Since most of us aren't teenagers any more, I'm pretty sure a large masters population is having to overcome all kinds of health issues on order to getin shape, and go as far as competing.
I was starting to get pretty competetive 4-5 years ago and setting a lot of PB's, when in my mid to late 30's I got slammed with a lot of health issues, couple of which (ick) caused a lot of rapid heart rate even at rest, and made me very exercise intolerant. Some of this is getting under control, other things I just have to live with, and accept I can't push as hard as I used to :(
I have a genetic blood disorder, thallasemia, which manifests itself in my case an untreatable chronic anemia, fast thyroid causing heartbeat irregularities (and other things), and one of arthritic conditions, scleroderma. In last couple years I'm just starting to figure out how to handle my newly dysfunctional body, and still keep active. It's been a very disheartening struggle, since at 40, I'm supposedly too young to be falling apart. Eh!
I'd like to hear from people who are having to manage their health issues, so they can keep swimming, and even competing... I'm hoping this can be motivating to a *few* people.
In 1998 I had a "mild" stroke - the cause, with a qualifier of "we think it was" a disected artery in the brain stem. One of the neuros said it may have been from a repeated twisting of the neck and head, or a head injury. Anyway, until the past couple of years I was advised to not to exercise strenuously - but that may have been more due to the medication and the possiblilty of bruising or cutting myself and bleeding (if I had a bloody nose or cut while shaving I'd bleed for an hour). Anyway, I was terrified of the whole neck twist while breathing during swimming, but after almost 10 years I figured I'd try again and got the OK from my doctor in March 2008. Still I find myself focusing on every twist, my heart rate, every ache or pain. Then again I'm down about 50 lbs, my BP is now in the normal range, and I'm off the heavy blood thinners, so returning to swimming may well have been a saving grace.
In 1998 I had a "mild" stroke - the cause, with a qualifier of "we think it was" a disected artery in the brain stem. One of the neuros said it may have been from a repeated twisting of the neck and head, or a head injury. Anyway, until the past couple of years I was advised to not to exercise strenuously - but that may have been more due to the medication and the possiblilty of bruising or cutting myself and bleeding (if I had a bloody nose or cut while shaving I'd bleed for an hour). Anyway, I was terrified of the whole neck twist while breathing during swimming, but after almost 10 years I figured I'd try again and got the OK from my doctor in March 2008. Still I find myself focusing on every twist, my heart rate, every ache or pain. Then again I'm down about 50 lbs, my BP is now in the normal range, and I'm off the heavy blood thinners, so returning to swimming may well have been a saving grace.
