I have been swimming my whole life (I am 40), but during the past year, I began working out by swimming laps 3 - 4 times a week. After 7 months, I started having what felt like an asthma attack about 3 -4 hours after I swam. This happened three times in a row so I stopped my routine and made an appointment with an allergist. He says that I am having a reaction to the chemicals that are generated by the mixture of chlorine and organic material. None of the inhalers we have tried have helped with the problem and my doctor has reccommended no more swimming. Does anyone know anything about this? I haven't swam now for 6 months and miss it terribly.
There has to be more to the story. Like someone suggested, pulmonary function testing (spirometry) is in order if not yet done. Also, as others have said, there are asthma mimicers. Finally, are the inhalers you tried rescue inhalers (e.g. Albuterol), preventative inhalers (e.g. inhaled steroids), or both? Leukotriene inhibitors (e.g. Singular/ Montekeukast) also are a preventative option, if indeed it is asthma.
Last question; when you get this "asthma attack" 3-4 hours later, are you coughing? If not I seriously doubt it is an asthma attack.
There has to be more to the story. Like someone suggested, pulmonary function testing (spirometry) is in order if not yet done. Also, as others have said, there are asthma mimicers. Finally, are the inhalers you tried rescue inhalers (e.g. Albuterol), preventative inhalers (e.g. inhaled steroids), or both? Leukotriene inhibitors (e.g. Singular/ Montekeukast) also are a preventative option, if indeed it is asthma.
Last question; when you get this "asthma attack" 3-4 hours later, are you coughing? If not I seriously doubt it is an asthma attack.
