If you die of drowning, how long before you go unconscious?

[Illini]

Just thinking of the victims of that bridge collapse, and wondering if they suffered or not. I drove on a bridge going to Chicago today, and I'm always gonna sweat every bridge now for the rest of my life.

 

[winbet]

Not a nice way to go. Apparently regardless of whether you can swim or not you come up twice to the surface and breathe in some more air before going down for the last time, thats why if your going to Murder someone dont hold their head under the water in one go.:thumbsup:

 

[DonMelchor]

a friend of mine choked me from behind, we were wrestling and I blacked out for a while, it didn't take long, he let go when I started to seizure.... It wasn't that bad, I started to dream and when I woke up I didn't know where I was, 30 secs.........

 

[sawastea]

It greatly varies. There is no set answer, and I have yet to see a study that is definite. It really depends on your oxygen getting into the blood stream and water getting into your lungs. Hopefully there is an MD out there who knows the specifics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drowning

 

[Stocks]

Defintly a bad way to go, after holding your breath for as long as you can your brain will make you try and get some air and you take a nice big breath of water and that dont sound like fun

 

[RobFunk]

God, you guys make it sound pretty damn brutal.

 

[TTinCO]

It's not long-maybe a couple seconds until the lights go out.

I saw a guy get pulled out of a pool in an underwater "lap competition" in a backyard pool. He was out, and quick-but he came right back just as fast when we threw him onto the pool deck.

 

[JOHNHOLMES]

It depends on how long you can hold your breath under water, but when you cannot hold it any longer, automatically you will start trying to breath, letting the water fill your lungs, which is the painful part, couple of seconds and you're gone. Horrible way to die, not that there is a nice way to go:nohead:

 

[levistep]

A fire is many times worse. Drowning isn't that bad.

 

[OnePocket]

I watched a program awhile back on Navy Seals and during their water exercise training, I remember the Navy Seal Instructor explaining that when they do the under water training they will not let a student stay under for longer than two(2) minutes unconscious because they either drown or it will start to do brain damage from lack of oxygen. Watch the Military Channel they have very interesting stuff about all of the Military.

 

[Presto]

Recently, I heard about this shallow water blackout thing. They say it happens to swimmers holding their breath under water for too long. Weird.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallow_water_blackout

 

[donkeybucks]

When I was a kid at the public 'pee' pool, I would fake a drowning by just laying lifeless and head underwater. I wanted to see if the lifeguard would come to my aid. They never did.

 

[Kornholio]

Actually what will happen is not all that bad. You will hold your breath as long as possible and when you can't hold it anymore you start to breathe in water and go unconscious in a few seconds from the water in the lungs.

 

[Coaster]

Drowning is actually suffocation.
Your body will not let you breathe in water.
The lungs fill with water after unconsciousness.


Coaster

 

[whalewager]

drowned when i was a child...clinically dead for 6 minutes...brought me back


Pink...I love you

 

[Coaster]

drowned when i was a child...clinically dead for 6 minutes...brought me back


Pink...I love you

You are very lucky!
Managed to save a kid once who was under for about 4 minutes. (Firefighter/Paramedic)
Helps to be young and in cold water, colder the better.

Didn't happen often, unfortunately.


Coaster

 

[steaktartar]

drowned when i was a child...clinically dead for 6 minutes...brought me back


Pink...I love you

at least no permanent damage.................