getting stronger by swimmings a thing i want to try but if it makes me cough and i bring some up what do you do ? (have tissue for it but in water omg) breathing hard makes me cough and this stops me trying.
loved swimming when i was young but worried by cough and breath 
Yes, it's a problem. I get out of the pool frequently to remove gunk in the loo! sometimes if I use my pep device to "drain the lungs" just before I swim, I can go for longer.
young children with good hearing can hear my wheezing breathing too... they tend to stare but I just smile.
su
I usually nebulise before I go swimming - if I've got anything to bring up then this usually does the trick. Otherwise I get out of the pool but this is pretty rare. I do hope you find a way around it as its fantastic exercise. I'm back off to the pool tonight - my target is 30 lengths.
Best of luck
whoa, 30 lengths is brill MarieWF.. nearly half mile if 25mtr pool like mine, do you keep going or have to stop for breath ?
su
Just managed 26 - was still a little full from tea!
Hi Zube
I have to stop about every 50-75 metres (it's a 25m pool). And I am rather slow but I absolutely love it.
Marie
I used to love swimming too, and it's brilliant exercise, but I no longer use indoor pools because of the risk that airborne bugs in the water vapour could cause a chest infection, as I have a lot of gunk in my lungs. Also the fumes from high levels of chlorine in the water are not good to breathe in. These days I just go for walks when the weather's clement, or if cold & wet I use a trampette at home
FF x
Errrr...whats a trampette?
It's a mini trampoline, about 90cm diameter. You can get them on amazon or in argos
Whilst I sort of agree re the bugs etc I figure I am as likely to catch something on a bus or in my office. I do my best to try and avoid infection (I am on immunosuppressants so have no immune system to speak of) but weighing up the pro and cons, swimming is the exercise for me and hopefully along with a healthy diet will help keep some of the nasties at bay.
I do like trampettes though (my nieces have one that I have secret had a go on!) 
Marie x
I suppose it depends how deeply congested your lungs are. I've had some very rare bugs growing in mine and am colonised with pseudo anyway. I don't go on buses anymore either! FF x
I think its great that you are swimming. You might find you cough less if you use your inhaler before you go in? Keep up the good work x
I can't swim!
Hi hypercat
I swim almost every day or at least 5 times a week. my pool is only 20 meters which
do 4 to 6 times with 2 minutes after each 2 lengths..sometimes I feel I could do with
an inhaler other than the morning and evening ones.What type do u use ?
Roushdy
Lots of people with lung conditions find swimming to be a great form of exercise.
Have a look on the blf website to see if there is an instructor in your area:
You should contact your local one to see if they offer swimming or what they advise you do for swimming.
A lot of lesiure centres have GP exercise on referral schemes with classes for people with long-term conditions - this may include swimming - so contact your local leisure centre or ask your GP to be referred onto the referral scheme with a preference for swimming!
Chronic bronchitis 
asthma/ chronic bronchitis/ copd
emphysema chronic bronchitis 
mucus plugs (plastic bronchitis)
