Lately I am swimming at 2 different pools. I am a late blooming, 45yo, fitness swimmer. I am up to doing about 3800 yds per workout. I find that I often have a very runny nose and sneezing fits that can last the entire day. I will take benedryl but it only seems to help a bit. I have tried to pay attention and think that one of the pools may be causing much more of a problem than the other.
As an experiment I tried takign a single benedryl (sp?) about a half hour before swimming. THis seems to be helping. So am I alergic to the water?
Is this common and what other suggestions if any?
Parents
Former Member
It's unlikely but not impossible to have allergy problems to chlorine/pool chemicals. Usually (not always), allergies are to proteins.
Other, more likely, problems are 1. Seasonal allergies -- don't discount this, they can show up any time and RIGHT NOW is a peak time of year for them; 2. Mold/fungus -- think about it -- pools are havens for dampness, and molds etc grow really well in this environment, and are very allergenic 3. Non-allergic (irritant) rhinitis to the chemicals
Benadryl usually lasts a few hours, like 3-4. It's also sedating to many people, so may not be your best choice for allergy symptoms. There is (expen$ive) over the counter claritin which works for 24 hrs and is mostly nonsedating, and there are precription ones also (no major advantage over OTC claritin except your health insurance may pick up the tab).
I would bet on seasonal allergies, just because of the time of year, but if you haven't noticed these symptoms until the past month or so it may not be. Certainly if you notice one pool is less likely to cause your symptoms than another -- stick with that one!!
It's unlikely but not impossible to have allergy problems to chlorine/pool chemicals. Usually (not always), allergies are to proteins.
Other, more likely, problems are 1. Seasonal allergies -- don't discount this, they can show up any time and RIGHT NOW is a peak time of year for them; 2. Mold/fungus -- think about it -- pools are havens for dampness, and molds etc grow really well in this environment, and are very allergenic 3. Non-allergic (irritant) rhinitis to the chemicals
Benadryl usually lasts a few hours, like 3-4. It's also sedating to many people, so may not be your best choice for allergy symptoms. There is (expen$ive) over the counter claritin which works for 24 hrs and is mostly nonsedating, and there are precription ones also (no major advantage over OTC claritin except your health insurance may pick up the tab).
I would bet on seasonal allergies, just because of the time of year, but if you haven't noticed these symptoms until the past month or so it may not be. Certainly if you notice one pool is less likely to cause your symptoms than another -- stick with that one!!
