired circulation.....it's probably not really serious. But get it checked out, for sure- I'm really curious what the doc says. Probably not much, unless he or she happens to be a diver- anyway, when I called DAN about my ears a few weeks back, they told me that I could get my doctor to call them while I was there, if I wanted.....if your doc knows nothing about diving and hyperbaric medicine, they might think you're making the whole thing up, or something(Nitrogen? WTF?)......if they can call DAN and talk to another MD, it might help.....

[Nwbrewer]

I'm kind of considering just insisting to be put on o2 for a while to see if it helps. I have a 12:15 appointment. Meanwhile I get to sit here paranoid that every little thing is a new symptom. (I know it's not, but the intellectual part of my brain isn't really helping right now.)

This blows.

[Joshua Smith]

I'm kind of considering just insisting to be put on o2 for a while to see if it helps. I have a 12:15 appointment. Meanwhile I get to sit here paranoid that every little thing is a new symptom. (I know it's not, but the intellectual part of my brain isn't really helping right now.)

This blows.

Got any Nitrox? Give that a shot, if you do. Seriously, don't get too worked up over it- DAN wasn't very excited when you called them, you don't have any major symptoms, your dive profiles hardly sound like anything scary, and even if you do have a skin bend, I'm pretty sure they don't treat that with a chamber ride.....

[Nwbrewer]

No mix at the moment. I'm tempted to go just get a tank filled with EAN 40 real quick and try breathing that down.

You know what's funny is that the more typing I'm doing the more I'm noticing that it's really between the second and third knuckles of my left hand, which is leading me more towards thinking it's a pinched nerve, or something else from the lack of circulation. If anybody else showed my our profile I'd be saying "no way!". Both the Cochran and Suunto on the dive were clear. Not that that really means anything.

Know what's funny, it doesn't really hurt, and I'm not as much scared of a chamber ride as the spousal wrath if I do need to do a ride......

[Joshua Smith]

Spousal wrath is certainly cause for grave concern! Have you done a poke test with a sharp pencil or the end of a paperclip? Don't draw blood, or anything like that, but just probe the numb area and see if you can map it out. Is the skin mottled, blotchy, or itchy?

[Nwbrewer]

Nothing visibly wrong at all. I'll give it the poke test. I'm going to the doc or to find some 02 now.

[Sounder]

Nothing visibly wrong at all. I'll give it the poke test. I'm going to the doc or to find some 02 now.

Dude - NWSD has O2.

[lurch]

when I called DAN about my ears a few weeks back, they told me that I could get my doctor to call them while I was there, if I wanted.....if your doc knows nothing about diving and hyperbaric medicine, they might think you're making the whole thing up, or something(Nitrogen? WTF?)......if they can call DAN and talk to another MD, it might help.....

That's what I would suggest. My doc, while great at diagnosing malady's, isn't trained in diving medicine. It showed and I ended up going to Dr. Kay.

[mattwave]

So I did two dives yesterday, the first was a quick shallow dive, 30 minutes, average depth was 30fsw or so, nice slow ascent. Did a 2 hours surface interval, then did a second deep dive, with a nice long ascent, average ascent rate was somehting like 2 fpm, with a 2-3minute half stop and a 3-4 minute 15' SS.

When we got out and I took my gloves off and I noticed that the seal on my left hand had been folded over or something, and had left deep marks in my wrist. The viens in the back of my hand were throbing like they do when you're restircting circulation. When I got the drysuit off, the back of my hand was numb.

Any other sport and I would've brushed this off, it doesn't really hurt, it's more of an irritation. I called DAN on the way home, (cause I'm a paraoid person) and was told it's probably nothing, call back if it persists. It's still there, so I called them back. Took some Ibuprofin at thier advice, it it's not gone in a few hours I'm going to the doctor. Even though the rational part of my brain says it's nothing, I didn't sleep worth a damn.

So how many of you have had something like that? Do you go straight to the doc? Call DAN? Blow it off?

Jake

Define "Deep", what were you breathing, and how tight was your seal?

[Dmitchell]

Define "Deep", what were you breathing, and how tight was your seal?

I'm curious as well.

I also think if you are this freaked out you should be at the doc already. Even if it's nothing if you are this concerned go get checked out.

What really concerns me is that you think you may be bent and aren't doing the right thing. What's going to happen if you really get a hit? a Nitrox 40 fill isn't going to fix it.

