Sometimes divers send us information or ask questions that we feel are worth sharing with others. Check the postings below, and email us if you have something to add. We'll screen the content and post the information as needed and if possible!

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We received an email from a diver who experienced an uncomfortable situation on a dive to 130 feet. Unfortunately we didn't get the divers email address, so we couldn't respond directly. The email went kind of like this:

"While diving in Cayman Brac last year with my buddy, we went to 130 feet. I am an experienced diver (since 1990) and instructor (since 1999) who has logged many dives. This was my first dive to this depth, and at 130 feet I could hear my heart beating loudly in my ears. I stopped and checked myself, and I was neither anxious nor hyperventilating. I signaled to my buddy to ascend. He held my arm, which was shaking, and we ascended slowly to 120 feet, and then to 110 feet. My arm stopped shaking, and the heartbeat sound went away as well. I want to know what caused this (nitrogen narcosis?). It was not a good feeling!" -- TG

We ran this by the experts at DAN, and the general consensus is that it was probably a form of nitrogen narcosis. Dr. Richard Vann noted, "It may have been a response to narcosis, either physiological or psychological or both. It is possible that both N2 and CO2 contributed to narcosis. As depth increases, CO2 can be retained and contribute to the overall narcosis in addition to the nitrogen."

Dr. Jake Freiberger notes, "This sounds very much like nitrogen narcosis. This description is very similar to what has been described by my patients to me as the effect of breathing the anesthetic nitrous oxide. I believe it has been described in divers as well, sometimes called the 'Wawas.'"

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