hypothermia

Check out www.doversolo.com/hypothermia.htm

I wrote about hypothermia for both GQ and Boating magazines a few years ago. I volunteered to become hypothermic myself by immersion in the waters off Cape Disappointment in Washington State. You might find this somewhat amusing and educational: www.boatingmag.com/article.asp Good luck!

What signs do you look for that tell you it's DEFINITELY time to get out? btw even when just the feet have gone numb, i make sure i'm no more than about 100 meters from shore. For me, when I have a sensation of a cooling heart, usually after the left hand goes numb. Fortunately, I have always been in shallow water, and it usually occurs after a long immersion period. Someone (perhaps on these boards) described an episode of hypothermia. He felt extremely fatigued and discovered he was trying to breathe underwater. It was difficult for him to make land.

For the common folk out there that like to get in cold water, here is what I have to say about it. If the water feels really cold when you are getting in ..keep the time in it down to a half hour or less. If it starts to feel cold when you have been swimming awhile after you have warmed up..get out. You feel great and invigorated ,and cruising along..but notice a slight cramping anywhere ..get out. When you get in the water and it feels like its starting to burn your skin...like your chest or stomach....20 minutes is enough. Side note. You have to swim hard enough to generate heat and continue that heat....however, swim too hard and the air going into your lungs can cool your diaphram and cause a cramp. Swiming cold open water like I did tonight is more about the zen state of mind than the workout itself. Sometimes you just need to do it to connect again. You don't have to be in a long time.

thanks for the links. i don't think i would ever get to the point of being confused etc. this morning i swam in 61 degree water (sudden drop here in san diego) and after an hour, i couldn't feel a couple of my fingers anymore. i got out immediately. when my fingers go numb, it feels like i'm not pulling any water. i think i would probably start to panic if i were far from shore. Is it possible that you might have this? www.londonphysiocentre.co.uk/reynauds-syndrome.htm I used to know someone with this problem. Her hands and feet would go numb when doing outdoor sports in the winter and it took hours for them to warm up again.

Is it possible that you might have this? www.londonphysiocentre.co.uk/reynauds-syndrome.htm I used to know someone with this problem. Her hands and feet would go numb when doing outdoor sports in the winter and it took hours for them to warm up again. oh no, my hands and feet eventually go numb but no more than can be expected since it's so frickin COLD! i use this as a gauge to tell when i should get out of the water

thanks for the links. i don't think i would ever get to the point of being confused etc. this morning i swam in 61 degree water (sudden drop here in san diego) and after an hour, i couldn't feel a couple of my fingers anymore. i got out immediately. when my fingers go numb, it feels like i'm not pulling any water. i think i would probably start to panic if i were far from shore.

oh no, my hands and feet eventually go numb but no more than can be expected since it's so frickin COLD! i use this as a gauge to tell when i should get out of the water Well, my reason for asking was, I've had hypothermia twice, but it wasn't accompanied by any numbness in the hands and feet at all, just all-over coldness. One tip I got on staying warmer in cold water was to eat something within a half hour of getting in. Supposedly having food in your stomach keeps the blood at your core so it doesn't get so chilled. Then again, that might make the extremities get cold even faster.

I spent an hour swimming hard in 57 degree water, 58 air temp. I felt ok until after I got out and my heart rate dropped......slurred speech and uncontrolable shivering. Within 20 minutes I was in a steam room and 10 min. later I was feeling normal.

I wrote about hypothermia for both GQ and Boating magazines a few years ago. I volunteered to become hypothermic myself by immersion in the waters off Cape Disappointment in Washington State. You might find this somewhat amusing and educational: www.boatingmag.com/article.asp Good luck! That was an interesting read. Thanks for sharing your experience--I was cold just reading it!