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.
Parents
Former Member
I feel like I have been trying to make a come-back to swimming for 4 yrs now!
For the first 2 yrs, every time I looked like getting any fitness my back would fail me.
Then Oct 2008 I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, I had an operation (anterior resection) & recovered well from that, but once I was back at work full-time there was no energy for the swimming :badday:
Finally the past 2 months I have been able to swim regularly....Yay! :banana:
The energy levels are back to normal......but the shoulders struggle to cope with the swimming with the additional weight that I have put on.
It's going to be a long road back to where I was, but I do feel considerably lucky to have discovered my cancer when I was not due for my first test for another 7 yrs.
I feel like I have been trying to make a come-back to swimming for 4 yrs now!
For the first 2 yrs, every time I looked like getting any fitness my back would fail me.
Then Oct 2008 I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, I had an operation (anterior resection) & recovered well from that, but once I was back at work full-time there was no energy for the swimming :badday:
Finally the past 2 months I have been able to swim regularly....Yay! :banana:
The energy levels are back to normal......but the shoulders struggle to cope with the swimming with the additional weight that I have put on.
It's going to be a long road back to where I was, but I do feel considerably lucky to have discovered my cancer when I was not due for my first test for another 7 yrs.
