Swimming with health issues - share your stories?

Hey Connie, I can relate, as several other forumites already know from my previous posts. As I have said before, I'm a walking RSI (repetitive stress injury). Although I live a very healthy lifestyle, I unfortunately inherited my dad's genes. All four of us kids inherited his bad back, having back surgeries, just like him, at early ages. I'm 48 now, but mine was at 25. Fortunately, the surgery was a success and I have never had problems with it. But, other RSI's followed; the worst being thoracic outlet syndrome, requiring a major 41/2hr. surgery, in 2003. I had been out of competitive swimming since high school, so swimming wasn't the cause. Instead, it was work-related; too much heavy lifting and doing the same work as all of the guys, even though I'm 5'7" and weigh 123lbs. With my long neck and long arms, I should have known... But, I learned from my surgeon what NOT to do anymore. What he said I COULD do is get back into swimming, after my damaged nerves regenerated. So, I finally got back into it one year ago (in the meantime, I stayed very active with dryland workouts, just as I had the past 30 years since I left swimming). I started out very easy and worked my way up until finally feeling like I wanted to compete again. So, I joined Masters, this past February, and entered my first meet in March. I was hooked! Not only do I LOVE being in the water again; my shoulders are really hanging tough! The other issue I have, though, the forumites have already heard enough from me about, as well: Meniere's & tinnitus and heat intolerance issues (medically; not psychologically, because I love the heat even though my body hates it!). As for the Meniere's, I learned the hard way how it would affect my swimming; I had to give up flip turns. Fortunately, I'm a breaststroker who swims the 50, 100, and 200. So, at the most, I'll add the 100IM to my meet line-up, in addition to relays. Open turns will have to suffice in workouts, because I make myself seasick otherwise... As for the heat intolerance issues, it's a long story. But, I have Raynaud's and this has ended up being the flip side to it; my body can't handle the extremes. My autonomic nervous system goes haywire. I was tested for every auto-immune disease known to man, but nothing tested positive. I even have a sister with lupus and my dad had it, as well. But, nothing came out of all the tests conducted by an internist, endocrinologist, rheumatologist, or neurologist. They all finally gave up and decided I would be best off going to the Mayo Clinic for a full work-up. I had plenty of measureable symptoms; they just couldn't prove the cause. Being fed up at that point caused me to throw up my hands and do just the opposite and NOT go to any more doctors for awhile. Instead, I just avoid the heat- except for our indoor community pool which has skyrocketed to 88 degrees, making for difficult training. It's so humid in there that I have to open up the doors and step out in between sets to cool down- in the 90+ degree heat! But, the humidity is less, so it feels cooler, believe it or not. On days that I swim, I MUST spend the remainder of the day in cool airconditioning, continue drinking a lot of water, then keep the air cool at night to sleep. And, those intervals that I keep trying to make? Fuhgetaboutit! R:15 turns into R:30 or R:45... Monitoring my heart rate has become my second sport! Next, it will be my body temperature, because I swear my head is ready to explode from the heat, even without a cap on... OK, now that you all know more than you care to know about my medical history, I can end it on a positive note by saying that SWIMMING HAS SAVED ME! If you had known me between 2002-2008, you would have never believed I could get back to competitive swimming. It was one weird thing after another, even though I maybe had a couple of colds during all that time. I was extremely healthy and fit (except for when my shoulder injury/surgery put me down- but, I was back on the treadmill, slowly, the same day I returned home from the hospital!), but I had experienced a lifetime of weird and rare medical crap! Thoracic outlet syndrome is rare; especially when it affects the nerves and veins, resulting in requiring a first rib resection where they must remove most of the first rib to open up the space beneath the clavicle and open up the space. Being back in swimming and doing (very careful) weight training has strengthened my body to a level I have never had. I feel ten years younger and know I am more fit now than I have been since high school, even though I have never stopped working out. And, mentally? Just ask Ande! He calls me Elaine-iaK, because of my enthusiam. :bliss: I am happier than I have been in a long time, and feel like I have the enthusiam back that I had for most of my life- except when health issues had brought me down. Having said that, I will be even HAPPIER when the pool temp gets back to the cool 84 degrees (ha-ha; but that's what I'm stuck with because of our complaining noodlers...) we had before the above-normal heat struck!

Oh, I hear ya! I get Raynauds too.... ugh.... My stupid body is allergic to itself. I'm still going through a lot of doctors shrugging their shoulders. Recently, an internist put me on beta blockers, that's helping with heart rate issues, and I want to get back to exercising. Right now, they monitor various aspects of my bloodwork every 3 months. Thyroid, inflammation, anemias, I forget off the top of my head what else, Lot of details. RA factor (Rheumatoid arthritis) factor came out negative, and they kicked me back from rheumatology, it's not their thing. Now they're talking about going to endocrinologist, for the next round of what nots.

