Catch a wave...Or the swimming thread

Anyone ever had an allergic reaction after swimming?

The last two times I went this week, I began sneezing and had itchy watery eyes and nose for about 16 hours after. The first time I thought I was getting a cold but it disappeared the next day. The second time I made the connection to the pool. I called the YMCA to see if they'd changed chemicals or anything and they admitted they were having some trouble with the chlorine dispenser. This last bout was enough to make me think twice about going back but I have to. I may call first before I go. Hope it's not a lasting thing. Has it happened to anyone else??

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Originally Posted by kelownagirl

Anyone ever had an allergic reaction after swimming?

The last two times I went this week, I began sneezing and had itchy watery eyes and nose for about 16 hours after. The first time I thought I was getting a cold but it disappeared the next day. The second time I made the connection to the pool. I called the YMCA to see if they'd changed chemicals or anything and they admitted they were having some trouble with the chlorine dispenser. This last bout was enough to make me think twice about going back but I have to. I may call first before I go. Hope it's not a lasting thing. Has it happened to anyone else??

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I always get the sneezies after swimming and can taste the chlorine as it drains. I use a sinus rinse/wash afterward and it really helps. My skin itches, my eyes itch, my whole sinus/nasal passages itch. The sinus rinse makes a big difference to the sneezing and dried out feeling - it feels like everything sticks in my sinuses and bothers them, until I rinse at what point I swear the saline stuff goes in but doesn't all come out (I MUST be really dried out). At this point, I swim twice a week at most, which is enough for me, even if it's not "to plan" (3x/week).

Didn't think to ask if they could adjust the chemical level. Family swim and swim team and all the fitness classes are done in the same pool, so I guess they are worried about germies.

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Originally Posted by colby

I always get the sneezies after swimming and can taste the chlorine as it drains. I use a sinus rinse/wash afterward and it really helps. My skin itches, my eyes itch, my whole sinus/nasal passages itch. The sinus rinse makes a big difference to the sneezing and dried out feeling - it feels like everything sticks in my sinuses and bothers them, until I rinse at what point I swear the saline stuff goes in but doesn't all come out (I MUST be really dried out). At this point, I swim twice a week at most, which is enough for me, even if it's not "to plan" (3x/week).

Didn't think to ask if they could adjust the chemical level. Family swim and swim team and all the fitness classes are done in the same pool, so I guess they are worried about germies.

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Thanks for the feedback - I'm going to try the rinse next time. I had a good shower and washed and conditioned my hair and hubby said I still smelled like chlorine that night.

I've been swimming at this pool for a year and have never had the problem. That's why I asked them if they had changed anything.

KG - I had the same problem last week after my swim, I hopped into the nearby hot tub and after the initial "ahhhhhhh moment" I realized the chemicals were way off...it was like stewing in a chlorine pot. I felt like crap when I got home, I took a hot shower, washed my hair, and used a ton of saline nasal spray to rinse my sinuses. Nothing like having the thing we do to stay fit & healthy make us feel cruddy.

I always have a problem with chlorine. I used to take a pre-emptive antihistamine before swimming but then I started using a nose plug and that takes care of it most of the time.

I'm pretty sure I smell like chlorine almost always.

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Originally Posted by Wahine

I always have a problem with chlorine. I used to take a pre-emptive antihistamine before swimming but then I started using a nose plug and that takes care of it most of the time.

I'm pretty sure I smell like chlorine almost always.

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*lightbulb moment* Well that makes sense to me now, I use a mask and snorkel right now to swim laps (my PT doesn't want me twisting to breathe yet), I don't have any problems with chlorine now...just when I try to go without the mask or sit in the hot tub.

OK I am wierd - I love the smell of swimming pools and chlorine on my skin :p
But i do hate what it does to my eyes, nose, skin, breathing etc etc etc

I hated swimming at our Y pool and wouldn't go into the hot tub - I felt I had to wear goggles just for the hot tub.
This last month, however, they put out an announcement that it wasn't the chlorine that was the problem but the gases created when the chlorine was killing the bacteria :confused:
Anyway they added something to neutralize it and what ever they did made a huge difference.

