Method Failed Inert Gas Exit Bag

[alexlynn74]

I think I did everything right, I exhaled fully, got as much residual air out of the bag as possible, filled it with nitrogen, made sure it was snug against my neck but air could still escape, and about 30 seconds in I started to feel like I was suffocating. My face was getting hot, I was gasping for air, it was torturous, and I couldn't take it anymore I just ripped the bag off. There's only 0.2% oxygen in my nitrogen so I don't know what went wrong, any suggestions, what am I missing? Honestly feeling beyond devastated, I didn't think I'd have to jump but now it feels like that's my only option.

 

[littlelungs]

That sounds like an absolutely awful experience. The exit bag is my method as well, and the thought of it going wrong or not being peaceful is terrifying to me.

What was flow rate of nitrogen being released into the exit bag? I ask because 15Lpm is the minimum amount to adequately carry away exhaled CO2 and trick your lungs into believing there's enough air.

I am so genuinely sorry that life has brought you to this point at all.

 

[alexlynn74]

That sounds like an absolutely awful experience. The exit bag is my method as well, and the thought of it going wrong or not being peaceful is terrifying to me.

What was flow rate of nitrogen being released into the exit bag? I ask because 15Lpm is the minimum amount to adequately carry away exhaled CO2 and trick your lungs into believing there's enough air.

I am so genuinely sorry that life has brought you to this point at all.

Yup it was set to 15Lpm

 

[Alex Fermentopathy]

Maybe they sold you N2 + CO2 mix? I know there are such mixes on the market. Ar+CO2 is also possible.

 

[alexlynn74]

Maybe they sold you N2 + CO2 mix? I know there are such mixes on the market. Ar+CO2 is also possible.

That's what I'm really hoping they did, I'm going to buy a CO2 detector to see if that's the case, really don't want to have to jump

 

[thewalkingdread]

I think that even when you breath pure inert gas like Nitrogen, there might be a lingering sensation of some asphyxia — which is not exactly the same as suffocation (no intake of any air at all)

I did some testing with my gas setup and although I didn't feel like I was suffocating per se, I felt like my body knew I was running out oxygen...

I think the experience I had is pretty much comparable to when one hyperventilates and starts to feel kinda woozy, with the heart beat racing more than the usual... It feels as if you were with some kind shortness of breath.

I can't, however, state that my testing was precise and accurate because I didn't do it by pulling the bag over my head. I did the breathing from a second tube, as if It were a straw. Breathing from a "straw" takes a lot more effort and I think this may have amplified the shortness of breath sensation I had...

 

[J&L383]

It does sound like there was CO2 in the bag, which is probably why you felt like you were suffocating. Try a different supplier. Make sure it's 100% nitrogen.

 

[alexlynn74]

I think that even when you breath pure inert gas like Nitrogen, there might be a lingering sensation of some asphyxia — which is not exactly the same as suffocation (no intake of any air at all)

I did some testing with my gas setup and although I didn't feel like I was suffocating per se, I felt like my body knew I was running out oxygen...

I think the experience I had is pretty much comparable to when one hyperventilates and starts to feel kinda woozy, with the heart beat racing more than the usual... It feels as if you were with some kind shortness of breath.

I can't, however, state that my testing was precise and accurate because I didn't do it by pulling the bag over my head. I did the breathing from a second tube, as if It were a straw. Breathing from a "straw" takes a lot more effort and I think this may have amplified the shortness of breath sensation I had...

I used an oxygen and co2 detector and litmus paper and it's all tellling me it's at least 99% nitrogen. I feel so much like I'm suffocating, it's just the same feeling as putting a bag over my head. I tried just breathing in straight from the tube and it felt awful. Should I try another gas like argon? I'm not even using the bag, I think it's a problem with my body but how?? By the way thank you for replying, I've been freaking out because I used to find so so much comfort knowing I'd be able to leave peacefully, but now that's gone and people like you replying bring me so much comfort.

It does sound like there was CO2 in the bag, which is probably why you felt like you were suffocating. Try a different supplier. Make sure it's 100% nitrogen.

I tested with litmus paper and oxygen/co2 sensors, so my nitrogen is fine, and I tried breathing straight from the tube connected to the tank and it still feels like I'm suffocating, should I try switching gases, do you think it's something wrong with me? Btw thank you for responding, I've been freaking out over this and it's comforting that people are trying to help.

 

[thewalkingdread]

it's just the same feeling as putting a bag over my head.

Do you think it might be a psychological reaction like being nervous and anxious!? Maybe you are stressing out from just putting the bag on your head... Testing this method can be an emotional challenge, since you could actually die...

I don't feel asphyxiated by just putting a bag filled with normal air on my head... But I would freak out with a Nitrogen bag on a test run where I could die...

I didn't want to die yet, and that's why I came up with my "second tube" method:

Instead of putting the bag over my head, I filled the bag with Nitrogen and took breaths from the second tube, as If It were a straw... That way If I were to pass out, I wouldn't die... I would just breathe normal air again.

Should I try another gas like argon?