Oh yea, you want to avoid spousal wrath you wait a couple says before telling her and it's going to be worse.

DM

[gcbryan]

I'd be interested as well to hear the details of the deep portion of the dive. In addition, I don't see the need to worry about using O2 24 hours after the dive?

Hopefully, you're ok and it's only related to brusing the skin due to the wrist seal fold over.

[Nwbrewer]

NO DCS!

I have what the Doc referred to as Barstool Palsy. Drunks apparently have a tendency to pass out on appendages and cut off circulation. Having blood loss for an extended period of time causes nerve damage. Mine was caused by the drysuit seal. I'm not supposed to expect complete recovery for a few weeks. The Doc is not a diving doc, but I trust him, combined with the input from DAN, the lack of ANY other symptoms, I'm pretty sure he's right on.

Here's the profile though for those interested.



The Spousal wrath thing was tongue in cheek. I had already told her. I was trying to do the right thing, I was on the phone with DAN about 5 minutes after I was convinced that is wasn't just cold hands. I followed their advice last night, and called them back this morning. When what they told me to do didn't help I called and made the first appointment I could to see a doctor. The going and getting some EAN40 thing was kind of tongue in cheek too, I knew that wasn't something that was really going to help, the DAN medic didn't seem to think 02 would help. I wasn't so sure, so I did try some O2 since it couldn't hurt. No help. (that was before I could get in to see the doc.

Thanks guys! Time to go diving again.....

Jake

[Joshua Smith]

I'm kind of in a hurry, so I just skimmed through what you wrote. Apparently you got drunk and passed out on top of your wife, and now she can't feel anything? So you went to the doc, and asked for Nitrox, but it didn't help because you had your tongue stuck in your cheek?

[spatman]

glad you're ok, jake. what's the green line in your profile represent?

[Sounder]

I'm kind of in a hurry, so I just skimmed through what you wrote. Apparently you got drunk and passed out on top of your wife, and now she can't feel anything? So you went to the doc, and asked for Nitrox, but it didn't help because you had your tongue stuck in your cheek?

...and in 9 months we'll be meeting Baby Brewer!!

Spatman - I believe the green line is his ascent/descent rate. Check out the upper right corner of the graph.

[mattwave]

I'm kind of in a hurry, so I just skimmed through what you wrote. Apparently you got drunk and passed out on top of your wife, and now she can't feel anything? So you went to the doc, and asked for Nitrox, but it didn't help because you had your tongue stuck in your cheek?

No no, Jake went diving with Joe - Joe showed up drunk with a barstool and chew between his tongue and cheek, passed out on Jake's hand which will be numb for weeks.

[Sounder]

I'm kind of in a hurry, so I just skimmed through what you wrote. Apparently you got drunk and passed out on top of your wife, and now she can't feel anything? So you went to the doc, and asked for Nitrox, but it didn't help because you had your tongue stuck in your cheek?

No no, Jake went diving with Joe - Joe showed up drunk with a barstool and chew between his tongue and cheek, passed out on Jake's hand which will be numb for weeks.

Damnit Joe!! Figures.

[spatman]

Spatman - I believe the green line is his ascent/descent rate. Check out the upper right corner of the graph.

gotcha. i had to open the image separately because the right side got cut off. i can see the fpm scale on the far right now. that's a cool feature, i don't think my oceanic has that.

[Joshua Smith]

I'm kind of in a hurry, so I just skimmed through what you wrote. Apparently you got drunk and passed out on top of your wife, and now she can't feel anything? So you went to the doc, and asked for Nitrox, but it didn't help because you had your tongue stuck in your cheek?

No no, Jake went diving with Joe - Joe showed up drunk with a barstool and chew between his tongue and cheek, passed out on Jake's hand which will be numb for weeks.

Ah. I should have known Joe had his hand in this.....uh......that Joe was responsible for this, I mean. So- bottom line- the barstool's gonna be OK, right?

[Nwbrewer]

Some thing like that Josh.

Oops, didn't notice it got cut off. Sorry. I'm not going to go into what part Joe may or may not have played in my mis-adventure.

[Sounder]

I'm not going to go into what part Joe may or may not have played in my mis-adventure.

Well, when you feed Joe alcohol you never know what you'll end up with. He handles his booze about as well as an 18yo college girl on her first night away from Mom & Dad. Just keep that in mind next time.

I'm just glad the barstool is ok too.