Oh, I hear ya! I get Raynauds too.... ugh.... My stupid body is allergic to itself. I'm still going through a lot of doctors shrugging their shoulders. Recently, an internist put me on beta blockers, that's helping with heart rate issues, and I want to get back to exercising. Right now, they monitor various aspects of my bloodwork every 3 months. Thyroid, inflammation, anemias, I forget off the top of my head what else, Lot of details. RA factor (Rheumatoid arthritis) factor came out negative, and they kicked me back from rheumatology, it's not their thing. Now they're talking about going to endocrinologist, for the next round of what nots. Unfortunately, our stories are not unique; they're the norm for those with autoimmune disorders. They are often extremely difficult to diagnose, and, since they mostly affect women, male doctors will imply it's "all in your head", even if they don't come right out and say it. I've had my fill of a*%hole doctors who treated me that way!:bitching: My blown out lumbar disc was "all in my head" until my dad (who was a doctor before he died) yanked me out of San Diego and got me to an orthopaedic surgeon in Long Beach. He got me right in for an MRI and I was on the table for emergency surgery the next day! If I had waited much longer, the nerve damage in my leg and foot would have been permanent. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome was "all in my head", too, until I did my own research, got myself to the right doctor (my dad had died by then) who conducted the right tests, and had me in for emergency surgery, as well. Again, permanent damage would have been the result had I not had the surgery sooner, rather than later. My the time the heat intolerance issue came up, I had had enough of being told it was "all in my head". Fortunately, the group of doctors I went to never implied that at all. That was the good news... But, the bad news was they never really figured out what was wrong. :confused: Sorry you're going through your auto immune crap, Connie! Good luck! :cheerleader:

I had borderline high blood pressure since it was first measured in my early 20s. In my 40s they finally put me on hydrochlorothiazide. What a huge mistake. It send my potassium down, down, down (to 2.6 for those who know the numbers). Even though I complained I was tired all the time, it took nearly 2 years to diagnose, and another 2 years before I felt back to normal. Gained about 30 lbs due to lack of exercise. I've lost most of it, but it's been a struggle. Lesson learned - be very careful of the side effects of any medication that is prescribed for you. I don't know if it's related to the low potassium but I had very high platelets and anemia during this time. I've also had asthma since my early 20s. Under control for the most part, except when I get a cold - tends to migrate to bronchitis if I'm not very careful, and sometimes even when I am careful. Most recently, I have developed "foot drop" in my left foot. It's a neurological condition that prevents me from "hooking" my left foot. In other words, I now have a very valid excuse for avoiding that horrid stroke. But it also means I'm stumbling a lot because I can't walk properly, and it's causing all sorts of knee/hip/back pains from the awkward gait. Neurology appointment Wed. Will also see podiatrist on Wed. to make sure that my orthotics (left leg is shorter, and I pronate badly with both legs) aren't making matters worse. I count my blessings that I've never had any shoulder problems. When you see the neurologist, my guess (from past experience) is that he/she will want to do a nerve conduction study to see what exactly is going on. Foot drop seems to indicate there is nerve impingement. I had the same problem when my L5S1 disc was blown out and fragmented in the spinal column. If you are not having back pain, then your story will be different, but there must be impingement somewhere, I would think. Good luck with your apt.!

And that leg is numb along the outside and on the top of the foot. NUMB IS BAD! :badday: I hope you will be able to get to the bottom of this soon; either through physical therapy or (I hate to say it...) surgery. Often, physical therapy will be the first step, then if it doesn't work, surgery. But, if tests show that it's beyond what physical therapy can help, then I hope they get surgery scheduled SOON! Please keep us posted... I'll be hoping for the best! :agree:

Most recently, I have developed "foot drop" in my left foot. It's a neurological condition that prevents me from "hooking" my left foot. In other words, I now have a very valid excuse for avoiding that horrid stroke. But it also means I'm stumbling a lot because I can't walk properly, and it's causing all sorts of knee/hip/back pains from the awkward gait. Neurology appointment Wed. Will also see podiatrist on Wed. to make sure that my orthotics (left leg is shorter, and I pronate badly with both legs) aren't making matters worse. Ouch! :( I'm not very familiar with that condition, but it doesn't sound like much fun :( *hugz* yes, definately keep from breaking bones. Close to two years ago, I was doing laundry, and leaning up and down started one of my frequent dizzy/lightheaded episodes, the dog got under my feet like she often does, I tripped, twisted my foot and crunched a few bones in my foot. That was NOT fun. It ticked me off, I had just lost a good chunk of the weight I gained (before they gave me beta blockers etc). I was still swimming a bit, and playing tennis, but then I got laid up for about 3 months doing nothing, during the holidays too with a lot of comfort food around... Bleh, you can guess where that went. With that and few other things going, last two years or so have been just awful. Now I have to muster up the motivation to get going again....

