| Dci
Hi Porg
I have had both sub clinical and clinical DCI.
Sub clinical is when the ache or tingle is mild, and you don't want to make a fuss. But really you better off going to the pot. I had a climbing accident 10 years ago and its the this spot that usually aches.
I have experienced pain in my elbow after a needle bending tri-mix dive at 6 metres underwater, this has got really sore during ascent and worse on the surface. I went back down to 6 metres very quickly did another 20 mins and resurfaced with no pain.
I have usually been able to pin the bend down to a cause, dehydration, low water temp, lack of sleep couple with the fact they are all sub 80 metres.
My only time in the pot was last year, I surfaced after videoing a trip into the sump tunnel in Dorothea. It was a red hot day, i made a few trips to carry video kit and diving kit down the ramp in a thick neoprene dry suit, drank no water. Did the dive no problems, deco was will within VR3 limits. At 6 metres started to get a pain in my right arm. I surfaced and told my mates I had a pain in my arm and was going to do another 20 mins at 6 metres. I jumped back in and kept the PPo2 at 1.5bar on the rebreather. On surfacing again the pain had become more of an ache. I took off my dry suit, it was still a read hot day. I drank some water, but I started to feel sickly, I did not want to be there. Within 1 hour I was lying in the back of the car feeling really shit, I drank 4 to 5 litres of water and was unable to pee. The call was made. The police sent a local bobby to review the situation; he was told by my friends that I needed the chamber and a fast means of transport.
The Seaking arrived and landed, I was placed on a stretcher and carried in to the chopper. It was the worst ride of my life. Once we got going the pain increased 10 fold, I was strapped down but my whole body started to spasm, I could not control it. The pain in my arm and shoulder was acute, my pulse was monitored with a finger clip. I continued to spasm and complain of the pain the crew were concerned enough that my shirt was cut open and I was connected up to the heart monitor via pads stuck to my chest. I line was put into my left arm and fluid was using to keep it open I was also orally given apple juice. The inside of the chopper is as hot as hell and noisy so you can hardly communicate. My line on sight was the chopper ceiling, no sightseeing trip.
I was quickly transferred to the examination room on arrival, given a quick medical examination then transferred into the big chamber; I was in for about 9 hours. I spent the first 2 to 3 hours on the bed my body was still spasming with pain and I held my arm rigid and held onto to a piece of piping. This was the focus of the pain, and I thought if i didn't move it the pain would go away. After 3 hours I slowly turned the corner. I staggered out out the treatment into a bed in the hospital next door. I was re-examined in the morning, I still had pain in my wrist, elbow and shoulder. I continued a short course of 2 hour treatments ( the daily cancer treatment sessions) for the following days and the pain went.
The doctor said he had only seen this type of muscular skeleto DCI on three occasions and they were all trimix dives. He assured me I didn't have a PFO and told me to dive sub 80 metres a little more conservative, after a lay off of 4 weeks.
I have dived since but not greater than 85 metres yet.
The key lessons to be learnt are
Drink plenty of water, your pee should be clear pre-dive.
Not ignore any signs of DCI, get to the chamber, they will not pot you unless you need to be.
Do not task load or overwork yourself at sub 80 metres.
Thanks again to the Staff at the North West Chamber, Ellesmere Port and RAF Valley for the worst ride of my life.  |