runny nose/sneezing

Nancy, I have had this problem myself in the past.I used a nose clip for quite a while but as I exhale a lot it would loosen and then slip off(always at the deep end!!!!!!).It has cost me a few purchases of new nose clips,until I bought one that damaged the skin on my nose.I decided there and then that I would "just tough it out" and fight the sneezes and cold when they came the next day.After a few weeks I am handling it ok now. Mark Varney:cool:

Could it be allergies to something in the pool? Got allergies in general? You know, when our bodies get introduced to new substances they can react that way, till they de-sensitize. De-sensitising can take from 3 weeks to few months. (Just my 2c)

I sometimes end up with a substantial amount of pool water in my sinuses---for instance, I'll discover it an hour after swimming when I bend over just right and...! Anyway, on those occasions, I'm feeling much clearer and less sneezy after the flood. Probably I'm the only one with this issue---but I thought I'd pipe up in case you might be a fellow water carrier.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned a steroid based nasal spray such as Nasacort or Flonase and any of the others in that tribe. My eight year old son just started swim team this year and was having a serious problem with nasal congestion to the point where I thought he'd have to drop swimming. His doctor prescibed one of the steroidal nasal sprays (can't remember which) and it's worked wonders. Because they get such a small dose these sprays are pretty harmless-you aren't going to see the problems assoicated with longterm oral steroids. Jan

I have been suffering post swim congestion/sneezing for the last 8 months. I got back into swimming just under 2 years ago and was generally fine until late last winter. My condition was getting so bad I was beginning to think I would have to quite swimming. I decided to take one of my wife's Allegra 180s before swimming and what a huge and nearly complete turn around it has given me. Problem is, I'm not sure I want to take these continually for the rest of my life. I have a routine physical coming up and I am going to ask for the nasal steriod spray as an alternative to see if that is effective. Either way, I have to believe the benefits of swimming out weigh the negatives of routine medication.

Please post your doc's opinion and recommendations -- I suffer from this malady as well, and am loathe to think I must take some drug forevermore... Thanks, Nancy

A follow-up... My doctor was pretty emphatic that the Allegra 180 and even more, the Nasacort steriod spray are pretty benign treatments and safe for the very long term. Of the two...he indicated the spray is less invasive as it isn't systemic like an antihistamine pill. He finds people have more difficulty staying up with the spray than with taking a pill every day...so he often finds the pill presciption more effective. He gave me the prescription for the Allegra and samples of Nasacort and told me to experiment and find out if just the pill or spray will work or if I need to take them together. I also indicated that one side of my sinuses seems to always be more "stuffed" than the other and he said it may be a small polyp causing the problem and that the Nasacort will likely clear that up...the Allegra alone wouldn't have the same impact. He was very clear on the point that a good swimming regime far out weighs any questionable impacts associated with a long term program to treat the sinus issues. I swam today and took my medication prior to the swim. I feel great. The other beauty of these medicines is that they don't have any physical side effects...no drowsiness etc.