No... The type of gas won't make much difference.

Nitrogen is all one needs.

 

[alexlynn74]

Do you think it might be a psychological reaction like being nervous and anxious!? Maybe you are stressing out from just putting the bag on your head... Testing this method can be an emotional challenge, since you could actually die...

I don't feel asphyxiated by just putting a bag filled with normal air on my head... But I would freak out with a Nitrogen bag on a test run where I could die...

I didn't want to die yet, and that's why I came up with my "second tube" method:

Instead of putting the bag over my head, I filled the bag with Nitrogen and took breaths from the second tube, as If It were a straw... That way If I were to pass out, I wouldn't die... I would just breathe normal air again.


No... The type of gas won't make much difference.

Nitrogen is all one needs.

I don't think so, I've very relaxed and feel fine about it all. Even just breathing from the tube connected to my tank, after about 5 inhales, I just feel like I'm suffocating/holding my breath.

 

[thewalkingdread]

after about 5 inhales, I just feel like I'm suffocating/holding my breath.

As I said before, that might just be the way it is.

I can confirm from the test I've made that there is a weird feeling similar to when one hyperventilates... Truth be told: It's not a confortable experience to feel "shortness of breath", woozy and as if you are about to pass out... One is, afterall, being deprived of oxygen.

 

[Tears in Rain]

I think I did everything right, I exhaled fully, got as much residual air out of the bag as possible, filled it with nitrogen, made sure it was snug against my neck but air could still escape, and about 30 seconds in I started to feel like I was suffocating. My face was getting hot, I was gasping for air, it was torturous, and I couldn't take it anymore I just ripped the bag off. There's only 0.2% oxygen in my nitrogen so I don't know what went wrong, any suggestions, what am I missing? Honestly feeling beyond devastated, I didn't think I'd have to jump but now it feels like that's my only option.

A feeling of suffocation occurs when there's too much CO2 and not enough inert gas. Is there definitely enough space for the nitrogen to push out CO2 at the bottom of the bag?

Yup it was set to 15Lpm

I would up the flowrate to 25 LPM.
As long as you have plenty of gas, 25lpm is fine to use.

 

[alexlynn74]

As I said before, that might just be the way it is.

I can confirm from the test I've made that there is a weird feeling similar to when one hyperventilates... Truth be told: It's not a confortable experience to feel "shortness of breath", woozy and as if you are about to pass out... One is, afterall, being deprived of oxygen.

I guess maybe it's just not overly peaceful for everyone :( do you have any tips however and maybe OTC meds I could take to make it all easier so I don't rip the bag off my head?

 

[Mi Mi]

I think I did everything right, I exhaled fully, got as much residual air out of the bag as possible, filled it with nitrogen, made sure it was snug against my neck but air could still escape, and about 30 seconds in I started to feel like I was suffocating. My face was getting hot, I was gasping for air, it was torturous, and I couldn't take it anymore I just ripped the bag off. There's only 0.2% oxygen in my nitrogen so I don't know what went wrong, any suggestions, what am I missing? Honestly feeling beyond devastated, I didn't think I'd have to jump but now it feels like that's my only option.

I'm so sorry
I feel the devastation
I wish I could be more helpful
I too am thinking I'm going to end up having to jump

 

[thewalkingdread]

I can confirm from the test I've made that there is a weird feeling similar to when one hyperventilates.

That being said, my testing was tainted right off the bat... Breathing from a tube is exaustive work for the lungs... Maybe my experience was distorted due to breathing from the tube.

I would up the flowrate to 25 LPM.

maybe it's just not overly peaceful for everyone

I think maybe increasing the flow rate would solve the problem.

And mind you: my testing was not done as It should have been... It was a makeshift, improvised, way I found to test the method without risking killing myself accidentaly...

Breathing from the tube probably was the cause for my shortness of breath...

do you have any tips however and maybe OTC meds I could take

When my time comes, I'll just drink some whisky ...

 

[It'sMyLife]

I'm wondering about your flowmeter. Are you certain it's set to LPM? I know you already answered this but make certain. And try to relax . You don't have to do anything right now unless you really feel like you're in danger or something. Buy some wine and have a glass. I'm rarely without it around my place. I'm sorry you're having a hard time and feel so desperate . I hope you can calm down and gather your senses . I've checked with my local gas place and they have 99.8% pure which I"m assuming is what you have based on what you stated earlier. I'm just getting back to all of this myself and need to read through some of the megathreads again to refresh my memory. I hope you're feeling better by now ,

 

[alexlynn74]

I'm so sorry
I feel the devastation
I wish I could be more helpful
I too am thinking I'm going to end up having to jump

I just need to find somewhere to jump and how to make sure I jump

 

[piddincir]

There are some good points already raised here.

Upping the flow to 25l/pm would be better. Depending on what regulator you use as well could be an issue. a lot of the cheaper ones are made more for argon so when using nitrogen you need a higher l/pm as the gas is lighter.

