Swimming after having Covid

Allen, I have been dealing with lingering effects of covid now since early Feb. Like you, I was fully vaxxed and had none of the really serious symptoms some folks get (I personally know several people who have died from it), so I credit the vaccines for keeping me off of ventilators since I have high BP and asthma. I am now in my third major phase of the little sniffle. The first was marked by headaches and a little coughing. I was able to do high-intensity workouts right through it. No shortness of breath at all. Then I had a few weeks break where I had no noticeable symptoms. When I got into the second phase things really went downhill. That's when I lost all energy and my appetite. During that time I could still train but spent upwards of 15 hours/day in bed. Food was disgusting to me. I didn't lose my taste but everything I ate made me feel sick. Now, 6 months into this thing I have lost  10 pounds. I have to force myself to eat because I need the calories. Then I entered into a third phase where I am very short of breath. Even with this I entered a LC meet (1500 free) but it's a struggle to breathe.

I recognized the virus in my body through my resting heart rate which has been 40 BPM for 30 years. Then, in early Feb it shot up to way over 50 and really freaked me out since that has never happened before. I am pretty nerdy about keeping careful records on this. After the first phase, the RP went mostly back to normal and then rose again in the second phase. It has come down but the new symptoms of shortness of breath make me suspicious that this won't last long.

I talked over my management of the disease with my PCP early on and he encouraged me to exercise when I felt like it but be careful. The ominous warning was: don't let it put you into the hospital because there is a good chance you won't come out. So, I have been careful to take care of my lungs, wearing way more clothes than I need in summer, for example. The upshot is that it has made very little impact on my training (I also Nordic ski, run and bike) but I have to really pay attention to what my body wants from me on any particular day. I have trained over 500 hours/year for the last 20 years but I probably will be lucky to get over 400 hours this year. That's a 25% hit.

Intellectually, this is very interesting to me (I'm a retired astrophysicist and making observations and collecting data is what I did for 40 years) but I'd really prefer NOT to be part of the experiment. I don't know what permanent effects will take hold.

Best of luck

-- mel dyck

I'm so sorry to hear you got Covid, King Frog!  My heart goes out to you!  I know how much being able to compete means to you, and your past injuries interfered.  Now this.  Is Seal Girl ok?  I am wishing you both my best!

Mel, I'm sorry to hear what you have been dealing with as well.  Good luck!

Thank you for your response. It really sounds like you have been through the wringer. I know that long Covid exists and that chronic symptoms may occur in up to 25% of people. Your experience seems like that must be very frustrating. I really wish you well and pray that these phases don't continue.

in my initial post I referenced "doing but not over doing". I consider myself very active but your level of activity is well into the area that would be overdoing for me. I find that if I try and do more than 4 intense workouts a week I break down and that' was pre-Covid. We are all different, and have a different adaptation responses. Again I wish you well and thank you. 

 Thank you for your thoughts Elaine. Carol tested positive the same day I did. So far neither of us seem to have any of the very serious effects. 

I'm sorry to hear Carol tested positive as well.  I sure hope you two recover well and avoid long Covid!  Good luck to you both!

Allen I think Mel's advice - listen to your body - is spot on.  I just got C for the first time, probably Omicron B-something.  I started on Paxlovid within 24 hours of 1st symptoms and that was a miracle.  Within 4 days I was testing -.  That's not to say I was fine.  I have a lingering chronic throat clearing.  My first foray swimming was like, an easy 1000 or so yards in a lake.  Being in nature itself felt HEALING!!!  I swear - if you can get in warm water with a wet suit perhaps, there's a huge benefit.  Each subsequent swim has been better.  I worked gradually to where I had been pre-Covid.  I can't say I have noticed any lasting effects on my swimming.   So - take it really easy at first and listen to your body.  Your old exercise habits may want to override this so be careful!

I was fully vax’d and boosted when I tested positive. Coincidently, the evening before I tested positive was the last day of “speed week” at my pool. And, already beginning to feel crappy…I set pool records for my age-group in three events. But after my quarantine period, and recovery, for about a month I could feel the impact in my lungs. I felt fine while sitting around, or even walking. But when I began strenuous aerobic exercise I could really feel the impact of reduced lung function.

Dan