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Anyone else feel bad after going to swimming pools?

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
I was going there with my kid yesterday. Afterwards I felt more headache, brain fog, burning muscles, shortness of breath and fatigue than usual. Today it's even worse.
 

rosie26

Senior Member
Messages
2,446
Location
NZ
It was about 8 years ago when I used to go to the swimming pool in my area. It only lasted about 3 months. I was ok, I didn't do much and was never in the pool long. What stopped me from going was that I got this burning blister on my chest, a couple of inches below my collarbone. It was a strange thing and took a while to go down. I wondered at the time whether it might have been a chemical burn from the pool. It put me off going again. Although, probably unrelated to the pool.

If it was an indoor heated pool that you went to, there would be a lot more moisture in the air and perhaps that may have affected you and breathing in the chemical vapour from the pool?

Hope you feel better soon.
 
Last edited:

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
If it was an indoor heated pool that you went to, there would be a lot more moisture in the air and perhaps that may have affected you and breathing in the chemical vapour from the pool?
Yes, it was an indoor heated pool.
 
Messages
763
Location
Israel
I tried hydrotherapy for "fibromyalgia" alongside my CFS. I had such worsening that I had to stop. The chlorine and chemicals from the indoor heated pool bothered me to breathe in, but also the PEM that you describe seemed worse too.

When my sister in law's brother got cancer and had a weak immune system, his doctors told him never go swimming in chlorine swimming pools but to go swimming in the sea. (He was living near Tel Aviv by the beach.) The doctors told him that there was more chance of infection in a public swimming pool than in the sea.
 

Hanna

Senior Member
Messages
717
Location
Jerusalem, Israel
Swimming in a pool, full of chemicals was a disaster for me. It took me a long time to draw the conclusion, because I was so determined to "exercise" in a gentle way. But each time it lead to longer PEM than any other activity, bad dehydration, nocturia and fibropain XXL !
 

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
Yeah, I read that about taurine. On the other hand, I'm sceptical that you can just take taurine, and then go in the pool with no issues?
 

Toxed

Certified in Environmental Medicine, ATSDR
Messages
120
Location
Oregon
Chlorine is a neurotoxin. Chronic illnesses are signs of overworked immune systems. Toxins exacerbate the problems. I also found that the oil based personal care products of other people washed off them into the water and floated on the top. I'd encounter them, without knowing and end up with a skin reaction, blisters, boils, etc. those toxins would then absorb into me and make me systemically sick.
 

caledonia

Senior Member
I was waiting at a hotel near the indoor swimming pool. The smell of chlorine was pretty strong. After about 10 minutes I started feeling very bad - very weak, dizzy, trouble breathing. Other people were unaffected. I had to leave the area immediately. I felt ok after about a half hour in fresh air.

I doubt if I would be able to go swimming in any chlorine pool - I haven't tried it since I got sick. I probably ought to have a filter on my shower...