Helium - my experiment

[auto138491]

So, I bought 3 large helium balloons, sorted out a simple inhaler using the nebuliser.

Then fitted the inlet of the inhaler to the balloon and taped the exit of the balloon to let the helium flow.
Nothing happened.

Then, I just put the balloon near my nose, pinching it shut while exhaling and opening it a little while inhaling. I just wanted to see if it would work at all.
Suprisingly, my oxygen saturation starting falling within 2-3 breaths!

I went from 98 to 75 within that one balloon. I was conscious, but a little fuzzy in the head.

There are 2 more balloons waiting for tonight. Don't think this will do the CTB for me, but cylinder procurement is hard here and all that flow rate and nozzle etc. is befuddling.

So, if someone can help answer 2 questions:
1. At what oxygen saturation can we be sure to CTB?
2. Are suicide pacts allowed on this site? I think one would help me a lot.

Thank you

 

[Dejected 55]

The problem with not having pure helium is going to be that as long as there is oxygen present, your body will produce enough CO2 to trigger the panic response. I haven't heard of anyone being successful enough to evacuate the CO2 fast enough when the helium source keeps feeding you new oxygen to produce more, without triggering this... and most people can't resist the natural struggle to tear out of whatever contraption they are in to get back to breathable air. IF you could resist that urge, then you wouldn't even need the helium, just the bag over the head trick of old... painful and panicky, but pretty much the same experience as the impure helium source provides.

That's my understanding from the reading I've done.

 

[NellyGoes]

I agree with Dejected 55. To add to this, even if you did get pure helium in those balloons, from my understanding (and I'm not a doctor..), you could go unconscious from inhaling that. But then if you just lie there on the floor passed out from oxygen deprivation — the air around you obvs has oxygen and so your brain doesn't stay deprived enough to "complete" the dying. You might come back on your own, or you might stay unconscious and sustain brain damage. But for the body to complete the dying process I think it needs to be fully oxygen deprived for 20-40 minutes (in an environment with no/too low oxygen).

But.. I think there were cases of someone filling a bag with inert gas and they died from keeping that over their head. Without steady incoming flow. But it's just not guaranteed.

 

[Dejected 55]

Yeah, as noted above me... if you're just doing this in a room, once you pass out from the helium, you're in a room full of air and will start breathing again. It's the same reason why you can't hold your breath until you die. It's hard to hold your breath long enough to pass out... but if you managed that, then once passed out you'd start breathing again and wake up eventually.