I wear a nose plug because if I don't my sinuses always bother me

And one more thing
I swam in a pool this summer that was a saline pool. They used salt water instead of chlorinated water. It wasn't as salty as the ocean but was great to swim in. Apparently no need for goggles and your suit isn't destroyed in 3 months. I wish other places would try that!

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Originally Posted by Pax

KG - I had the same problem last week after my swim, I hopped into the nearby hot tub and after the initial "ahhhhhhh moment" I realized the chemicals were way off...it was like stewing in a chlorine pot. I felt like crap when I got home, I took a hot shower, washed my hair, and used a ton of saline nasal spray to rinse my sinuses. Nothing like having the thing we do to stay fit & healthy make us feel cruddy.

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That's part of why I don't do the hot tub. The temperature makes them terrible breeding grounds for germs so they need to chlorine the life out of them :eek: It hurts my eyes. I perpetually smell like chlorine just from 2x swimming. I don't need the extra dose from the tub :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by eclectic

...And one more thing
I swam in a pool this summer that was a saline pool. They used salt water instead of chlorinated water. It wasn't as salty as the ocean but was great to swim in. Apparently no need for goggles and your suit isn't destroyed in 3 months. I wish other places would try that!

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Now that sounds fantastic!

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Originally Posted by MDHillSlug

That's part of why I don't do the hot tub. The temperature makes them terrible breeding grounds for germs so they need to chlorine the life out of them :eek: It hurts my eyes. I perpetually smell like chlorine just from 2x swimming. I don't need the extra dose from the tub :rolleyes:

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I use the university facilities and one place has a hot tub and the other a dry sauna, I'm opting for the dry sauna these days...much nicer and cleaner, and waaay less smelly.

Hmm..Does an outdoor pool make any difference? The pool our group swims are held is outside & I can't sense any chlorine smell...

I started having problems with my sinuses a couple of years ago so I started wearing a nose plug. It was horrible, it threw my rhythm off, but now I honestly can't swim without it.

I find I can stay underwater way longer, especially when kicking off doing backstroke, and very handy when you're getting winded and doing flip turns (when you don't have much umph left and you do flip turns water always went up my nose).

Our club swims outdoor from May-October, and yes, it's much better for chlorine. I think it dissipates in the air a lot quicker than in an enclosed space. But I also get grossed out knowing that seagulls poop in there...

Syndirelah That is quite the swim! let us know how it goes - especially the 100's on :40
you must swim a fast 100 to make it 3 x's on :40

Also that is a lot of yardage!

Pretty impressive !

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Originally Posted by crazycanuck

Hmm..Does an outdoor pool make any difference? The pool our group swims are held is outside & I can't sense any chlorine smell...

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It makes a big difference, the chlorine evaporates quickly and diffuses into the air and doesn't hang in the building. When I worked at outdoor pools we had to check the chlorine levels at least 4 times daily and adjust accordingly depending on the heat and sun.

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Originally Posted by Syndirelah

Hey Eclectic!

...I should type 1:40 just so there's no confusion... My hundreds come in around 1:30ish now. Ive really gotten into swimming in the off season, and Im LOVING it! I think, if I remember reading your past posts, that you do all the strokes, which I would like to learn... Im swimming now 3x's/week (total between 7-9k yards) but there's only so many yards your shoulders can take of long, hard freestyle.

Anyway, I made it! That was a new set for me, so the goal was to finish. I was dead set on making the last 100's on that interval, and I did it!! I was even shocked to come in around 1:25ish (once!). That being said, I probably could have pushed the 150's and 200's a little more. OH well, next time.

Happy swimming :)

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I figured they were on 1:40 otherwise we would have seen you at the Olympics :D

I am not a good backstroker and can only do about 40 yds of fly on a good day but I like doing all the drills and mixing it up because it is a really good stretch for the arms and the core also it makes the session go faster and is more interesting. I have decided I am using swimming for recovery because in a tri it is the shortest distance and for the amount of effort needed to speed up vs benefit it isn't worth it. I need to work on my cycling and running a lot more! I just feel way better if I swim

I will never see 1:30 again :( good for you on the 1:25 !

The young pups I swim w/ go on 1:30 - I go on 2
Dagny (the young lady who trains in the morning while we are swimming) can do 16 100's and hold every one on 1:05 :eek: