N2 Failure --Complication?

[TiredHorse]

Has anyone else here tried to ctb with an exit bag/N2 and failed? I've tried and failed three times in the last three weeks --operator error (cowardice)-- but each time breathed in a good chest full of N2.

Since my last attempt, in the wee hours Monday, I've had a bit of chest congestion developing: coughing, a bit of mucus. Of course it's virus season, too, so for all I know I've just come down with a mild bug, but I'm wondering if anyone else here has inhaled N2, lived, and suffered any after effects such as this.

The common wisdom is that N2 isn't harmful in this manner (brain damage from sustained hypoxia is a different issue), but how accurate is common wisdom? Most unsettling to me is that inert gas asphyxiation relies entirely on the person attempting it to be able to breathe freely. It won't work if you can't get good tidal volume. I hope that by flinching I haven't buggered up my lungs and screwed myself out of a peaceful exit in the future!

I don't want to cause alarm --as I said, I may just be coming down with a cold-- but if anyone else has had this experience, it might be good information to add to our wisdom-bank.

 

[Shewaitsforme]

How did it feel @TiredHorse, were you able to breathe freely. I understand that the tingling may make me glinch but altogether was it painless?

 

[TiredHorse]

The method was absolutely painless. No discomfort at all, to speak of. If you don't like that foot-gone-to-sleep tingling you might find it uncomfortable, but there wasn't anything I would call pain.

There's the troubling mental aspect of having a plastic bag over your head, and having it slowly fog up (made worse, for me, because I couldn't wear my glasses, so couldn't see very well), but that's pretty minor. I'm using a turkey-sized bag, which is quite voluminous, and the flow of N2 inflates it and holds it away from my face so I don't feel claustrophobic.

There's also the adrenaline problem of breathing fast and shallow, which undoubtedly slowed the process for me. The official protocol is to breathe slow and deep, but frankly, it's damned difficult to do that when you're attempting to ctb. It's a frightening situation, no matter how much relief I hope to find on the other side.

I was able to keep going until my hands started feeling tingly, and my face as well. I started to feel a bit swimmy/dizzy in my head, and my vision started greying out around the edges. Then that damned HSI kicked in and I flinched and pulled the bag off. Three fucking times.

I just hope I haven't now screwed up my lungs for another attempt.

 

[Shewaitsforme]

Thankyou for the detail, as long as the method is painful i hope it goes smoothly for me.