Allergic to chlorine?

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

swimshark — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:54:04 GMT

Wow, Alison, that sounds horrible! I would definitely speak up, because the condition of your pool and ventilation system could be putting you and the other swimmers at risk. When in doubt, always speak up, when it comes to your health. :agree: Good luck! Unfortunately, I'm there before any of the pool "big wigs". I should go back when the Aquatic Director is there and talk to him about the air. Today seemed to be better. I'm working hard on controlling my breathing more, too.

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Elaine Krugman — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 09:38:18 GMT

I'm having an issue lately with my main pool. We are the first swimmers in the pool so the air has been sitting still for 8 hours when we get in there. The pool has bad ventilation as it is, yet alone when it's been sitting air. They have giant fans (40 feet wide) in there but they don't do anything. Our coach opens the doors to the back hall way as soon as he arrives but it only helps so much and some guards don't like it and will make him shut them. Lately, if I get moving fast, I find I can't breathe. Then panic sets in and I start gasping for air more and hyperventilation isn't far away. I call it panic swimming and it's been rough. Also, the water looks bad lately. We get in and you can't see more than 2 lines ahead of you (we're swimming in a 50mx25 y pool so we have lines going both ways). I think the water quality might be getting off at night. I think I'm going to have to say something soon. Wow, Alison, that sounds horrible! I would definitely speak up, because the condition of your pool and ventilation system could be putting you and the other swimmers at risk. When in doubt, always speak up, when it comes to your health. :agree: Good luck!

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

swimshark — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 06:27:51 GMT

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Former Member — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:14:28 GMT

I wasn't anywhere near y'all, but I have asthma and chlorine can really trip me up, so I have to use my inhaler 30 min before I swim. Chlorine can trip up anyone if the levels are too high and/or there isn't adequete ventilation. It's just like inhaling some bleach...not good. I hope y'all are ok now :)

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

orca1946 — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 05:48:13 GMT

They looked into it and said all readings were fine ! BUT, they did it the next morning not at the time we were all coughing at water level !!

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

orca1946 — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 07:30:32 GMT

This came into play last night at practice! I think they turned off the ventilation when the track area closed 1/2 hour before we end swimming. Most of us, 50 + swimmers, were coughing & had burning eyes from the bad air at water level ! ! I complained to the head guard & was told they would look into it!

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Former Member — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 07:49:25 GMT

Allergies to deoderant, here is a little some thing www.thehealthcarecenter.com/allergy_and_deodorant.html

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Former Member — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 06:31:59 GMT

I have a very mild allergy to many deodorants. I used one for about 3 years and then started using it twice a day because I started going to the gym. Within about a month of using it twice a day my armpits started to become itchy. I started using a mineral salt deodorant almost 5 years ago that works by killing the bacteria that create body odor. You have to make sure you apply it liberally but it works pretty well. If you smash up the crystal and put it a small amount in a spray bottle it works best and a $5 stick will last a couple years.

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Former Member — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 15:47:53 GMT

I'd be surprised if you are having a reaction - allergic or otherwise - to the chlorine or anything else in the pool, as the problem is localized. If you had a reaction, why wouldn't be everywhere the skin is exposed? I'd look to the antiperspirant. I'm sensitive to certain brands, and the brand you are using may be bothering you on its own, or in concert with the pool chemicals. This could be happening even if you have not changed brands in quite a while. The manufacturer may have changed its formula recently but not publicized the fact.

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Former Member — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:26:37 GMT

I tried the vaseline version. It seems to do the job. Maybe it's just friction and not an allergic reaction. It's just strange that I never had that in the past.

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Former Member — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:54:46 GMT

You could be alergic to under arm stink protector.

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Former Member — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:43:41 GMT

I'm intending to do that now. I want to find out what I'm exactly allergic to. That's what the Pharmacist recommended yesterday. I'll try that out today and see how it goes. I was told to use Body Glide, as Vaseline apparently damages your suit straps over time (though I guess it doesn't matter if you're a dude). Not as slimy, either.

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

moodyrichardson — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 10:00:09 GMT

I would definitely mention it to the pool manager. Could be that the pool chemicals are off. Do you do this at every pool, or just that particular one?

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Former Member — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 07:44:06 GMT

You might see an allergist for advice. If the allergist advises against swimming, I recommend that you seek a different allergist. I'm intending to do that now. I want to find out what I'm exactly allergic to. A little dab of vaseline may help, When I swam lots of distance I would put a little vaseline under and around the armpit, your problem could be friction. That's what the Pharmacist recommended yesterday. I'll try that out today and see how it goes.

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

orca1946 — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 06:55:43 GMT

Did anyone else have problems that night? See a doc for more than a rash!

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Former Member — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 09:59:17 GMT

A little dab of vaseline may help, When I swam lots of distance I would put a little vaseline under and around the armpit, your problem could be friction.

RE: Allergic to chlorine?

Karl_S — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 05:26:54 GMT

My understanding is that an "allergy" is the over-response of the body's immune system to something that isn't really a threat. Since the immune system's primary duty is to attack biological threats, allergies almost always are a response to something with complex proteins like nuts, pollen, latex, insect droppings, etc. A true allergic reaction to a simple chemical like chlorine is very rare. People who experience an allergic reaction to chlorine are actually experiencing a response to chemicals that are the products of the reaction of the chlorine in the water with substances containing proteins that wash off users of the pool such as sweat, saliva, mucus, urine, ***,... Yea, it's disgusting, but even people with very good hygiene have traces of gross stuff on them. This is one reason why it is important for pools to be very well filtered. You might see an allergist for advice. If the allergist advises against swimming, I recommend that you seek a different allergist.