Bendy Wendy or Neurotic Ned?

[jimbob]

Did a couple of shallowish dives on Saturday with a few ascents and descents.
Woke up on Sunday, feeling utterly wretched, tired, aching, with a sprained wrist and hand. Thought I might have been overdoing things recently, binned the days diving and drove home.
Abandoned my kit and collapsed on the sofa. Couldn't stay awake at half nine so went to bed.
Woke up feeling pretty grim and went to work. Whilst at work felt completely drained, helpless and unmotivated, So assumed it was a normal Monday morning however I also felt dizzy, light headed and with an aching elbow and wrist. Started to wonder. Felt like passing out a couple of times and really began to think I should do something about it. As the day wore on things seemed to be getting worse, started to notice the side of my face was feeling numb and tingly. Not good. Really starting to be concerned in a stiff upper lip fashion of course. I felt I was ticking loads of DCS boxes.
I looked up the number of a chamber doctor, uhmed and aahhed. aahhed and uhmed.
Put off phoning, couldn't help thinking that they'd get me in to be on the safe side and still wasn't convinced it was DCS and didn't want to waste their time tie up resources......
Thought about posting here, but decided there would probably be only one sensible answer. Still undecided. Gave myself a slap and told myself to pull myself together. Sat at my desk giving myself a bodged neuro exam. Quite difficult whilst answering calls, and you get some funny looks whistling at the shiny side of a CD, rubbing your fingers together at arms length and straining to hear. Did a spot more uhming and aahing, and some warehouse pacing.
Finally worked myself up to phone the chamber, whilst mentally preparing a kit list of what to take up to London and that's when things started to improve, the Chamber Doctor was very helpful, was told they couldn't be sure of anything over the phone, I mentioned I knew a dive doctor locally and they recommended presenting myself to them. Called the local doc who was absolutely brilliant, started to feel less stressed just having made the decision to call.
Drove over to see them, had a chat, called the Navy doctor and the result was that it was highly unlikely to be a bend.
The most shocking thing was how much difference knowing it wasn't a bend made to how I felt. I still feel pretty bad but better than I did and I wonder now how much of my symptoms were anxiety related. I thought I was being pretty cool and collected at the time, joking about it etc but now I'm not so sure. I still feel like I've been chucked out of a third storey window but things seem more manageable knowing it's not diving related.
So what did I learn?
Well. I learnt that..
1/ Making the call to the chamber does not automatically launch a chain of events leading to the pot.
2/ That calling them early is a good idea as it takes a load off instantly.
3/ Putting it off and fretting can exacerbate how you feel.
4/ That I'm a muppet, but I'm happier being a muppet and getting on with being good and proper old school ill than being a sick muppet freaking out about possibly having a bend.
Oh yes and that Doctors are very nice people and should probably have a weekly parade that we can go and cheer at.

[ShinyD]

So glad it wasn't a bend Jimbob!

It just goes to show the reluctance we have to actually make that call...

I haven't had to do it (yet...touch wood though!), but I've read plenty about others that have shown the same reluctance, but where a bend has been diagnosed.

I wonder what it is that prevents us making the call (I know I probably wouldn't have reacted any differently to you...)

[MAKING BUBBLES]

good outcome to the story...but from other peoples accounts denial is the biggest hurdle to get over and convincing yourself are you arnt you.... the call is crucial really from an early concern.

Glad it wasnt DCS.....

[jimbob]

Thanks.
I certainly had the false impression that making the call would inevitably lead to a chamber visit. I think the feeling that I didn't want to waste anyone's time and resources was a big factor and meant I kept putting off calling. I know that chambers wouldn't want people phoning every five minutes but I think it's important not to be afraid to call.

[Gav]

Originally Posted by jimbob

... but I think it's important not to be afraid to call.

A very important point! I very mcuh doubt that any chamber professional will be in any way annoyed if you believe you may have reason to call, I'm sure they won't see it as timewasting.

On a similar theme of reluctance to call, I once saw "smoke" coming out of a light fitting at work. I worried about calling the Fire Brigade, in case I was wasting their time, but after a couple of minutes of it not getting any worse but not getting any better I called. Three Fire Engines with full on lights and sirens arrived and the outcome was some sort of vapour near the light fitting, so no danger. Firemen said I did exactly the right thing and if in doubt call.

They would rather have a wasted genuine call than a tragedy, it's the malicious hoaxes that are the problem.

[Flipside]

thanks for sharing jimbob, glad to see that it was not a bend, i am a trainee diver at the moment but if had react to this i would be very reluctant to make that call too.

take care

Flip

[Scuttler]

Jim......glad it wasn't a bend mate.

We did some yo-yoing I agree and I felt tired the next morning which I put down to sleeping on the floor and all the farting and snoring in the room waking me up.

I was diving 32% all weekend which took the edge off I think but on Sunday I just passed out I was so tired.

It wouldn't have surprised me if we had suffered a minor hit.

[Lou]

Originally Posted by Scuttler

It wouldn't have surprised me if we had suffered a minor hit.

It wouldn't have suprised me either. 32% is not a magic sword against DCS, and I recall Kate on here getting a bend after exactly such a yo-yo training pattern on her RD course, I think. Add to that not sleeping properly and to be honest it is definitely squeezing into sub-clinical territory if nothing else.

It was the right call to make not to dive and the right call to get advice from the pros. Glad it turned out ok.

[BJ]

Hyperbaric doctors are always happy to see you. That is what they go to work for each day. We have an NHS that is meant to pick up the tab - and it CAN afford it. So what if you were recompressed and it wasn't a bend? Don't delay. Learn to love the hyperbaric chamber when there is one available - and stop worrying.

[Martin Burnard]

I felt like that Sunday before last. Now I hadn't dived for 6 days (along time for me),my wife said it was withdrawal symptons. It turned out to be some bug doing the rounds 48 hours later I was fine.

Now if I had been diving that day or the day before I would have been concerned. So you're right anxiety can be a big factor. Glad your OK.