don't use balloons or inflatables for CO2 training!

[Lil Dragonfly]

I thought that rebreathing was improving my times by building CO2 tolerance. Turns out that I was exposing myself to lung-damaging gases and dust.

Inflatable toys give off toxins. That yummy vinyl smell is actually poisonous gases. If you are just blowing them up or riding them it's not an issue, but they are not meant for inhalation. I searched for articles on lung effects of vinyl fumes, what I read was quite nasty.

Balloons might be bad too. My friend thinks that the talc the insides are coated with causes black lung when inhaled.

Since I started breathing from balloons and inflatables I have been having lung pain. The pain is nightmarish at times, and also my throat constricts. (And it's the bad kind of pain (burning), not the pleasurable kind of pain (long breathhold or sting of a whip).) Its not pretty. Theres a good chance I have permanent lung damage.

Going to my doctor on Tuesday to be referred to a pulmonologist for x-rays. Oh dear god...

 

[agbiv]

That sounds terrible! Hope all turns out well. Keep us in the loop.

 

[bobdonny]

No offence intended, but why did you not fully research this before you did it? Its no use researching it after you develop pain.
Hope it turns out to be nothing!

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

No offence intended, but why did you not fully research this before you did it? Its no use researching it after you develop pain.
Hope it turns out to be nothing!

Because I never thought of that. I'm such an idiot...

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

Looks like I'm not the only one doing this. A friend says he knows lots of freedivers who do balloon rebreathing. So we need to get the word out that this is bad.

My other friend who thought that the talc was bad, turns out he was right. I just googled talc inhalation; it can cause lung disease and death.

 

[trux]

Well, frankly told, inhaling practically anything else than air is not really healthy. Lungs are made for inhaling air, not smoke, fumes, vapors, steam, tar, aromatic perfumes, dust, drugs, chlorine, talc, or other crap. Sure, they can handle most of it to some degree without any serious damage, and they have amazing self healing capabilities, but each abuse will be punished severely. You better keep your lungs for the air only, as much as possible, if you want to keep them healthy.

 

[superdude171]

Another thing i thought of while reading this thread is that when you breathe into said balloon or inflatable you fill it with warm moist air, so after use when you store it away it will develop mould very quickly which would also cause problems in your lungs. hope it turns out to be nothing and that you're ok.

Greg.

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

Another thing i thought of while reading this thread is that when you breathe into said balloon or inflatable you fill it with warm moist air, so after use when you store it away it will develop mould very quickly which would also cause problems in your lungs. hope it turns out to be nothing and that you're ok.

Greg.

Mold?

I didn't think of that. I have this balloon that I have had the same air in it for a while (saving it in the balloon between breathe-ups, then re-using it, getting it more and more stale). It has about 10 times more water droplets in it than a regular balloon, causing the balloon to go from clear to white much more quickly and severely than usual.

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

Well, frankly told, inhaling practically anything else than air is not really healthy. Lungs are made for inhaling air, not smoke, fumes, vapors, steam, tar, aromatic perfumes, dust, drugs, chlorine, talc, or other crap. Sure, they can handle most of it to some degree without any serious damage, and they have amazing self healing capabilities, but each abuse will be punished severely. You better keep your lungs for the air only, as much as possible, if you want to keep them healthy.

The ironic thing is, when spending time with pot-smoking friends I would "protect" myself by sneaking breaths from inflatables. I now realize based on all the horrible things I have read about fumes that I was trashing my lungs even more than they were.

 

[agbiv]

Just as with reformed smokers--the lung do actually have a remarkable healing capacity. Doc should be able to direct you in regimen to help renew/rejuvinate if damage isn't too severe.

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

Just as with reformed smokers--the lung do actually have a remarkable healing capacity. Doc should be able to direct you in regimen to help renew/rejuvinate if damage isn't too severe.

Not true at all.

When people stop smoking partial healing occurs rapidly. (This is why breathhold times improve when people quit.) Complete healing, however, takes over 10 years.

Look at the record holders every freediver looks up to and worships. Do you seriously believe any of THEM are former smokers???

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

I've cut out desserts, land meats, and air conditioning. Any other natural remedies I should know about?

I figure I should ask here as well as in the pulmonologist's office, most doctors covered by insurance think biological medicine is quackery.

 

[bobdonny]

I've cut out desserts, land meats, and air conditioning. Any other natural remedies I should know about?

Sure, I have a few you may not like... all free and natural and will fix all of your probs not just your lungs

Quit hanging out with loosers who do drugs......
Quit spending so much time talking nonsense online.....
Stop conducting your research solely on the internet or on your friends opinion...
Go to the gym more and get healthy....
Stop looking for natural remedies, alternative treatments to 'make you' better and take responsibility and 'make yourself' better - mentally and physically!

All the above is quite reasonable, but I expect that you will present me with an excuse or counter argument to all the points.

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

You should probably add to that list, stop coming up with wacky ideas for things to do to myself. My friends say it will be the death of me...

(For example, when I was 13 I drank so much water I nearly died after a friend told me "water makes you lose weight")

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

Good news. Since I cut out desserts/meat and cut back on the AC the pain has decreased a lot.

 

[efattah]

Lung function seems to be less relevant than lung volume in freediving. Even lung volume now seems not so important anymore.

Many French and Monaco divers smoke profusely, and still dive well. Claude Chapuis has done statics over 7'30" and he smokes a lot. Pierre Frolla smokes a lot and broke several world records in free immersion.

I don't recommend smoking-- but compromised lung function doesn't necessarily mean bad freediving ability.

I hope you heal soon.

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

Lung function seems to be less relevant than lung volume in freediving. Even lung volume now seems not so important anymore.

Many French and Monaco divers smoke profusely, and still dive well. Claude Chapuis has done statics over 7'30" and he smokes a lot. Pierre Frolla smokes a lot and broke several world records in free immersion.

I don't recommend smoking-- but compromised lung function doesn't necessarily mean bad freediving ability.

I hope you heal soon.

He's a champion freediver and he smokes? WTF???


Thank you Eric. I sure hope so too.

 

[JennyWren]

Sure, I have a few you may not like... all free and natural and will fix all of your probs not just your lungs

Quit hanging out with loosers who do drugs......
Quit spending so much time talking nonsense online.....
Stop conducting your research solely on the internet or on your friends opinion...
Go to the gym more and get healthy....
Stop looking for natural remedies, alternative treatments to 'make you' better and take responsibility and 'make yourself' better - mentally and physically!

All the above is quite reasonable, but I expect that you will present me with an excuse or counter argument to all the points.

+1

This has needed to be said for a while but I didn't want to be the one to do it.

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

No natural remedies? Looks like bobdonny and JennyWren want me to give up my mangosteen...

 

[Lil Dragonfly]

I have a theory.

I read in an article about lung cancer vaccines that some individuals are far more sensitive to smoke than others. Perhaps Claude and Pierre won the genetic lottery so to speak?

In any case, I certainly didn't. My body has always been hyper-sensitive to everything (stuff that everyone else I know can tolerate always gets me sick, for instance).