Yogi Diver
05-01-08, 14:17
Hi all,
I m new to this forum but felt everyone should learn from my bad experience last August. We were diving from a dive charter and I had a great dive to 30 metres on the San T with no problems and a textbook profile, albeit my computer was just kicking into Deco as we started our ascent. All called for stops were completed plus an extra couple of minutes at 12 metres for good measure and an ascent rate well below 10 metres per minute.
Once back on board, I began to feel unwell whilst stowing my kit and soon experienced difficulty breathing and a pain in my lower back and was put on Oxygen and made to drink a lot of water. The symptoms abated after about 15 minutes but by this time the coatstguard had been contacted and the RAF were on their way to airlift me to Hospital.
This is where it all went wrong as they then took me to Elgin Hospital where I was examined by a doctor who eventually, after blood tests, ECG, etc told me it wasn't a heart attack and they were going to look at my lungs to see if there was a clot or something. I asked if she had ruled out DCI only to be told they had not ruled anything out but there was no sign of a pnemothorax!!:eek:
I was clearly being examined by someone with no real knowledge of DCI.
Now, anyone who knows me, knows I have a gob the size of the Clyde Tunnel and I was about to start using it when an old lady with Lung Cancer was wheeled into the A&E screaming in agony so, quite rightly, she became the department's priority for the next couple of hours. I was not experiencing any problems at this stage so was not overly concerned.
In the end, it took a phone call from our DO to get them to bring in a doctor with some knowledge who put me on a saline drip and phoned the Aberdeen Hyperbaric Unit for advice. By this time I was a little weak on my legs but put that down to sitting on my arse for 5 hours solid. The consultant however decided it was likely DCI and told her to send me to Aberdeen. This took another 2 hours to organise and 1.5 hours in an ambulance to get there. The net result was that I was admitted to the chamber over 9hours after being airlifted from the boat by which time I could not support my weight with my left leg. An extended overnight session in the pot plus a further 2 sessions over the next 24 hours resulted in me being able to walk again but I have been left with a weakness in my knee which I doubt will ever heal.
I am 100% convinced that if I had been taken directly to Aberdeen by the Chopper, I would now have no lasting effects from this bend.
The lesson for all is to be ready to question the decisions taken by the emergency services if you feel they are incorrect. The Coastguard took the decision to send me to Elgin and I did not query this, even though I knew Elgin did not have any Hyperbaric facilities. Hindsight is always 20/20 and everyone on the boat now wishes they had taken the lead and insisted I be taken to Aberdeen.
I was lucky. The consequences could easily have been much worse. The next diver may not be so lucky.
Remember, if ever you are with a diver who becomes ill during or after a dive, assume DCI until the Hyperbaric Consultants tell you otherwise and insist on the Aberdeen Hyperbaric Unit being consulted. Even if the symptoms are not caused by DCI, any form of shock or trauma after diving may resut in DCI later and there is only one treatment for DCI.
Sorry to lay such a heavy vibe on my first blog. I wanted to make every Diver aware of how easy it is to be led by the "experts". Chances are, you know more than they do about diving disorders.
In case you are wondering, it turns out I have a hole in my heart (PFO) which can be treated, albeit with a massive waiting list so I should be able to dive again eventually.
I m new to this forum but felt everyone should learn from my bad experience last August. We were diving from a dive charter and I had a great dive to 30 metres on the San T with no problems and a textbook profile, albeit my computer was just kicking into Deco as we started our ascent. All called for stops were completed plus an extra couple of minutes at 12 metres for good measure and an ascent rate well below 10 metres per minute.
Once back on board, I began to feel unwell whilst stowing my kit and soon experienced difficulty breathing and a pain in my lower back and was put on Oxygen and made to drink a lot of water. The symptoms abated after about 15 minutes but by this time the coatstguard had been contacted and the RAF were on their way to airlift me to Hospital.
This is where it all went wrong as they then took me to Elgin Hospital where I was examined by a doctor who eventually, after blood tests, ECG, etc told me it wasn't a heart attack and they were going to look at my lungs to see if there was a clot or something. I asked if she had ruled out DCI only to be told they had not ruled anything out but there was no sign of a pnemothorax!!:eek:
I was clearly being examined by someone with no real knowledge of DCI.
Now, anyone who knows me, knows I have a gob the size of the Clyde Tunnel and I was about to start using it when an old lady with Lung Cancer was wheeled into the A&E screaming in agony so, quite rightly, she became the department's priority for the next couple of hours. I was not experiencing any problems at this stage so was not overly concerned.
In the end, it took a phone call from our DO to get them to bring in a doctor with some knowledge who put me on a saline drip and phoned the Aberdeen Hyperbaric Unit for advice. By this time I was a little weak on my legs but put that down to sitting on my arse for 5 hours solid. The consultant however decided it was likely DCI and told her to send me to Aberdeen. This took another 2 hours to organise and 1.5 hours in an ambulance to get there. The net result was that I was admitted to the chamber over 9hours after being airlifted from the boat by which time I could not support my weight with my left leg. An extended overnight session in the pot plus a further 2 sessions over the next 24 hours resulted in me being able to walk again but I have been left with a weakness in my knee which I doubt will ever heal.
I am 100% convinced that if I had been taken directly to Aberdeen by the Chopper, I would now have no lasting effects from this bend.
The lesson for all is to be ready to question the decisions taken by the emergency services if you feel they are incorrect. The Coastguard took the decision to send me to Elgin and I did not query this, even though I knew Elgin did not have any Hyperbaric facilities. Hindsight is always 20/20 and everyone on the boat now wishes they had taken the lead and insisted I be taken to Aberdeen.
I was lucky. The consequences could easily have been much worse. The next diver may not be so lucky.
Remember, if ever you are with a diver who becomes ill during or after a dive, assume DCI until the Hyperbaric Consultants tell you otherwise and insist on the Aberdeen Hyperbaric Unit being consulted. Even if the symptoms are not caused by DCI, any form of shock or trauma after diving may resut in DCI later and there is only one treatment for DCI.
Sorry to lay such a heavy vibe on my first blog. I wanted to make every Diver aware of how easy it is to be led by the "experts". Chances are, you know more than they do about diving disorders.
In case you are wondering, it turns out I have a hole in my heart (PFO) which can be treated, albeit with a massive waiting list so I should be able to dive again eventually.