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Are you figuring in that fifth of tequila you drank the night before the dive? Jim Sender: Cam Banks Date: 3/11/99 12:57 PM >Hi. I'm new to the techdiver list; I'd like to get some feedback to see >if others have noticed relatively subtle nitrogen narcosis. > >It's only recently that I realize how pervasive narcosis is. For >example, I notice after diving 2-3 dives (well within rec limits), that >I tend to miss the right exit on the way home or make other similar such >minor mental errors for the next 8 hours or so. > >I used to write this off as just "being tired", but I now think it is >residual narcosis. Interestingly, I've never really felt "narced" even >on the couple of dives where I've exceeded 150 feet depth. > >Also, more anecdotal evidence; when I was on a night dive in Cozumel, >near the end I was starting to feel a little squirrelly. Couldn't >figure it out -- I'm not tense, not scared of night dives, generally a >very relaxed diver. My current theory is that there was just too much >information to process near the end of the dive and my narced brain was >feeling a bit overwhelmed -- I really had to concentrate not to tense >up. It was a long dive, and near the end there was a lot going on >around me, and it was hard to decide what to focus on. > >Anyway, that's my theory: sub-clinical N2 narcosis impairs the higher >functions even at depths/times not thought of as narc territory (50 ft >for 50 min, say), and lingers long after the day's diving has ended. >I'm going to try Nitrox and see if I notice a difference. > >I'd have to say I'm surprised by the insidiousness of this narcosis, if >that's what it is; I'm an experienced diver with over 100 dives and a >PADI DM rating, but I never really noticed the level of impairment >before. Makes you think about how dangerous "deep air" dives (of which >I've made a few) really must be. > >Cam >-- >= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >Cameron Banks 408-821-6314 cell >Applied Materials Account Manager 888-731-6502 pager > 408-934-0500 office > 408-934-0707 fax >Aera Corporation >422 S. Hillview Drive e-mail: cam@ae*.co* >Milpitas, CA 95035 http://www.massflow.com >= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >-- >Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. >Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'. > ------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn About Trimix at http://www.cisatlantic.com/trimix/trimix.html -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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