Asthma Support Group

Hi Drew:

I would give your primary care physician or general practioner a call. Sounds like a diagnosis is in order. On maintenance inhaler (symbicort) and an albuterol inhaler as needed , I am able to jog, walk, swim, etc.
No restrictions.
Good luck,
Carol

sound like you need to go back to the doctor and get better meds. you might need a neb machine. that do help alot. they do have portable neb machine that you can take with you.

Is this pool indoors by chance? I have always had issues when I have gone to indoor pools. It is absolutely unbearable for me. I feel like I am suffocating from the moment I walk in the door. If it is an indoor pool, you may want to try an outdoor pool, I have also found that public pools are much more chlorinated than a backyard pool. Maybe a friend or coworker has a pool you could do your exercises in.

No Hieser, it's an outdoor pool. But I have found a pool in the nearest town that is an 'ozone' pool, meaning it is not cleaned by chlorine. So, I'm going to give it a try. If I still get asthma from that then I will know it is exercise and not chlorine.
Wish me luck.

I swim regularly in a chlorinated pool...I use inhaler before going in and swim pretty big distances......with fairly severe persistent asthma.

When I swim regularly, my peak flows are considerably higher than otherwise.

There are studies however that show that the values from a PFT after swimming will be lower than normal average. The study concluded that the pressure of the water compresses the chest with some residual effect when you get out.....even though the same swimmers otherwise had above average PFT results and much higher lung capacity/efficiency.

I would also talk to the pool and find out what their chemical schedule is like. They may have had a problem and the chlorine was higher that day or something. That occasionally happens at my pools, and they warn people or close the pool down as a result. Also air temp and sun exposure can affect the chlorine balance in the pool