Pool allergy

I have started swimming again in a David Lloyd pool - 2k twice a week- after having run the Liverpool Marathon in October and have developed flu like symptoms - running nose congestion sneezing sore throat - which come on almost immediately after I finish but getting worse as the day progresses. I did two sprint tris over the summer and swam a similar amount until Septmber with no problems. Why is this happening and is there anything I can do? Thanks

Comments

  • Its quite normal for a lot of people

    Becconaise is supposed to help as might a nose clip of you can put up with one

  • Happens to me too, but only if I swim for more than an hour or so. As long as I stick to a mile at a time (30 mins-ish) I'm pretty much okay. That's not total pool time though, just total 'serious' training time. If I'm just splashing around relaxing I'm fine for any length of time. Think it's just getting water in my sinuses that causes it...
  • happens to me too, and only started recently after having spent a lifetime of swimming - it is an allergy to the chemicals. I use beconase affter swimming and it is fine. I think other people use it before and after for full effect. You can buy beconase in the chemist, in the allergy section, you just squirt it up your noseimage

    I did find a nose clip worked too, but didn't like wearing the nose clip, and found it messed up my breathing a bit

  • I ended up with sinuses going balistic following swimming... A nose clip sorted me out
  • Another one for beconase - before swimming for me
  • I'm a noseclip fan.....and antihistimines and an inhaler for emergencies.

  • 2Old2Old ✭✭✭
    Thanks for all your input.There is clearly an unanimous approach to dealing with the problem. What I don't get is that I didn't have the problem up to September swimming twice a week in the pool and once in open water but then after a short break it starts from nowhere. I can't say im keen on relying on medication to swim so first when I've recovered from this attack I'm going to try another pool . Pity the open water is closed .
  • Mrs SAMrs SA ✭✭✭

    Yep, i have the same problem.  Beconase works for me too.

  • Another of the streaming nose clan checking in.  My drippiness goes in phases which is probably tied into an underlying hayfever/rhinitis problem.  As well as the remedies suggested above I also use Sudafed (before) when things get particularly bad.  This stops the mucus production for those peak 'post swim' hours. 

  • Yet another - I sneeze for approx. 30 mins after swimming in a pool, my nose runs and throat is sore. Doesn't happen in open water so it has to be chlorine allergy.

  • Same. My local pool switched to bromine though, which I'm fine with. I find quality goggles to keep the water out of my eyes really helps as well - I fit them in freshwater before entering the pool. 

  • I have the same. The noseclip sorted me out a treat. I tried a saline nose spray but that did nothing. It's weird because when I started swimming I had no problems at all - it seems to have 'developed'. It makes no difference if I swim in open water or the pool - the net result is the same. It was really worrying at the time as it was affecting my sleep quality an awful lot.

    Good tip when using a noseclip is to clean the sides of your nose with a bit of soap - stops slippage due to skin oils. Oh, and steer clear of the hard plastic ones and go for the squidgy rubbery ones. IME they are much better.

  • 2Old2Old ✭✭✭

    So many sufferers!

    I swam 2k in my local municipal pool today. The water was cooler than the D Lloyd pool I swam in yesterday and so far so good, no reaction to talk about. That makes me wonder what the different chemicals each swim pool uses. I will have to remember to ask next time.  The answer my be on the lines you suggest Dancing in Spikes.

  • If it's anything like the DL pool my tri club uses then you have my sympathies. Roof went back on, and pool ventilation was not turned on. All the chemicals boiling off in to the air and no where for them to go.

  • joddlyjoddly ✭✭✭

    2old, your avatar isn't clear but you are surely a bloke - 'flu-like = headache, fever, weakness and malaise. You have described snuffles image!

  • 2Old2Old ✭✭✭
    Joddly - haven't you heard of manflu? It's a very serious condition that only us males suffer from . You just wouldn't understand and are lucky to be immune to it. Snuffles? Huh!

    IronCat- the one I go to is pretty good really -after allowing for the gangsters who frequent it- better than the pool I went to today but if the water makes me ill it's no good for me

    Update -still no reaction to the muni water. Looks like a solution other than medication has been found.
  • D0MD0M ✭✭✭

    Nose clip for me. Works a treat.  I don`t feel using Beconaise all the time a long term solution (steriod based). I`m ok in open water without a nose clip. 

  • No idea if this is related, but I have eczema and notice the difference across pools with my skin afterwards.  The guy at one of the local council pools recently explained that pools use either old-fashioned traditional chlorine gas (cheaper) OR a UV filtration clever thingy with a chlorine based tablet (I think he said something like hypochlorite but I can't really remember) which is much less of an irritant.  I've asked around the local pools that I swim in, and the ones that irritate my skin were all using chlorine gas the ones that I am ok in were using the UV/chlorine tablets.  To their credit the UV ones were all council pools.  The guy said that they install this system because it is better for people with respiratory and/or skin problems.

    One thing I did find is that when I phoned people didn't necessarily realise what I was asking - one person told me that all pools use chlorine, one told me that chlorine was banned (?!).  I had to be very specific and ask if they used chlorine gas or UV/chlorine tablets and if they didn't sound like they know what they are talking about I pressed them on it until they went and checked (and invariably came back with a different answer).  In particular one pool said they use chlorine because she knew it was the chlorine tablets - I can see why there is confusion!

    Not sure if this will be the same thing, but might be of use hopefully.

  • 2Old2Old ✭✭✭
    Princess L - thanks - this subject is getting more and more interesting- well you've got to do something when injured. There must be a scientist/ chemist / health and safety expert etc around the forums who can give the full low down on what pool managers can and can't do to keep their water clean
  • The water temp makes a difference. The warmer the water the faster the stabilised chlorine breaks down and the greater effect it will have one you. Chlorine is naturally a gas at room temp and wants to return to this state.

    Sometimes they use unstabilised chlorine as a shock treatment.but would need to clear the pool to use it. Large doses that turn to gas quickly but kill everything that you want killed.

    Hence the normal stuff is stabilised chlorine. Chloruine bound to other stuff that breaks down slower. The warmer the pool the quicker it breaks down and therefore the more chloriney it is.

    Sciencey enough for you?

  • I thought "UV filtration clever thingy" was pretty technical sounding, but looks poor compared to your explanation image.

    Interesting though image.

  • 2Old2Old ✭✭✭

    m..eface- that makes sense-simming pools in hotter climates need their chlorine levels checked as the stuff evaporates in the sun so it does the same in warmer pools too. I would guess that unlike outdoor pools where evaporation takes the gas away from water level ,in indoor pools its more likely to sit just above water level or at a lower level generally where we are going to be exposed to it.So its not necessarily the variation of chemicals  but the gas concentrations thats the cause of irritation.

    So I wonder what the regulations about this say ,as after all ,exposure to irritants in factories and places of work is strictly controlled

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