first time jump, advice needed.

[psyhunterson 0]

Hello everybody.

About a week ago I tried tandem skydiving for the first time. It was totally awesome and I'm hooked. However, I did have some problems. First, the sensory overload. I remember me falling out of the plane, and feeling the air and the noise and yelling and yelling smiling at the camera. But feel the whole thing lasted only around 5-10 seconds instead of the 35-40 it actually did. so this is a bummer..

Next thing is nausea. when the parachute opened, after a few turns I got sooo dizzy and then, while wishing to end the canopy flying, I started seeing colors in my mind. Next thing I remember is my tandem master asking me if I was ok. I said yes and he told me that I fainted for a few seconds. After that, Being ready to land I didn't have the strength to pull my knees up as I was instructed and ended landing on my knees..

I must say, that I didn't eat (in fear of queasiness!) any food at all for the whole day, and i jumped around 3.00 pm. I didn't sleep well the night before (due to anticipation), and Also, while free falling i don't remember me breathing. Just yelling my lungs out as I was so overwhelmed (yet it's damn blurry in my mind) and finally, when I came round after fainting under canopy, I felt my chest strap suffocating while I didn't feel that way before the jump and during the free fall!

After the jump, still overwhelmed, I felt totally awesome, wanting to do it again as I felt the experience too short. Well i didn't have the money for that so I waited for a while and then left the drop zone.

So far, I have flashes of my free fall experience at random moments of the day not to mention my dreams while sleeping! Anyways, I can't forget the whole thing and nothing seems more important than skydiving.. I know it sounds weird and no one from my friends and family seem to understand that.

I really want to try AFF but reading in the forum all these experiences of sensory overload and nausea-fainting I can't help worrying how should I deal with that on my own having no instructor doing everything for me. I mean, what happens if I faint while I'm under my canopy by myself and not being able to properly steer? I must also say that before the jump and on the plane, I , strangely enough, wasn't scared whatsoever. I was pretty calm even the second before our exit and the earth looked like a giant map. As i'm an adrenalin junkie and a roller coaster enthusiast as well, I have also tried bungee several times and never did I experience faintness or diziness.

So my question is, should I try AFF/Static line or try another tandem and see how it goes? I'm worried for static line jumps too, in fear of passing out during my landin...

Please help. Any suggestions, thoughts of what happened to me or how to overcome it and advice for what in your opinion I should do with skydiving, would be highly appreciated.

thanks

Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

[skymama 35]

Welcome to the forums!
Since you are concerned about it happening again, do a tandem instead of going solo, just to be sure. Also, see if your dz offers the IAF program where tandems are incorporated into the student training, if you really think you want to continue in the sport. That way, spending the extra money on a tandem won't seem like a waste.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[zaofan 0]

Given my COMPLETE lack of knowledge on any of this (I've only been on one tandem dive with another scheduled on 9/27), I agree completely with Skymama. I'd give tandem another shot and see how comfortable you are with it on that attempt. Common sense just tells me that if you do fine there, maybe then you should progress to AFF. Your life is worth much more than the $200 or so you'd spend on one extra tandem dive, consider it a life insurance policy.

I completely agree though about being obsessed with skydiving now, even after only one jump! I've had dreams about it, and I've watched my film every day since the jump. The 27th can't come fast enough!

Take care, and BE CAREFUL! I'd hate to read about you in the injury or fatality databases here on this site.

[peregrinerose 0]

I disagree about necessarily having to try tandem again....

Tandem harnesses fit completely differently than sport rigs. Some tandem harnesses, depending on the student and how they are adjusted, can snug down on the femoral artery a bit, trapping blood in the legs and away from the brain. Pair that with no food, adrenaline, possibly dehydration, and a couple of good spins under canopy, and of course you're going to pass out

If you decide to do another tandem first, let the instructor know what happened, they may adjust the harness slightly differently. If you decide to do AFF next, talk to the instructors at the DZ and see what they say.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[Adrnlnrush07 0]

I totally agree with skymamma on this one, IAF seems like a good idea if your dropzone offers it. You have the safety of the tandem master, but if you're totally okay then it can be a learning experience. As far as nothing seeming more important than skydiving I understand completely. I have a 114 jumps, my dad is a world record holder, and I am aspiring to the same thing. It's a lifestyle for me and a lot of jumpers.... it'll only get better. I would try another tandem though just in case and so you know your body can handle it... remember to breath, eat something light and just enjoy yourself. If you're ever in Florida I'll hook ya up with a great AFF instructor or tandem master which ever your pick! :-) Blue Skies!!!

Welcome to the sport!

*~Alli~*

When people ask "Why jump out of perfectly good airplane?" I reply "The door was open and someone said GO!"

[psyhunterson 0]

Thank you for all your answers
It's great that in this forum you get to talk with skydivers and learn from their experience!

Trying another tandem, seems rational to me too. Maybe i'll take some dramamine pils this time (the herbal ones that don't make you sleepy). And definately eat a breakfast and drink lots of water. Also, make sure that my straps aren't too tight.

So, I e-mailed my drop zone whether I have the option of incorporating my tandems into the whole training if everything goes fine and I decide to continue. I told them everything that concerns me and wait for their advice too

Thanks again for your interest.

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zaofan wrote: Take care, and BE CAREFUL! I'd hate to read about you in the injury or fatality databases here on this site.

Yeah. I'd hate that too!!!!

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If you're ever in Florida I'll hook ya up with a great AFF instructor or tandem master which ever your pick! :-) Blue Skies!!!

Thanks for the offer

Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

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I disagree about necessarily having to try tandem again....

