25 replies to this topic

[Laura]

Hi all,

I'm going to take a Nitrox course soon, and I wanted to get some input, either anectdotal or from a medical standpoint (R U listening, Doc?)

A lot of my "older" dive friends say that they feel less fatigued when they dive nitrox, especially when doing repetitive dives. Some people say this is just a placebo effect. It makes sense that if you you feel fatigued if you were oxygen deprived (example like someone with sickle cell anemia might be, or some one with an iron deficiency)....but does the reverse hold true. Would extra oxygen make you extra energetic.

Along those same lines, any thoughts on the growing popularity of "oxygen bars"? I tried one out a few months ago (just for 5 minutes) and it seemed to perk me up...but then again, it could have just been the 5 minute rest itself, since I was on a "shopping marathon" at the time.....

your thoughts.....???

Laura

[Walter]

To the best of my knowledge, there's been exactly one (1) double blind study of this. The sample was too small to draw conclusive results, but that study showed the lack of fatigue was likely a placebo effect.

I've personally, never noticed a difference, but diving on air or nitrox energizes me.

Walter

[Coo's Toe]

Mmmmmm... Nitrox. ( said in my best Homer J. Simpson voice )

I can tell you from my own personal experiance that there does seem to be a noticable effect. I have to do a lot of driving to get to and from the dive sites I love so much. I can remember very well the drives back home when I was still diving air... I'm sure you know the mellow feeling I'm talking about, not totally worn out, but, definately mellow?

Well, after switching to Nitrox, I'm WIDE AWAKE, ready to go!!! Downright frisky, in fact. I can even attest to a couple of occaisions ( when I didn't get quite enough sleep ) when I came out of the water feeling more rested than when I went in. If it's merely a placebo, then it's a very convincing placebo.

Take the class, then tell me what you think. I think you'll be convinced though. Whether you're looking to extend your bottom time, or just add an extra safety margin to your diving ( it's one or the other, not both ), I'm sure you'll find the extra post-dive perkiness a nice side effect of breathing the "voodoo" gas.

[Laura]

To the best of my knowledge, there's been exactly one (1) double blind study of this. The sample was too small to draw conclusive results, but that study showed the lack of fatigue was likely a placebo effect.

I've personally, never noticed a difference, but diving on air or nitrox energizes me.

Walter

(Thanks Walter)

Diving in general energizes me also...to a point. When I do lots of dives,or dive all weekend long, it makes me tired.... but it's a "good" tired, and I sleep very soundly. Just looking for any extra edge, now that I am a little "older"... and have plans to "go pro"...

Laura

[Laura]

Mmmmmm... Nitrox. ( said in my best Homer J. Simpson voice )

I can tell you from my own personal experiance that there does seem to be a noticable effect. I have to do a lot of driving to get to and from the dive sites I love so much. I can remember very well the drives back home when I was still diving air... I'm sure you know the mellow feeling I'm talking about, not totally worn out, but, definately mellow?

Well, after switching to Nitrox, I'm WIDE AWAKE, ready to go!!! Downright frisky, in fact. I can even attest to a couple of occaisions ( when I didn't get quite enough sleep ) when I came out of the water feeling more rested than when I went in. If it's merely a placebo, then it's a very convincing placebo.

Take the class, then tell me what you think. I think you'll be convinced though. Whether you're looking to extend your bottom time, or just add an extra safety margin to your diving ( it's one or the other, not both ), I'm sure you'll find the extra post-dive perkiness a nice side effect of breathing the "voodoo" gas.

Hi CT,

Thanks for sharing....and nice Simpson reference!

That's the kind of testimonial I am hearing. I will definately do some "field testing" and get back with you.

Take care
Laura

[Diverlady]

When I was on a liveaboard in British Columbia I was using nitrox every dive. I found that I felt less fatigued after multiple dives than I would have had I been using air.
In Cozumel, I was using nitrox for only the second dive. There I didn't not notice any difference or any improvement for using the nitrox.