I failed with this method last year, was my fault I didn't tape the pipe to the inside of the bag and it feel out. I passed out probably after about a minute, woke up to the pipe slowly hissing its last breath. Personally I didn't have any feeling of suffocation. I took a few Xanax and washed it down with some nice red wine before so I was feeling pretty calm.

It might be more SI kicking in, you can feel calm about it but it's different once you put that bag on your head. I practiced a bit with my exit bag, just putting it over my head and breathing to all the oxygen was gone and seeing how long I could last, I am not recommending that but I did desensitise me to the feeling and having a bag around my head and it's a lot worse that when using gas due to the high levels of CO2.

My wife did it with just a bag so part of me was just seeing what it must have been like for her, and it is not a nice way to go out. When I used the gas it was a lot more peaceful, you just need to persevere a little longer to unconsciousness - it took longer than I had expected. I put on some of our favourite music as well which was calming I just focused on listening to that as a distraction and my favourite pictures of us together on our TV - they were little things but they helped a lot.

That said when I try again I am going to invest in a SCBA mask and do it that way as there is less that can go wrong and unconsciousness comes quicker.

Personally I could never jump, I really dont like heights, just thinking about that makes my stomach turn.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, I hope you find peace.

 

[thewalkingdread]

do you have any tips however and maybe OTC meds I could take to make it all easier so I don't rip the bag off my head?

I think It could be that your survival "instinct" (SI) is causing all your struggles...

 

[moloko plus]

If you are certain your nitro is fine and you followed the protocol properly, that must mean, I imagine, that either your flow meter was faulty so there really wasn't 15 l/min, or there was a leak where the tube meets the regulator.

 

[outrider567]

I think I did everything right, I exhaled fully, got as much residual air out of the bag as possible, filled it with nitrogen, made sure it was snug against my neck but air could still escape, and about 30 seconds in I started to feel like I was suffocating. My face was getting hot, I was gasping for air, it was torturous, and I couldn't take it anymore I just ripped the bag off. There's only 0.2% oxygen in my nitrogen so I don't know what went wrong, any suggestions, what am I missing? Honestly feeling beyond devastated, I didn't think I'd have to jump but now it feels like that's my only option

You shouldn't do a test without an oximeter on your finger, then you can see how much your oxygen drops, rememer there's a ten second delay--All 5 of my tests showed a rapid oxygen loss

I think I did everything right, I exhaled fully, got as much residual air out of the bag as possible, filled it with nitrogen, made sure it was snug against my neck but air could still escape, and about 30 seconds in I started to feel like I was suffocating. My face was getting hot, I was gasping for air, it was torturous, and I couldn't take it anymore I just ripped the bag off. There's only 0.2% oxygen in my nitrogen so I don't know what went wrong, any suggestions, what am I missing? Honestly feeling beyond devastated, I didn't think I'd have to jump but now it feels like that's my only option.

Something is very wrong with your set-up--My breathing in pure 99.0% Nitrogen while wearing the EEBD Hood was just like breathing air, no difference and I was quite comfortable, and my Oxygen Level dropped from 98 to 46 in 30 seconds

I think that even when you breath pure inert gas like Nitrogen, there might be a lingering sensation of some asphyxia — which is not exactly the same as suffocation (no intake of any air at all)

I did some testing with my gas setup and although I didn't feel like I was suffocating per se, I felt like my body knew I was running out oxygen...

I think the experience I had is pretty much comparable to when one hyperventilates and starts to feel kinda woozy, with the heart beat racing more than the usual... It feels as if you were with some kind shortness of breath.

I can't, however, state that my testing was precise and accurate because I didn't do it by pulling the bag over my head. I did the breathing from a second tube, as if It were a straw. Breathing from a "straw" takes a lot more effort and I think this may have amplified the shortness of breath sensation I had...

I don't agree, my tests with the EEBD Hood felt like I was just breathing in normal air, I was quite comfortable the whole time

 

[thewalkingdread]

I don't agree, my tests with the EEBD Hood felt like I was just breathing in normal air, I was quite comfortable the whole time

Thank you for your feedback. I really appreciate It.

As I said, my testing was improvised and very clumsy — not even close to testing by putting the bag over my head.

I did my breathing through a tube as If It were a "straw". So it wasn't a natural, effortless, breathing and this has certainly had an impact on my experience.

I felt some "shortness of breath", but I think it's reasonable to assume It was due to breathing from the tube.

When my time comes to actually use my exit bag, I think there won't be any discomfort...

 

[J&L383]

I would fill a balloon with whatever gas you want to test, and use that instead of a tube or straw. I don't think argon would matter but perhaps it would. (It's much more expensive I hear, but I think you could get a small test cylinder, they use it for preserving wine but then you'd have to get the apparatus for extracting it from the small cylinder and then somehow inflating a balloon with it.). Perhaps your body is different than most?

If the feeling of suffocation you experienced is the same as if you just put the bag over your head and start breathing until the CO2 builds up then it would seem to be CO2.

I'm sorry you're having this much trouble with this method. . It is my method of choice if I can't get to Switzerland, but I will be very thorough with it if I have to proceed this way.