Oxygen convulsion

Padowan

There's another thread about throwing up through BOVs and into rebreathers, but I was wondering what it the main cause of vomitting on a dive?

If you have an oxygen convulsion, will you vomit? As you are effectively a passenger (I think) when an O2 hit comes on full steam you will have no ability yourself to switch to OC so if you vomit, you'll vomit into whatever's in your mouth (assuming it stays in your mouth)

I've heard of people throwing up as a symptom of the onset of DCS, particularly neurological hits that affect the balance centres. In th is instance you would be concious, and could perhaps "manage" switches from OC to CC during vomiting bouts.

I've got a BOV with a Manta-bite and gag-strap fitted, as I wanted to protect my airway in the event of passing out, and originally though that in the event of an O2 convulsion, I would also be in a better position - if unconcious vomiting is involved then maybe another solution is needed.

Any thoughts?

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jhaaja

Can not say how it generally goes. I did not vomit when I convulsed. When the convulsion started I stopped breathing and started again only after a few mouth-to-mouth blows on the surface.

I think that vomiting through the reg is not so bad. Just make sure you chew your food really good

Ben Field

Well it could be something very mundane, seasickness, saltwater ingestion, gag reflex from mouthpiece etc.

I got a slug of water in my mouth while diving last week, think it was abit of "loose lips" and while I was considering how to get rid of it I did gag a few times and I felt my breakfast rising. In the end I closed the loop, spat out the mouthpiece and then the water and then went back onto the loop and felt fine...

Wouldn't fancy blowing chunks into a SportKISS as it goes directly into the Exhale/Gas pod, I suppose on a OTS CL unit you might have alittle more protection? I guess there is room for a fair amount of chunder in the exhale CL on an Inspiration for example?

Hope no one is reading this over lunch?

BEN

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nigelh

I've had a buddy be seasick through an Inspiration mouth-piece. When we got him back on the boat he commented that you did have to blow a bit to get it through the one way valves but it did end up in the exhale counterlung. We only had about 10 minutes of stops but the swell was quite bad at 6m. I've done it OC but never on the YBOD

However he was full conscious so it's not the same problem.

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nigelh

jasondrake

I've puked through regs on more than one occasion. Once was Co2, once was a really rotten hangover. It doesnt affect the valve at all. Just purge and watch the fish feed! A chunk under the exhaust valve could be tricky, but a purge while it's in your mouth takes care of that.

Never managed it into a loop before. Could be dicey!

Ben Field

Excessive + diving = and is therefore a

Don't do it kids, you knows it doesn't make sense

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Mixaddict

Type 3 DCS hits are known to cause excesive vomiting along with vertigo during deco. (Isobaric counterdifusion suspected to be the leading cause)

apitkin

Vomiting has not been described as typically associated with an O2 convulsion. It didn't happen in the three I've seen personally either.

Inner ear DCS or barotrauma can cause severe vertigo and vomiting, but you would be conscious, so able to protect your airway by normal mechanisms.

If you're unconscious, what you vomit is likely to get into your lungs anyway. So you may be better off trying (as you are) to reduce the amount of water you inhale if you lose consciousness.

Andy