A friend of mine took a DCS hit last fall on the second dive of the day, second day of diving. While he didn't violate the tables or generally accepted ascent rates, he still got bent. The DR said a major contributing factor is AGE. He's mid to late 40s. the DR is recommending nitrox for him from now on - or when he's cleared for diving which hasn't happened yet.


Diverlady

[WisconsinGal]

I've definitely noticed a difference between air and Nitrox, I don't feel tired or sleepy after diving Nitrox.

[Diverbrian]

I am with everybody else. If it is a placebo effect or not, I will take it.

I like a little edge between myself and getting bent. Nitrox assists in this and I have been known to do four or five dives per day given a chance. I have a theory that veteran divers seem to share:

I think that on air, we tend to "push the tables" more to do the same types of dives. It takes energy for the body to deal with these microbubbles, hence we get more tired when we dive air than nitrox.

Those are just my thoughts on the matter, but everybody that has dove with me knows that I insist on my nitrox.

[chinacat46]

It also makes you lighter. I've noticed after diving nitrox for a week on a liveaboard my wallet is definitely lighter.

- Chuck

[Diverbrian]

It also makes you lighter. I've noticed after diving nitrox for a week on a liveaboard my wallet is definitely lighter.

- Chuck

So true! In Provo, it was $15.00/tank. That hurt!

[AndrewJD]

Laura,

The experience of feeling less tired after diving oxygen enriched air has to do not with the increase in oxygen but with the decrease nitrogen. Fot two identical dive profiles, one on air and one on 32% Nitrox, the Nitrox diver will accumalate less nitrogen.

Hope that helps.

Jonathan

[Laura]

Laura,

The experience of feeling less tired after diving oxygen enriched air has to do not with the increase in oxygen but with the decrease nitrogen. Fot two identical dive profiles, one on air and one on 32% Nitrox, the Nitrox diver will accumalate less nitrogen.

Hope that helps.

Jonathan

sure does help, thanks!
L

[jextract]

My experience has been exactly the same as Diverlady's. When I've used it on one tank, no noticeable difference, however on multiple dive trips I do seem to feel a bit better.

Definitely lighter in the wallet, though! Local partial pressure fills for me are $16!! There's another LDS that fills banked/membrane cheaper but they don't guarantee O2 clean afterward, which does worry me so I don't use 'em.

[Coo's Toe]

My experience has been exactly the same as Diverlady's. When I've used it on one tank, no noticeable difference, however on multiple dive trips I do seem to feel a bit better.

Definitely lighter in the wallet, though! Local partial pressure fills for me are $16!! There's another LDS that fills banked/membrane cheaper but they don't guarantee O2 clean afterward, which does worry me so I don't use 'em.

Geez!!! I can get double 104's filled to 3500 psi with my blend of choice for $20... I think I'd buy my own compressor before I paid anyone $15 for a fill.

There's a lot of mythology surrounding the whole O2 cleaning thing, Jextract. Banked Nitrox shouldn't dirty up your tanks. Generally any air clean enough to pass breathing air standards is clean enough to mix with. Hyperfiltration is a bonus, but not necessarily required IMHO.

I have heard bad things about one particular shop in your area, though. I'll dig through my files and PM you about it later...

[WreckWench]

Ok...my 2psi as someone always says other then me....

The reason I dive nitrox is BOTTOM TIME!!! No not 'bums' or 'bottoms' but BOTTOM TIME!! In the venues I usually dive...aka my beloved North Carolina you can double your bottom time using nitrox vs. air. Now at the depths we dive we use a non-standard mix of 30% as we can't predict if we'll dive 80 ft or 125 ft but with the lower mix we still dramatically extend our bottom time AND do it more safely then on air.

I'll let the techno wizards give you all the 'why's and wherefores' and if you really push me, heck I can do it....but the bottom line is....its all about "BOTTOM TIME" and I like mine on nitrox thank you please!!!

As for feeling better...the others have captured my feelings exactly!!! Of course there is a whole school that says dive nitrox like it is air for the safety margin....only problem with that is that its too EXPENSIVE to do that. If nitrox cost a few bucks more then air...I'd be all over it...but unless you work a boat or have free nitrox...its too expensive to dive as air!! :dltears: -ww