SLICK - 9/28/2010 11:37 PM
Sorry All! Had to go to Vegas for a week...now, the answer...
The Nitrogen Narcosis was caused by weight gain...sort of. I gained about 30 pounds, which made my wet suit too tight, causing constriction of my chest. Although slight, the constriction was causing me to take shorter breaths, and I was not able to expell about 30% of my carbon dioxide while exhaling. The carbon dioxide mixed with the nitrogen accounted for almost 90% of each breath, therefor, only 10% was oxygen.
I know, that doesn’t sound right or good, but when recreated in a hypobaric chamber, that’s what we discovered. By removing the wetsuit, the oxygen intake rose 40%, to almost 70%, at 4 ATA. I now dive with a larger wetsuit, and have not had Nitrogen Narcosis since. Thanks for all of your inquiries.
Rick