Carbon Monoxide Poisening

[Mark Chase]

OK went diving deep 50m then off to Stony two days later 20m then a nite dive 8m at laybourn same day. So four days later I am dizey and have tingling in my left arm.

Off to the pot I go and dispite passing all the tests they pop me in to soak for 21/2 hours at 18m. Come out feeling a little light headed but much better. So I was bent Odd coz the profies were conservative to say the least.

Another dose in the pot next day and a 4 week ban Bug@er

Then a few days later it happens again. Dizzy tingling in the arms. I am stuck in trafic all day in London did about 180miles at a crawl allll day.

I noteced a funney smell in the car that I had noticed before but didnt pay much attention to. This time I check it out and I find a cracked exaust pipe. As I drive a mid engined car the fumes from same were filling the cab. As I have the sence of smell of a man with no nose and a bad sence of smell I asked a friend to check it out. He lasted 5 mins and jumped out of the car.

So now I know, not bent but suffering from Carbon monoxide poisening. I think.

Dizzey makes sence with CM but will it result in tingling and loss of skin sensation.


Swaped cars till I can get it fixed and 48 hours later feel fine.

Any one know anything about CM and does it sound possable that this is the cause.

Mark Chase  

[daz]

Hi Mark,

Well I have no medical training but given the fact that CO is absorbed much easier than oxygen and displaces the amount of O2 that can be absorbed in the blood, I would imagine it could have this type of effect.  I guess in the same way that you get pins and needles from reducing the blood supply to a limb.

Give NHS direct a ring or ask a Doctor.

You could also speak to the people at the pot for their opinion.

Hope all is well,
Darren

[daz]

Mark,

Made a few enquiries to a nurse,  All of the symptoms you describe could be due to CO poisoning,  also treatment in a pot is a common treatment for CO poisening and can alleviate the symptoms.

Would recommend you get a second opinion just to be on the safe side.

HTH,  

Darren

[Dr Stevil]

CO poisoning: &quot;The most commonly observed result related to CO poisoning is neurological dysfunction&quot; <a href="http://www.scuba-doc.com/carbonmon.html

Tingling" target="_blank">http://www.scuba-doc.com/carbonmon.html

Tingling</a> definately constitutes &quot;neurological dysfunction&quot; so I guess that could be a cause of your problem.

More significantly if you're a BSAC diver you'll need a proper dive medical rather than a self-cert next time around. You can also mail the owner of that website (he's a qualified medical doctor) on scubadoc@scuba-doc.com for more info and advice
Chee-az
Steve

[Ammers]

Hi Mark, I assume you got blown down onto a table 6 in the pot, 18m, FFM, pure O2 etc - that treatment would alleviate the symptoms you describe. &nbsp;I don't think you would be bent on those dives. &nbsp;Were they all no-stop or was there deco on the 50m dive?

[Jay]

Bugger - 3 YD'ers in the pot in less than a week. Lets not set a trend guys!! Glad to hear you are ALL on the mend and thanks for the timely warnings.

And well done all three for recognising what it COULD be and seeking treatment.

Regards

Jay

[Ammers]

Couldn't the three of you at least have saved the NHS some money and jumped in together! &nbsp;Just kidding!

[peter k]

Ammers
You could have joined the three of us and we might just have had fun. Nah, second thoughts, in a pot with you for 8hrs. Only one of us would come back out alive(probably you).
Peter

[Mark Chase]

Yep table 6 18m for 2.5 and another dose next day

Car just got out of the Garage yesterday now safe to drive:)

50m dive was 30min planned bottom time with 35min deco on 50% from 21m and 85% from 9m. I left the botom on 27mins ad my computer showed reduced deco time at 6m stop backed up by the fact the dive was mostly at 45m. I did all the stops starting from 24m and did an extra 5 mins at 6m after the computer had cleared to match the planned table time. I then spent 4 mins getting up from 6m to the surface. Total dive time was 66mins total deco 39mins as registered on the print out from the Vytec.

I breathed 85% all the way on to the boat and then for 5 mins on the boat.


I was sea sick on the boat after the dive so couldent hydrate as quick as I would like coz it kept comming back up but 15mis later I was on the water again tentitavley. Felt good that night and all day Sunday. Dived Stony (20m no deco lots of time at 8m) and Laybourn (6m obviously no deco) on Monday. Took the hit on Thursday? Drove the Jeep all week but got in the MR2 (with cracked exaust)on Thursday for work and did 220miles that day.

CO appears to be the cause of the trouble but as I dive most weeks I am obviously going to at least consider the posibuility of a bend with those type of symptoms.

All in all I feel OK now and managed 3 1/2 weeks of my four week ban from diving just in case.

Hey Portland is only 18m deep and its been planned for weeks so I wasent going to miss that.

I took a bottle of 50% with me each dive and did all ascents off of that with 3min safety stops and 3min ascents from 6m. I know its still naughty but there you go.

Mark Chase &nbsp;

[MATTBIN]

You went diving before the all-clear follow up visit?

Mark there is so little known about breathing compressed gases, I really do think it would have been wise to stay out of the water. Its cold at the moment and that makes the diving even more risky. 18m is still dodgy, especially after a bend.

We have had Peter K 'banned' for an extended period - do you want this too. I am not going to take Adam in the water again until its Spring and he didnt even take a hit.
Remember you have a family.
Matt