Post dive "migraines"

[Tesseract]

Hi,
I am after a bit of advice.

I have been diving for a little over 4 years with a couple of hundred dives in that time. I have always been susceptible to the occasional post dive headache. Nothing serious normally and usually seemed to be the combination of a day out in the sun, odd neck angle, carrying heavy gear to cars yada yada.

About three or four times though I have had a really nasty headache. Matches the descriptions I have heard from migraine sufferers. Never had anything else quite like them.. very light and noise sensitive and generally just want to curl up and sleep.

Yesterday I had a real kicker. So bad that I began to think that I might be kidding myself and these might be something serious. No other symptoms of DCS and a profile that should have been way way within safe limits but was deep and with a reasonable amount of deco.

Anyway, before I take myself off to the dive doc I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences?

Cheers,
Tony

[thehappychappy]

I think the majority will say, get yourself to the diving doctor then discuss it on here.

Everybody has different physiology, tables and computers do not guarantee that you don't get bent.

How "well within limits" was your profile? Are you hydrated? Are you on any medication? are you really taking your time in that final ten metres for slow ascents?

Davie

[MarkP]

OK, this needs to be read in the knowledge that I know pretty much nothing:

1) Post (and mid)-dive headaches often seem to be related to CO2 build up. Shallow breathing and / or poorly performing regs can lead to this. Slow, deep breathing should be a cure on its own.

2) Migraines are another matter. There is circumstantial evidence linking migraine with aura (visual disturbances) with PFOs. PFOs are linked to unexplained bends.

So, in light of the above, a PFO check might be a good call and save you a bend. See a diving doc.

[nickb]

I suffer with periodic migraines and would regularly surface from a dive with a pounding head and all the symptoms of the start of a migraine. I use Naramig or Maxalt to sort them out and take one at the earliest opportunity when one starts to manifest itself.

However, since I've started putting in deep stops and slowing my ascents from the first deep stop up and reeeeeally slowing my ascent from 6m to the surface, I no longer suffer.

Read into that what you will

[Garf]

My take on this would either be skip breathing of some form, trying to matain neutral buoyancy by holding your breathe, or perhaps even ascents that are not ideal as Nick suggests. The first two are Co2 related, the last Nitrogen. I have been guilty of all three in the past and used to surface with some absolute raging headaches.

[Tesseract]

Yeah, CO2 has been my pet theory for them.

I was certainly a little stressed on the dive which probably altered my breathing as a result. Buddy's torch failed on decent. My torch was not really up to the job and I called the dive after we had been on the wreck for only a couple of mins. It had been too long between dives and I was not really in the right frame of mind to deal with the deep and dark without proper lights.

We had a "short dive plan" based on 10mins at 63m(Buhlmans GF 20/75) but when I called it we were only 8min in and had hit a max depth of only 55m. Still followed the 10min at 63m plan and padded it with a 6min accent from 6m to surface. So, really we were running a very conservative profile.

Fair point about going to the medics first and asking questions later but I am now symptom free so I figured I would ask here first.

Thanks for the comments,
Tony

[Garf]

well, if you're doing 20/75 that's pretty conseravative, and certainly takes care of the deep stops. My money would now be on the Co2

[O.C.Man]

Skip breathing to make air last longer, undo exertion underwater both guaranteed to activate the man shoeing horses in my head, actually worse when using Nitrox mixes, caffeine also seems to add to the problem, after 30years I have ruled out DCI

[clockworkdog]

Originally Posted by MarkP

OK, this needs to be read in the knowledge that I know pretty much nothing:

1) Post (and mid)-dive headaches often seem to be related to CO2 build up. Shallow breathing and / or poorly performing regs can lead to this. Slow, deep breathing should be a cure on its own.

2) Migraines are another matter. There is circumstantial evidence linking migraine with aura (visual disturbances) with PFOs. PFOs are linked to unexplained bends.

So, in light of the above, a PFO check might be a good call and save you a bend. See a diving doc.

An alternative similar defect is an ASD (Atrial Septal Defect) - there is a third similar one but read about those two. Treatments are similar - I personally know two people who have had these dealt with.

Might be nothing to do with these but if I were you I would dive on nitrox and stay conservative (depth and dive as though you were on 21%). The other reason to get this possibility looked into is that PFO's and ASD's are linked with migraines and strokes (or brain attacks).

I know a good diving doctor in London if you need one - he works out of Harley Street.

Cheers

Andy