ssbrix

During my training my divemaster told me I am a carbon dioxide retainer. He said most runners are. I was using my air faster than more out of shape divers. breathing about 1 1/2 breaths to their 1. Can anyone give me any clue as to how to correct this?

Scuba Mama

I am not sure where your divemaster is getting his (her) information. Your breathing rate is different from other divers because your different. Try some techniques to slow your breathing, example yoga before diving. On the first day of a trip if allowed I will relax at the top of the water for almost 10 minutes just to allow my breathing to slow, I also take the time to make sure the weights are correct. Yoga before diving is another way to focus your breathing, last as you dive more you will find an improvement in your breathing rate.

To answer your question about being a co2 container.
CO2 retention with it's attendant dangers of death from convulsions and hypoxia is primarily of concern to the scuba diver due to "skip breathing". Other sources of CO2 retention are breath-hold diving, breathing in a sealed environment, faulty regulator, exercise at extreme depth and using contaminated air. I don't believe your divemaster statement was correct.

Resqdivemedic

I agree with Scuba Mama about skip breathing, definately not recommended for diving. Here is a little physiology about carbon dioxide in the body. Our primary drive in the body to regulate breathing is levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. If levels get to high, our breathing rate will increase to blow off excess until levels return to normal. Think about trying to hold your breath. You can only do it for a short amount of time until our body senses that the CO2 levels are to high forcing us to breath. We breath to get rid of carbon dioxide, not to take in oxygen. In people with obstrcutive pulmonary disaeaes such as emphysema, the body switches its primary drive from carbon dioxide to oxygen. This is called hypoxic drive. Because the body is so use to high levels of CO2 in the system from air being trapped in damaged lung tissue, it gets used to the high levels of CO2 and switches to sensing levels of oxygen. In theory, this is bad because if we administer oxygen to help them breath, we can slow the breathing rate and possibly stop their breathing all together. This takes 4-6 hours of breathing 100% oxygen. Hope this helps. Dive safe.