Hi, this is my first post and it’s a long one – I hope you’re able to persevere because I really need some help.
I seem to fall ill every time I push myself a little in the pool. I always take alternate rest days and I build up slowly after a gap. I cool down adequately and generally feel good after the swim. But if I keep it up for two weeks or so, bam, I’m ill. This cycle started about two years ago when I was with a Masters swim group.
The symptoms are always the same – it starts with itching/irritation at the back of the throat, then a general malaise comes on, a feeling of haziness (that you get with virals) and sometimes, a very slight fever. There’s slight stuffiness and occasional sneezing. There’s often a sore throat. The symptoms are never severe, but enough to make me tired and keep me home. It takes one week before the major symptoms reduce and as much as one more week before the haziness and tiredness disappear completely. The haziness is especially annoying and persistent. Sometimes, it's like an allergy and antihistamines help (please, please don't tell me I'm allergic to swimming!)
These symptoms have been the same in three different countries – making me wonder if I have some underlying infection that has never quite left me. (Colds often have varying patterns – but this pattern is IDENTICAL each time.) I don’t know whether it’s hard exercise in general that sets it off, because I never push myself in the gym as hard as I do in the pool.
My nutrition used to be bad, but in the last five months or so, I’ve been careful (fruits, veggies, multivits) and it has helped. I get adequate and quality sleep.
But two weeks ago, since the weather got warmer, I moved from the stationary cycle back into the pool. I got back up again slowly, started doing sets with kicks and swims, started feeling good in a way that nothing in the gym can do for me, and then wham, I’m ill again.
The only thing I’ve had from doctors is: “Eat fruits and vegetables and get enough sleep.” No explanation as to why it’s identical each time and why it might be set off by swimming.
I’m not a major swimmer – during the masters course I was doing a max of 6,000m a week and after that it’s never been more than 3-4,000m a week. So while I push my personal limits a little each time, I’m hardly going crazy here. I’m not overweight on a weighing scale, but do have a bit of paunch that I’m trying to get rid of.
Thanks for reading and I do hope somebody can help.
-Thom
Parents
Former Member
Your allergies (you mentioned pollen) may cause upper respitory problems which are then irritated by the chlorine. And you may notice it because the harder you work, the more you breathe - and you are breathing in right above the water level, where there's lots of chlorine in the air.
The chlorine may irritate infected/allergy compromised tissues in your nasal passages, which will give you a sore throat AND open the tissus to secondary infections. It's sort of like your knees - if you have skinned knees and fall in mud, your knees will probably get infected; if you fall in mud without open sores, your knees will probably be fine. So you go from mild, chronic allergy symptoms to feeling bad to actual infection (fever).
The aforementioned suggestions of gargling and nose sprays sound good. But as well, think about your allergies. If you are allergic to pollens, then chances are you are sensitive to dust mites - which lurk in carpets, bedding, couches, etc. Talk to your doctor/allergist about this. What helped me out a lot was hypo-allergenic mattess cover and pillow covers (available at medical supply shops) and getting rid of the carpet in my bedroom. As well, wash your linen in hot water and put in in the dryer on "high" to kill dust mites.
Good luck!
Your allergies (you mentioned pollen) may cause upper respitory problems which are then irritated by the chlorine. And you may notice it because the harder you work, the more you breathe - and you are breathing in right above the water level, where there's lots of chlorine in the air.
The chlorine may irritate infected/allergy compromised tissues in your nasal passages, which will give you a sore throat AND open the tissus to secondary infections. It's sort of like your knees - if you have skinned knees and fall in mud, your knees will probably get infected; if you fall in mud without open sores, your knees will probably be fine. So you go from mild, chronic allergy symptoms to feeling bad to actual infection (fever).
The aforementioned suggestions of gargling and nose sprays sound good. But as well, think about your allergies. If you are allergic to pollens, then chances are you are sensitive to dust mites - which lurk in carpets, bedding, couches, etc. Talk to your doctor/allergist about this. What helped me out a lot was hypo-allergenic mattess cover and pillow covers (available at medical supply shops) and getting rid of the carpet in my bedroom. As well, wash your linen in hot water and put in in the dryer on "high" to kill dust mites.
Good luck!
