Unpressurised flying - a bad experience

[jonnyb2396]

Hello,
I have recently returned from completing some flying in an unpressurised aircraft.
I had a very bad experience, which i will detail, and hopefully someone could advise me further.

On Wednesday we were operating at 17,000ft for about 3hours, using oxygen (OxySaver).

During the flight, I began to feel sleepy and had a pain in my head (to the front and left side). My knee joints were feeling a bit sore also. I constantly checked that the flow of oxygen was optimal for our altitude, which it was, though my sleepiness didnt really subside.

We then started our decent which we had to expedite, (under 2000ft per minute) and suddenly the pain in my head extended to my nose, and the pain was that extreme I was in tears and had to hold/press my nose to try to ease the pain. It was the worst pain ive ever felt.

Once at 10,000ft, i removed the mask and was still in a lot of pain.

Soon we were on the ground, and i was starting to feel a bit better. We went for some lunch as I thought it was maybe just a hungar headache, but i still had my headache. After 1 hr or so, I began to feel sick, and then did actually start vomiting. I began to feel disorientated, and very weak and my headache got worse. I took some painkillers but then vomited these back up.

I returned to the apartment, and lay down for a while. I found it difficult to get over to sleep, and when i closed my eyes it felt like i was spinning upside down. My body kept jolting, when i felt like i was about to drift over to sleep.

I eventually did fall over to sleep and woke up 2hrs later feeling much better, but still a very sore nose/sinuses. I had something to eat/drink, then relaxed for a few hours.

The following morning I felt well recovered, though still tired. However, then had to make 6 sitdown trips to the toilet in the space of about 2.5hrs.

I have a lot of dry skin/ itchy areas around my body, which i dont know if have any significance.

Now, I feel fine, though wonder if I should arrange a visit to my GP or hospital to see if everything is okay.

I dont know what the problem was, if it was the bends etc.

I didnt actually call a doctor.

Does anyone know was this just a case of blocked sinuses, or something more serious?

Thanks

PS - I wasnt in command of the a/c incase anyone wonders!

[johnriketes]

I am not a doctor so can't comment on the case of pain. I would guess it is a blockage. I get a little of that, if I have a cold coming on and that is the first symptoms.

In another life i flew unpressurized aircraft for years, in a hot climate. We used to cruise atFL115 or 125 to avoid the convection turbulence. even at my personal max altitude of FL125 there was still a little convection turbulence. I kept the R of D below 500 fpm when possible.

This in my opinion was the lesser of the two evils. One advantage was it used to send most of the pax asleep. The hardest part was to stay awake myself.

Was young and fit in those days. :}

[Tarq57]

I'm not a doctor, either, but this sounds like a classic case of altitude sickness. The pain may have been due to a blocked eustachian tube, or may have been caused by oxygen shortage.

The symptoms fit well with symptoms reported by "first time" trekkers in high altitude areas, such as Nepal, who have not spent long enough at intermediate stops to acclimatise.

I don't know what "oxysaver" is, but it sounds like a deliberately reduced oxygen supply. If you have to do this type of op again, I'd be inclined to try using a full flow system, oxygen supply permitting.

If it recurs, I'd definitely see a doctor. Not a smoker are you?

[jonnyb2396]

hi

interesting replies.

Im not a smoker, or 'heavy' drinker for that matter! lol

the Cpt checked out the symptoms on the web after the flight and he too said he thought it was Altitude Sickness.

Just dont know if its worth going to the doctor for a check-up, just incase there are some underlying problems.

[Tarq57]

I don't know if it's worth it at this point, either. It may have simply been shortage of O2.
What I would do is see a Dr if it recurs, at the time. (For treatment of the symptoms, of course.)
What I'd do to prevent a recurrence is use full oxygen above, say, 12000ft.
Long term exposure to reduced oxygen can have some rather nasty and sometimes permanent side effects. I'm talking long term as in days, rather than hours.
According to peeps I knew who were into mountaineering.

[sorvad]

sounds an awful lot like "sinus barotrauma"....do a google search.....if the original sinus infection is bad enough it can increase the intra cranial pressure and cause all the symptoms you've been getting...you can get a sinus ct scan done for diagnosis

[homonculus]

as you are now well and seem to have recovered.......

headache, aches and pains, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea

Sounds like a bug

Remember - common things commonly occur. Bugs are common and even attack pilots. Otherwise you are suggesting you got altitude siickness but others presumably operating the same ''faulty'' equipment didnt, and possibly someone is operating dodgy equipment.

sorry, that is less likely

[gingernut]

It doesn't sound like there's anything too worrying about your symptoms, and it's good to hear that you are recovering well.

It's likely flying may have exascerbated things. If in doubt,or the symptoms become worrying, then seek some professional advice.

Worrying things may include breathlessness, continual fever, rash, personality changes and stopping peeing. :)

[snips]

Just a quick thought, had you been SCUBA diving recently, within the last 36 to 48 hours? Joint pain and itchy skin are some of the symptoms of DCS (Decompression Sickness)

Speedy Recovery:)

[sorvad]

it really doesn't sound a bit like altitude sickness, or a bug.....if you look up aerosinusitis or sinus barotrauma (often they use barotrauma in a diving context and aerosinusitis in flying....they are actually both the same thing), I think you will find what you are looking for...Ive had it and it is excrutiatingly painful...can cause headaches pretty much anywhere not just where we all consider our sinuses to be, as some sinus cavities are deep inside the skull and very close to the brain.

Hope your fully recovered

[wiggy]

FWIW you can get the joint pain without previous Scuba diving - I used to have the pleasure of occasionally doing airtests on the unpressurised Jet Provost Mk 3 and often got very mild knee/elbow ache during the final stages of timed climb to height :ooh: performed at the start of the flight test profile ( final level was FL 150+, can't remember actual figure) - and yes, before some wag says it, a calender would have been more appropriate than a stopwatch...:8.

[411A]

Log term flying in unpressurized aircraft affects many folks differently.
I would suggest, at an absoute minimum, that an oxy pulse meter be purchased and used when flying at these higher altitudes.
This device will show the blood oxy saturation level for the respective individual...and different folks respond differently, accordingly.
Usually, and this is a general statement, a blood/oxy saturation level of 92% is required...I use 94%...and I fly my unpressurized private aircraft all the time above 16,000 feet, using an Aerox oxy/saver cannula.

PS:
For best results, especially night flying, use oxygen above 8,000 feet.