Unfortunately, our stories are not unique; they're the norm for those with autoimmune disorders. They are often extremely difficult to diagnose, and, since they mostly affect women, male doctors will imply it's "all in your head", even if they don't come right out and say it. I've had my fill of a*%hole doctors who treated me that way!:bitching: My blown out lumbar disc was "all in my head" until my dad (who was a doctor before he died) yanked me out of San Diego and got me to an orthopaedic surgeon in Long Beach. He got me right in for an MRI and I was on the table for emergency surgery the next day! If I had waited much longer, the nerve damage in my leg and foot would have been permanent. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome was "all in my head", too, until I did my own research, got myself to the right doctor (my dad had died by then) who conducted the right tests, and had me in for emergency surgery, as well. Again, permanent damage would have been the result had I not had the surgery sooner, rather than later. My the time the heat intolerance issue came up, I had had enough of being told it was "all in my head". Fortunately, the group of doctors I went to never implied that at all. That was the good news... But, the bad news was they never really figured out what was wrong. :confused: Sorry you're going through your auto immune crap, Connie! Good luck! :cheerleader: Oh, yea, I heard how it's all in my head plenty throughout my life. When I was plateuing in athletic craining, it was because I was 'overtraining'... well, turnes out I wasn't, I have that darn blood disorder, and my body went as far as it could. Took some time to diagnose that, and I had to be quickly taken off all the iron supplements they've bee giving me, because, since my body wasn't absorbing them, it was too much waste going into my liver. They suggested several other nebulous things before I pushed and pushed to figure that out. Similar thing with my thyroid, if I'm skinny, I'm overtraining, if I gained weight, it's because i need to lose it.... eventually got someone to do a more extensive thyroid panel... turns out one of the hormones (TSH) is at 0. It's the one that is used to communicate between pituitary gland and thyroid. Samr thing with scleroderma... lot of shoulder shrugging... after weeks of my own google researching, I zeroed in on scleroderma, went to a doc, asked to do couple specific tests, and guess what, they came out positive. HA! Now I have to find someone who specializes in it, to help me figure out where to go from here. The 'in your head' thing is infuriating. Makes me want to tell them, I haven't spent my whole life in the armchair being ignorant, you know.

Yeah, tell that to my DH please. Ugh! Luckily, well, sort of luckily, mine has a whole set of his own autoimmune issues too, so he can relate. But explaining that to someone who doesn't have them... good luck. We try to have fun with it, like we can predict weather, based on what hurts... and compare notes on how the stress or adrenaline hangover affects you. It's nice to have *someone* around you who knows its not out of lack of effort, who has first hand experience in the difference between just achy and worn out from the workout, and the pain of something is wrong. I've always been a big proponent of 'suck it up and do it'... Till I've managed to run myself into the ground a few times, and learned that *gasp* I have limits. On the other hand, since we both have issues, and honey has a team of almost 300 people to worry about (You know that, I think the rest of the peoplehere don't), so he has no energy left to support and motivate me. Actually most of the times, i'm his support.... and I'm left with just me... and the cats. Especially running a small business out of the house.... 'I'm just sitting at home all day with a lot of time on my hands'.... aaaaahahahahahahahahah yeah, right. ... :censor:

Makes me want to tell them, I haven't spent my whole life in the armchair being ignorant, you know. One thing I learned early on: Knowledge is king (or queen, in our case...). Being armed with research from reputable websites and being your own advocate is the only way to survive the medical maze. It shouldn't have to be this way...:confused: Do you swim in an outdoor pool or indoor pool? Does the sun affect you adversely? Just curious...

One thing I learned early on: Knowledge is king (or queen, in our case...). Being armed with research from reputable websites and being your own advocate is the only way to survive the medical maze. It shouldn't have to be this way...:confused: Do you swim in an outdoor pool or indoor pool? Does the sun affect you adversely? Just curious... I swim outdoors. Sun actually helps me. Without sun I stiffen very quickly. Sunny days help thaw me out and I'm much more flexible. Luckily, here in southern California we don't get much in a way of stifling humid heat. When it gets very humid, and I can't get a good breath of crisp air is when i'm affected the most. I'm probably a bit spoiled, our pool is run for just our team, Nadadores (age groupers and masters total over 1000 swimmers), so we're pretty lucky with not having a lot of temperatire fluctuations (unless a piece of equipement breaks down) Early morning practices, I like our dive pool, which is kept a few degrees warmer. I think around 81-83. Noon or afternoon practice, I like the 50 meter race pool, which is around 79-81. Sun UV's tend to be beneficial for sleroderma... I read that the 'harmful UV rays' break down the collagen. Having excess of it I guess is like having built in sunscreen. My body over-produces collagen, while most people don't have enough. It gets very frustrating when people look at my skin, and go OMG, you're 40, you look like 30... but it comes with all these other problems :D If I could only figure out how to bottle and sell the extra collagen ;)