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.
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Former Member
Well, I've been swimming my whole adult career with Graves Disease. So far it hasn't affected me, except when pregnant and they had to change my dosage of Synthroid. I just keep up the pills and I'm okay.
Lately, I'm dealing with my ankle. First surgery was in Nov to fix a sprain. They repaired some damaged ligaments. Then in March I kicked a ball and got a ganglion cyst. So in Aug I'm going back in for surgery. Some days I can kick, other days just walking hurts. Most days, I just modify the work out. When I do kick, I usually get lapped by the other kids (I swim with age groupers). I hope to be back to 100% in Sept!!
You got no symptoms with graves? All the females in my family have Graves, usually by the time they are 45ish, and it's symptoms galore. Some develop the bug-eyes too, some don't. Depending on how ealy it's caught, I think. My mom had heck of a time getting diagnosed... bit it's 'back home', not in the US. I didn't know till just last few years it runs in the family.
Mine is subclinical at the moment, as far as most of the hormones go, but the symptoms have started 3-4 years ago, after a miscarriage (Actually etopic, to be more precise). My body kind of never went back to normal after that.
Well, I've been swimming my whole adult career with Graves Disease. So far it hasn't affected me, except when pregnant and they had to change my dosage of Synthroid. I just keep up the pills and I'm okay.
Lately, I'm dealing with my ankle. First surgery was in Nov to fix a sprain. They repaired some damaged ligaments. Then in March I kicked a ball and got a ganglion cyst. So in Aug I'm going back in for surgery. Some days I can kick, other days just walking hurts. Most days, I just modify the work out. When I do kick, I usually get lapped by the other kids (I swim with age groupers). I hope to be back to 100% in Sept!!
You got no symptoms with graves? All the females in my family have Graves, usually by the time they are 45ish, and it's symptoms galore. Some develop the bug-eyes too, some don't. Depending on how ealy it's caught, I think. My mom had heck of a time getting diagnosed... bit it's 'back home', not in the US. I didn't know till just last few years it runs in the family.
Mine is subclinical at the moment, as far as most of the hormones go, but the symptoms have started 3-4 years ago, after a miscarriage (Actually etopic, to be more precise). My body kind of never went back to normal after that.