Tandem harnesses fit completely differently than sport rigs. Some tandem harnesses, depending on the student and how they are adjusted, can snug down on the femoral artery a bit, trapping blood in the legs and away from the brain. Pair that with no food, adrenaline, possibly dehydration, and a couple of good spins under canopy, and of course you're going to pass out

If you decide to do another tandem first, let the instructor know what happened, they may adjust the harness slightly differently. If you decide to do AFF next, talk to the instructors at the DZ and see what they say.

Listen to Peregrine Rose. Her advice helped me a ton as I got a very bad case of vertigo and nausea on my 3rd tandem, while under canopy, and thought I was going to pass out. Once I started AFF and I'm now wearing a student rig - no problems whatsoever.

FWIW, I alo went to the doctor's a couple of days later after my vertigo incident just to rule out anything that could put me or someone else in danger. Turns out I was at the start of a wicked 2+ week long sinus infection. That MAY have contributed to the vertigo.

ANyway, good luck! It really is an awesome sport!

Always be kinder than you feel.

[psyhunterson 0]

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FWIW, I alo went to the doctor's a couple of days later after my vertigo incident just to rule out anything that could put me or someone else in danger. Turns out I was at the start of a wicked 2+ week long sinus infection. That MAY have contributed to the vertigo.

ANyway, good luck! It really is an awesome sport!

Hmm.... that's very interesting

I sometimes have a problem breathing through my both nostrils. I had a surgery in my nose's diaphragm about 10 years ago (now I'm 30), so diaphragm problem solved but inner walls remained somehow swollen preventing free airflow. Now I'm fine especially when I do pleasant activities like running, swimming etc but when I occasionally smoke I still get the nose problem. Seems to me, that bad habits and unhealthy diet and lifestyle worsens the problem but when I do things the way I should, everything's fine and I don't feel uncomfortable...

Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

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I sometimes have a problem breathing through my both nostrils. I had a surgery in my nose's diaphragm about 10 years ago (now I'm 30), so diaphragm problem solved but inner walls remained somehow swollen preventing free airflow.

I just turned 40 in July. I've had 3 sinus surgeries since 1992. The 2nd surgery, I didn't wait for the gel packing to dissolve on its own ( I kept blowing my nose gently and using Ocean spray to help it along), so I blew a scab off an artery when I sneezed. I flew 2 weeks after surgery and was snorkeling a lot (going down as deep as I could - big mistake). It looked like a murder scene in one of the bathrooms at Bahia Honda State Park.

When I needed the 3rd surgery in 2002, I was scared shitless because of what happened after the 2nd. I think the 3rd helped for a few years, but with the recurrence of my sinus infections over the last year or so, I worry it may be time for the 4th.

Have you spoken to your Doctor? It would be worth it to schedule a check up, tell the doctor your new sport so they know what they're dealing with you physically, and see what they say.

When I went to my doctor for the vertigo thing, he asked me what would I do in an emergency, what are the emergency procedures, what happens if I went unconscious before I could pull (told him about AADs). He seemed satisfied that I really looked into it - I told him I had my SIM with me in the car - did he want to see what we're taught? He laughed and said to please have fun and be very careful. He said he didn't want to read about me in the paper.

Always be kinder than you feel.

[psyhunterson 0]

In my case, Since my diaphragm is now straight, it's not about another surgery. It's just swollen walls from the inside and bad anatomy. cauterization could be a solution but not a permanent. It's not a big problem, and it's apparent only when I'm frustrated, sad, sitting all the time, eating junk food etc etc. the contrary happens when I'm happy about smth, or exercising and so on.. Doctors say it's psychosomatic and it's related to diet and lifestyle too. So I try to eat healthy and exercise and I'm ok. While skydiving, I never felt lack of air but again all I remember is yelling and screaming being elated! Now that I think about it, I shouldn't be yelling all the time. Instead, I could breath really good and enjoy the air. I just was so overwhelmed that my yelling was impulsive. I'm pretty sure that in my next jump I'll be much more composed.

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When I went to my doctor for the vertigo thing, he asked me what would I do in an emergency, what are the emergency procedures, what happens if I went unconscious before I could pull (told him about AADs). He seemed satisfied that I really looked into it - I told him I had my SIM with me in the car - did he want to see what we're taught? He laughed and said to please have fun and be very careful. He said he didn't want to read about me in the paper.

AADs are great, but in my mind, the most dangerous thing that could happen is to faint while being alone under canopy, not being conscious to steer yourself safe on the ground


LuckyMcSwervy, I watched your first tandem video. It's great. and the fact that you flew through clouds was really cool...

Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

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AADs are great, but in my mind, the most dangerous thing that could happen is to faint while being alone under canopy, not being conscious to steer yourself safe on the ground

Well, if I'm unconscience before I pull I'll take any help I can get.

Under canopy and faint? Well, if I'm unconscience I won't be scared now, will I?

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LuckyMcSwervy, I watched your first tandem video. It's great. and the fact that you flew through clouds was really cool...

Clouds? What clouds?? That was industrial haze!

Always be kinder than you feel.

[psyhunterson 0]

Good news. The instructors from my drop zone, told me that given the circumstances I mentioned in my original post, it's no surprising that I had dizziness and momentary loss of my senses. They also told me that nausea is not rare in tandem passengers due to different harness system than regular rigs. When in solo rig, it's not very common to faint. So, without being necessary a second tandem, I could still do it if I want it, after I finish my theoretical training and before I move to AFF.

So, I'll go to the free fall school and then decide if I want another tandem or a S/L jump before i start AFF in practice.

Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..