Ok, so I have this dust mite allergy. When it flares up, it looks pretty darn bad.
I feel kinda like a creep getting in the pool with my skin looking that way (it's usually just on the lower part of my calves, which get the most exposure to dust from carpets), but on the other hand I know it's nothing that's going to harm anyone, even if they were to play footsie with me.
Right now it's looking kinda bad, and I'm conflicted. I still practice because, well, I don't want to lose out on pool time, obviously. But I'm very self-conscious whenever I walk out onto the deck.
So what do y'all think?
Is it ok to dive on in, as long as I know I'm not putting anyone's health at risk, even though it might make other swimmers go "Ewww!"? Or am I being inconsiderate?
PS: I swim at a gym, not on a team, so I can't simply explain the situation to my poolmates.
Swim and don't worry about it. I doubt anyone will really look twice at it but even if they do...we're people not plastic dolls!
I personally think the likelihood of secondary infection is low unless the skin is broken and oozing. Even then its not to much of a problem.
Before the allergy, I was a normal human being.
I know how that feels. Dogs almost ruined my life.
I am allergic to dust mites as well. I've found that the zippered up covers, mattress, pillows, etc. helps. And my whole house is hard wood floors. definitely a good thing for anyone with allergies!
Just wear tights that cover it. It still can become tabooish if secondary infection, like staph, occurs, which usually does in pools.
Oh, great.... Now you're gonna make me afraid to swim. I'm already scared to death of hospitals! :badday:
I think it's okay to do as long as the chlorine does not irritate the rash. I wouldn't worry about it. I never notice someone has a rash unless the point it out to me.
Go ahead and swim. I too, swim at a gym and I too, have a rash on my calf that is constant. I have psoriasis due to rhuematoid arthritis and the rash is really red and scaly. Sorry for the gnarly visual, but swimming has never been a problem. I think the pool chemicals, especially at a gym will take care of any problem.
But like someone else said, if the rash is weeping/bleeding, DON'T get into the pool. I'm sure there are plenty of other people jumping into the pool with rashes that they don't even know what are from/are!!!!
Didn't mean to scare ya, sorry. Don't worry about it unless the bites become inflamed (pain, swelling).
It's not bites, actually. Dust mites actually live off dust -- they don't bite people. It's an allergic reaction to, well... mite droppings, to be blunt.
Dust mites are everywhere, so a DM allergy is a royal pain in the patoot.
I have a whole-house humidifier, I use moisturizer head to toe after my morning shower, my mattress and pillows are in zippered covers, and I wash all underclothes, jeans, towels, and linens in hot water.
That's kept it from being constant, and next month I'm replacing all the carpets in my house with wood floors, which I hope will keep flare-ups to a minimum.
Before the allergy, I was a normal human being.
But I'm serious when I say I'm absolutely scared witless by the prospect of going into a hospital. Be glad that your job doesn't involve reading about the sepsis epidemic in hospitals. Whenever a relative goes in for anything, I'm not worried about the procedure, I'm worried about MRSA and C-diff!
Sharpsburger, just wondering... Does swimming (I mean soaking your skin in poolwater all the time) make things worse for you?
About staph: I once got a staph infection from a swimming pool. One of the other swimmers on our team was out with a staph infection in his leg, and a day or so later, I had a large swollen sore between my nose and eye! I had some very slightly broken skin from the nose bridge of my goggles rubbing, so that's how the staph entered. Anyway, yes, it could have been serious if left unchecked, but it was very obvious long before that point. Oral antibiotics easily did the trick. Just keep an eye on the skin where you're vulnerable, and if you start getting a large boil-like sore, go straight to the doc. You won't have to go to the hospital. (I HATE hospitals, too!)
