Helmet Dive or coffee?

[gooch47]

Our daughter suffered for days with a terrible headache on our just completed Island Princess cruise. Nothing would ease it. Heavy doses of ibuprofen didn't help. Sudafed helped a little. She finally went to the Medical Center where they gave her Tylenol with codeine. Even that didn't stop the pain, but it did knock her out so she could get some rest.

 

On the first port stop at Grand Cayman she did the Helmet Dive tour. She enjoyed it immensely. The headaches started that evening.

 

After about six days, for some reason she suspected that the coffee she drank in the MDR for breakfast was responsible. The headaches stopped when she stopped drinking it. She drinks Tim Horton's coffee nearly every day while at home, though, so it wouldn't have been that she was unused to coffee.

 

Perhaps the effects of the dive wore off, or maybe it was the coffee. Who knows?

[ChiefSealthCruz]

I'm sorry to hear that your daughter had that headache. It is hard to say what caused it. I would suggest that she visit her own doctor for insight.

[gooch47]

I'm sorry to hear that your daughter had that headache. It is hard to say what caused it. I would suggest that she visit her own doctor for insight.

 

Good suggestion. Not sure she will, though.

[TKS]

You said her headaches started after a "helmet dive." Not exactly sure what that is, but diving can lead to the "bends" in sensitive people who are well within the published "safe" limits. Or if the air source/delivery was not clean and she was breathing in unintended things (I've seen dive tanks being filled right next to diesel engines:eek:) she could have suffered adverse effects. Both could last for days. I'm not a doctor, but I am a diver, and headaches can be a symptom of both these situations.

 

It's probably a good idea for your daughter to see a medical professional knowledgeable about diving trauma, just in case. If she did get "bent", even within safety limits, she needs to know so she can avoid any future diving activity. Diving, while a magical experience, isn't for everyone, and everyone's tolerance is different.

[Pam in CA]

I think only a medical person who examines your daughter can answer your questions.

[Colo Cruiser]

You said her headaches started after a "helmet dive." Not exactly sure what that is, but diving can lead to the "bends" in sensitive people who are well within the published "safe" limits. Or if the air source/delivery was not clean and she was breathing in unintended things (I've seen dive tanks being filled right next to diesel engines:eek:) she could have suffered adverse effects. Both could last for days. I'm not a doctor, but I am a diver, and headaches can be a symptom of both these situations.

 

It's probably a good idea for your daughter to see a medical professional knowledgeable about diving trauma, just in case. If she did get "bent", even within safety limits, she needs to know so she can avoid any future diving activity. Diving, while a magical experience, isn't for everyone, and everyone's tolerance is different.

 

 

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree about seeing a doctor asap.

[gooch47]

A helmet dive is a, well, helmet that sits on their shoulders connected to an air source by a hose. The depth was advertised at 25 feet. I don't know how long she was down but it couldn't have been very long. The whole tour was only 1.5 hours from start to finish. Our granddaughter also tried it but couldn't clear her ears so she ended up snorkeling instead.

[beg3yrs]

I agree that she should see a medical professional.

 

As far as the coffee drinking is concerned, on the surface (no pun intended) that doesn't make sense. Usually someone who drinks a lot of coffee has a mild caffeine addition which results in headaches for a while when they stop. Caffeine is known to relieve headaches and many OTC migraine medications contain caffeine.

[pablo222]

Our daughter suffered for days with a terrible headache on our just completed Island Princess cruise.

 

I vote for helmut dive causing problem, and coffee prolonging it.

 

Could easily be caused by exhaust from the compressor engine

being sucked into the hookah air intake.

 

I am not a doctor, but I have watched a lot of 'ER'.

 

This gent had the same symptons from a helmut dive:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147343-d3812531-r154753734-Sea_Trek_Adventure_Helmet_Diving_Tour-Castries_Castries_Quarter_St_Lucia.html

[MauiLvrs]

She should contact Divers Alert Network

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Would have been best to contact them immediately.

 

A visit to a experienced dive Dr would be best.

[JustinPlusLauren]

Some people can have withdrawal symptoms when they drink coffee on a daily basis and then they stop drinking it...headaches being one of the major problems! I would think it was from the coffee, especially if the headaches began to subside once she started drinking coffee again...

 

However, it doesn't make too much sense that the headaches stopped when she stopped drinking the coffee in the MDR. Or did she replace it with the better quality brewed coffee instead? That could explain it....if she wasn't getting enough caffeine from the MDR coffee, and got her daily fix from the International Cafe brewed coffee.

 

Otherwise, I don't think it had much to do with the coffee and more with the helmet dive.

[M4dC0w]

The helmet dive should not be the cause of the problem, unless she had an inner ear infection to start with. Unless you have done the excursion, you will notice that the pressures change only slightly, did she have a problem "popping" her ears while going down? like when you are flying.

 

If she did then it was the excursion.

 

As for the coffee issue, As being Canadian and having TH's here forever, there is an issue with people getting stress/caffeine headaches when they stop drinking it for a few days. My GF has them, and when we don't have a Timmies anywhere for a few day she will start having headaches, and no drugs seem to help, but as soon as she has a coffee from Tim's it disappears after an hour or so like clockwork. I personally know 3 people that have this issue.

 

Ships coffee may have a minimal amount of caffeine, the syrup maybe?

Edited January 3, 2015 by M4dC0w

[MauiLvrs]

The helmet dive should not be the cause of the problem, unless she had an inner ear infection to start with. Unless you have done the excursion, you will notice that the pressures change only slightly, did she have a problem "popping" her ears while going down? like when you are flying.

I don't know how you could come to that conclusion.

 

Helmet diving just like SCUBA is breathing compressed air at depth and all of the issues that go along with it.

 

Ears can clear on the way down and not when surfacing leading to a ruptured ear drum or other problems.

 

If the condition started post dive ... should see a dive experienced Dr. ASAP!

[martylouie]

A helmet dive is a, well, helmet that sits on their shoulders connected to an air source by a hose. The depth was advertised at 25 feet. I don't know how long she was down but it couldn't have been very long. The whole tour was only 1.5 hours from start to finish. Our granddaughter also tried it but couldn't clear her ears so she ended up snorkeling instead.

 

Did she have ear problems before? If she did, or if she wants to dive again (or even snorkel) she needs to see an ENT. Sounds like a clogged Eustachian tube. Not fun on a dive.

[Colo Cruiser]

This is not the place for a diagnosis, go to the doctor! :eek:

[gooch47]

No, she didn't have any problem clearing her ears. No cold or sinus problems, either.

 

Very interesting about the Tim Horton's coffee issue. I am totally addicted to coffee. I have to have one mug of it every morning, LOL. Otherwise I get a bad headache. Maybe it was a caffeine issue. But that doesn't explain why the headache went away after she stopped drinking it altogether unless she finally adjusted to no caffeine.

 

I got the "oh, MOM" look when I suggested she see her doctor.

[Gallivanting Souls]

Hopefully the OP has found a solution to their problem by now.

 

For those reading this that think they have a similar problem or any headache(or other symptom) that comes on acutely (suddenly) seek medical attention now!

 

FYI CruiseCritic and places like this although medically trained persons might be lurking here, they have no way to help you if you have a real need for real help.

 

-Again, I urge anyone who normally does not get headaches to immediately go to a real doctor. It could be nothing it could be something big that needs to be taken care of ASAP!

[gooch47]

As I said earlier, the headache did go away. I'll admit I was worried and was very happy when she went to the Medical Center. But the doctor said he didn't know the cause and more or less dismissed her with, "I don't know what the cause is," that was disappointing and unsettling.