Almost Blacked Out

[bamber 0]

On a tandem lesson I almost passed out. I was OK until the canopy opened, then I started to go downhill. As we descended I grew increasingly more nauseous. I tried to steer, but I was too weak. Much of the rest of the way down my eyes were closed. I felt extremely horrible. I could not stand up after landing.

The jump was at 11,000 feet, I did not eat for 4 hours except for a breakfast bar 20 minutes before, I drunk 1/2 bottle of water before going, it was in the 70s in temperature. The plane was the size of an Otter but was not an otter.

The time before this I went up as a passenger. After the last person jumped at 18,000 feet. the pilot did a loop and we went upside down and other acrobatics. The same nausea as the jump, my health was very much the same. It started as soon as the acrobatics started.

I was told at the dropzone it was adrenaline, but I was not nervous at all as a passenger at 18,000 feet and I had no health problems until the cord was pulled during the tandem lesson. A pilot I know said it was the blood going to my legs when the cord was pulled, less oxygen at altitude, and then not being able to sit down which caused the blood to leave my brain.

Years ago I was the carnival ride that spins the chair on the chain. I got very nauseas with that also. I do not know if it was the motion or the blood being pushed to my legs. In general I have standing for long periods of time, but I got no problem walking for a few hours and running a mile. I never got car, boat, or airplane sick.

I would not have landed properly without the instructor even if I knew what I was doing. I was that far gone. With the extra stress of having to steer I might of blacked out.

I had several recent visits to the cardiologist office before the tandem jump and I got great blood pressure, did a stress test, and was told I am good to go for skydiving. There is a possibility of some minor plaque in by arteries so I will go for further testing.

If the pilot I know is correct and the problem was the pull making the blood leave my head combined with the low oxygen, should I travel to a dropzone that does static line for my first non-tandem? In a static line jump I would have less altitude oxygen deprivation,

In a static line jump is there less pull when the canopy opens? That might mean less blood going down to my legs

Any advice, please?

[keithbar 1]

Not trying to be mean . But sometimes skydiving is not for you.

i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am .

[philipturneraa 1]

Some thoughts:

What you experienced on those three occasions (carnival ride, passenger ride, tandem lesson) might actually have had very different causes. You may be searching for a correlation that doesn’t exist.

18,000 feet? Really? In any case, I’m sure many people (including some skydivers) feel nauseous during aerobatics. And on some fairground rides.

How much do you weigh? How old are you?

On your tandem jump, were you very uncomfortably cramped up in the plane?

Search here and read up about how leg straps can sometimes reduce / cut-off blood circulation under canopy, including for tandem passengers, and lead to the kind of symptoms you are describing.

Before trying AFF or a static line jump, do another tandem, preferably with a different instructor/rig, and see how it goes. Explain your experiences and concerns to the instructor before the jump. In the hours before jumping, eat normally (avoiding high sugar and energy boosting snacks and drinks), drink lots of still water, and keep out of the sun. If the same happens again, be very cautious — perhaps the advice in the previous post is best and solo skydiving cannot be acceptably safe for you.

But what do I know? Talk face-to-face with several instructors at more than one dropzone, if possible, and see what they suggest.

[riggerrob 558]

Your's is a common- and well-understood - problem for skydiving students. We did not understand the problem u til tandem was perfected during the 1990s. It was also a 1/100 problem for static-line students.

Sounds like you started your tandem jump under-nourished. Then adrenaline rapidly burned most of your blood sugar. After opening, you relaxed and low blood sugar made you feel faint.
Dehydration and low oxygen at 14,000' can exacerbate the problem.

Fortunately, your problem can be controlled by diet and anxiety control. I encourage you to concentrate on lowering your arrousal levels during subsequent tandems or tunnel time. When you are alert enough to steer a tandem all the way to landing (coached by your tandem instructor), then you are ready to jump solo.

[raff 4]

bamber

On a tandem lesson I almost passed out. I was OK until the canopy opened, then I started to go downhill. As we descended I grew increasingly more nauseous. I tried to steer, but I was too weak. Much of the rest of the way down my eyes were closed. I felt extremely horrible. I could not stand up after landing.

The jump was at 11,000 feet, I did not eat for 4 hours except for a breakfast bar 20 minutes before, I drunk 1/2 bottle of water before going, it was in the 70s in temperature. The plane was the size of an Otter but was not an otter.

The time before this I went up as a passenger. After the last person jumped at 18,000 feet. the pilot did a loop and we went upside down and other acrobatics. The same nausea as the jump, my health was very much the same. It started as soon as the acrobatics started.

I was told at the dropzone it was adrenaline, but I was not nervous at all as a passenger at 18,000 feet and I had no health problems until the cord was pulled during the tandem lesson. A pilot I know said it was the blood going to my legs when the cord was pulled, less oxygen at altitude, and then not being able to sit down which caused the blood to leave my brain.

Years ago I was the carnival ride that spins the chair on the chain. I got very nauseas with that also. I do not know if it was the motion or the blood being pushed to my legs. In general I have standing for long periods of time, but I got no problem walking for a few hours and running a mile. I never got car, boat, or airplane sick.

I would not have landed properly without the instructor even if I knew what I was doing. I was that far gone. With the extra stress of having to steer I might of blacked out.

I had several recent visits to the cardiologist office before the tandem jump and I got great blood pressure, did a stress test, and was told I am good to go for skydiving. There is a possibility of some minor plaque in by arteries so I will go for further testing.

If the pilot I know is correct and the problem was the pull making the blood leave my head combined with the low oxygen, should I travel to a dropzone that does static line for my first non-tandem? In a static line jump I would have less altitude oxygen deprivation,

In a static line jump is there less pull when the canopy opens? That might mean less blood going down to my legs

Any advice, please?

I don't know where you jumped or with whom you jumped, but I can think of several JM-related reasons you might have had this experience. They have to do with harnessing and harness adjustment before the jump, and, more importantly, after opening. PM to follow.

If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

[dthames 0]

riggerrob

Your's is a common- and well-understood - problem for skydiving students. We did not understand the problem u til tandem was perfected during the 1990s. It was also a 1/100 problem for static-line students.

Sounds like you started your tandem jump under-nourished. Then adrenaline rapidly burned most of your blood sugar. After opening, you relaxed and low blood sugar made you feel faint.
Dehydration and low oxygen at 14,000' can exacerbate the problem.

Fortunately, your problem can be controlled by diet and anxiety control. I encourage you to concentrate on lowering your arrousal levels during subsequent tandems or tunnel time. When you are alert enough to steer a tandem all the way to landing (coached by your tandem instructor), then you are ready to jump solo.

Adding to what riggerrob said,
I have had motion sickness issues all of my life, including acrobatic airplane rides, and skydiving.

An acrobatic aircraft pilot suggested always have some protein on your stomach. Don't eat too much but don't fail to eat something.

In skydiving I have noticed some aircraft tend to be harder for me to ride in without getting a bit sick feeling. Caravans seem to bother me more than a C182 or an Otter does. I have known several people that have motion sickness problems and have still managed to learn to skydive. If you feel sick, it is best to not jump. Knowing when you are better off to just come back at a later date is wise.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[BlitzPuppet 0]

I got sick on my first tandem jump once the chute opened and the TI was doing spins. I was fine throughout freefall, but those spins really got me.

On my second tandem the TI asked if I liked spins and I told him I got nauseous during my first tandem. He said some people get that way, especially since the center of gravity is off for the front rider.

I've never been sick solo under canopy, but everyone is different. I used to get carsick all the time as a kid, but I blame that on trying to read in the back seat.