Danger Of Helium

[Dalucius]

Well I feel really dumb posting this but it may save a life.

Last month we had a party and hired a helium bottle to fill balloons.

That night all the relatives were on the verandah playing with the helium balloons - breathing it in and singing songs.

I walked out and decided to try it after years of telling my children not to do it.

I took on breath and sang a line to a song, then took a second breath and well that is the closest smiley to blacking out.

I came to dazed on the concrete with my husband holding me up, my daughter screaming "call an ambulance she has turned blue".

I was total out of it. Didn't remember what had happened. The rest of the night and the following day I had memory problems, was talking weird (reversing words around and in lala land).

I googled helium safety data sheet to find this info.

"Helium is a nontoxic, odorless, colorless, nonflammable gas stored in cylinders at hi pressure. It can cause rapid suffocation when concentrations are sufficient to reduce oxygen levels below 19.5%.

INHALLATION: Simple asphyxiant. helium is nontoxic, but may cause suffocation by displacing the oxygen in air. Lack of sufficient oxygen can cause serious injury or death.

SYMPTONS: may cause dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, excess salivation, diminished mental alertness, loss of consciousness and death. Exposure to atmospheres containing 8-10% or less oxygen will bring about unconsciousness without warning and so quickly that the individuals cannot help or protect themselves."

I had no feeling of fainting or any warnings whatsoever. My family and friends who witnessed this have said they will never do it again as it was so frightening.

PLEASE Don't ever do it.

Sorry about the length of this but it may save a life.

but sometimes can be avoided.

Edited February 1, 2007 by Dalucius

[Guest IFishSick.]

Dammit, I used to like doing that but now im having serious second thoughts about it. Especially the word DEATH bieng repeated so many times.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Nicho]

yeah.. but did the song sound like daffy duck in the end????

[harold]

with respect, surely adults dont really want to breath in this gas??? You sound like you are lucky to have gotten off so lightly for what has to be a silly thing to do. Stay alive and go fishing instead, it is much healthier for you.

[Penguin]

I vaguely remember a story on the tv news a few years back,

and some teenagers in a car had a helium bottle and were

doing what u were doing and end result was one death

and three people hospitalised.

The guy turning the bottle on and off passed out and left the bottle

turned on then they all blacked out.

penguin

[mrsswordfisherman]

Thanks for sharing that with us Lyn.

The inhalation of the helium causes the blood oxygen levels to drop which leads to the lightheadedness and fainting. This can happen in a matter of seconds. It is also much more dangerous if inhaled from a tank.

As a registered nurse I know of people who came to Casualty/Emergency with injuries caused by their fall after passing out.

This is a dangerous practice indeed. Don't do it !!!!

mrsswordfisherman

[Osprey Rider]

I vaguely remember a story on the tv news a few years back,

and some teenagers in a car had a helium bottle and were

doing what u were doing and end result was one death

and three people hospitalised.

The guy turning the bottle on and off passed out and left the bottle

turned on then they all blacked out.

penguin

Yes Penguin your memory is correct, that happened last year at toongabbie.