Time to Treatment for DCI

[dublinbay]

Originally Posted by Tassie Devil

Good advice and thanks for sharing. Sounds like a good operator, he knew the seriousness of what was happening. Must have been really reassuring when you were thrown into Cheech and Chong's van! Again, good to know your on the mend . Surely this is not common practice, guess it depends on where you are!

Marv in MenorcaTech was the Coxn, his rib also.

I assumed, as you and a lot of others do, that you WILL get proper treatment. Unfortunately only a doctor can make the call to send you to chamber, not ambulance or chopper crew. So contact DAN, let them run the show.

[Narcosis710]

Originally Posted by dublinbay

Marv in MenorcaTech was the Coxn, his rib also.

I assumed, as you and a lot of others do, that you WILL get proper treatment. Unfortunately only a doctor can make the call to send you to chamber, not ambulance or chopper crew. So contact DAN, let them run the show.

I assume things have changed recently. My experience from earlier this week was that even though the DDMO had advised I be sent to A&E first (although I'd been on oxygen from 10 mins after surfacing, having presented with a severe headache which had started at the bottom of the dive profile, and no other symptoms), the Ambulance Tech on site decided to call in the helicopter to get me to Hull. Surface to pot time of a little over 3 hours, 2 days later, I feel a little jaded but otherwise prefectly fine.

Should I feel this good so soon; I had 4&3/4 hours in one session, a night in hospital, and another 2 hr session the next morning?

I know I'm lucky to dive with a bunch of very aware divers from Ocean Divers up to the highest levels. I know just have to wait 6 weeks to get wet again!

[dublinbay]

Originally Posted by Narcosis710

I assume things have changed recently. My experience from earlier this week was that even though the DDMO had advised I be sent to A&E first (although I'd been on oxygen from 10 mins after surfacing, having presented with a severe headache which had started at the bottom of the dive profile, and no other symptoms), the Ambulance Tech on site decided to call in the helicopter to get me to Hull. Surface to pot time of a little over 3 hours, 2 days later, I feel a little jaded but otherwise prefectly fine.

Should I feel this good so soon; I had 4&3/4 hours in one session, a night in hospital, and another 2 hr session the next morning?

I know I'm lucky to dive with a bunch of very aware divers from Ocean Divers up to the highest levels. I know just have to wait 6 weeks to get wet again!

Glad you`re ok. Which Ocean Divers do you dive with? Where are you from?

[Gene_Hobbs]

I find the comment on "conflicting evidence" interesting. Time to treatment was recognized as "potentially" important in the early 1900's and serves as a major reason for on site chambers in commercial and military operations... but anyway...

Getting oxygen for diving injuries in emergency departments is a world wide problem. Carry a copy of this paper in your dive bag. If the physician gives you a hard time about your request for O2, they can't fight good science.

Longphre, Denoble, Moon, Vann, and Freiberger. First aid normobaric oxygen for the treatment of recreational diving injuries. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2007 Jan-Feb;34(1):43-9. RRR ID: 5514