I keep getting headaches

I have terrible respiratory allergies and asthma and my doctor LOVES that I swim now. He says it's one of the best exercises for asthmatics and those with allergies. On the headache issue-how warm is the pool water? I've gotten headaches after a tough workout when the water is too warm. As soon as I'm out a few minutes, have a some water and a cool shower I'm fine. I know the warm water issue is problematic in many pools, including mine. There's no way they're lowering that temperature and putting up with the grief from the aqua aerobics and baby-swim class crowd. So- I swim hard anyway in the 86 degree water and take a cool shower afterwards.:p

Is this something new, or does this happen all time? A friend of mine has a mild allergy to chlorine - gives him headaches.

Originally posted by Fitswimmer04 I have terrible respiratory allergies and asthma and my doctor LOVES that I swim now. He says it's one of the best exercises for asthmatics and those with allergies. Just curious. Do you take any meds to address the allergy/asthma symptoms? I have chronic respiratory allergies. I take Clarinex daily. But before each swim I also take a puff of "Combivent" inhaler. It contains albuterol. Makes a tremendous difference for me.

Good luck and let us know how it goes next time. And good luck with the arm.

and infortunately I have some wrentching tendonitis in my arm so I can only swim about once a week. so, next time I'll go hydrated, loosen my goggles and shower off cold next time. all I know is that the swim headaches can really be sickening...they last forever, and make my whole body feel badly. maybe with these adjustments it won't happen next time. thanks everyone!

I've been on Zyrtec and Singular for the past year and have noticed a vast improvement. My allergist just gave me Combivent samples to try out. He said it has a really nasty taste though-I didn't think anything tasted worse than Aerobid, but he says his patients say this does.

A few possibilities: Benign exertional headaches (cause unknown), migraines (which can get worse with vigorous exercise but can be treated), increased intracranial pressure (are you holding your breath/straining while you swim?), or rarely some kind of intracranial mass/tumor (diagnosed by a CT scan). A neurologist should be able to give you an answer.

Originally posted by Fitswimmer04 I've been on Zyrtec and Singular for the past year and have noticed a vast improvement. My allergist just gave me Combivent samples to try out. He said it has a really nasty taste though-I didn't think anything tasted worse than Aerobid, but he says his patients say this does. Re: Nasty taste. Yup, if you let the spray get on your tongue. I avoid that by fully forcing out every bit of exhale I can, then I put the aspirator in my mouth and begin inhaling BEFORE pressing the spray. Just get a flow going into your lungs, and the full dose of spray will follow along. The burst of spray is fast. After it's done spraying I continue inhaling until I have my lungs as full as possible. You won't feel the spray. You won't taste a thing. (At least I rarely do.) Hold your breath for about 10 seconds (or more.) Hope it works out for you as well as it did for me.