Swimming

[lynbw]

Could any one please tell me if they go to there local pool to swim . i have always loved to swim , i haven't been since i developing raynauds and sclerorderma. i also have fibromyalgia which i found helped with that . i am a bit weary although the pool is heated , it is such a good form of exercise when you can not do any other form . best wishes to all lyn

[Rp321]

I find swimming difficult. Yes pools are heated but not hot enough in my opinion.

I did used to need to go with work (i worked at a school) and i really really enjoyed teaching the children to swim. But it did always caused me to have really bad raynauds moments. my hands, feet, knees and lips would always be either deep blue or whitish. It obviousally would hurt when that happens to, however i reallly did enjoy going so here are some of the things i would do to help:

- we wore cloths over the top of our swim suits and i used to add an extra thin layer under that (like surfers wear i dont know the technical name but its not a wet suit because that would look silly lol).

- I always got straight into a hot shower for at least 10 - 15 mins as soon as i got out to try and get some heat back in. (maybe not the best idea becuase it can cause chilblanes and it does hurt if you warm up really quick but it worked for me).

- take a few towls so you can always keep covered when getting changed.

- the obvious wearing gloves when you leave the pool to go home as well to keep the heat in after all the effort of warming up, i find that once i have had a really severe rayanuds moment my hands etc do it again really easily.

Sorry for the really long answer but i hope that helps and you manage to go swimming.

[Anteater]

I stopped going swimmng years ago because the pool was too cold ..... probably would find it difficult now x

[Yorky]

I used to go to a session which was for the disabled. The pool was meant to have extra heat, but half the time it hadn't been heated enough and I was frozen, and I always found the changing rooms cold and draughty. I decided after a while it was doing more harm than good.

[Beatrice]

Hi Lyn, I suffer from Raynaud badly too, I have been for 10 years but I find that if I go swimming early in the morning when the water is warmer at our pool, and if I stay only for half an hour it does me a lot of good. Everyone is different though, maybe you should try just a short session first and see how it goes. I don't go every week, just when I feel it's a good day and my raynaud is in control. Best of luck :).

[lynbw]

Thank you all so much for your reply's , it is as i thought not such a good idea. it take's a long time to dress myself after being in the water. i used to wear flip flops to the pool side so my feet weren't on the floor but that wouldn't be any use any more . i also used to take my grandsons in to the toddlers pool which is lovely and warm but he has grown to big for that now .once again thank you best wishes to all Lyn

[foxglove]

Hi lynbw,

I find that taking a really hot shower before swim - hot enough/long enough so that fingers etc are warmed up helps Someone told me that she takes icy cold shower as that mkas the pool seem warmer -dont have courage for that!!!

Good luck , try to persevere with swimming, you'll find an answer

[lifeforce]

My doctor told me once that it does no good to wear gloves with a swim suit. Also I don't know about you guys but just taking a shower makes ALL of my calcifications hurt while they are wet.

[glyn]

have a chat in a dive shop it could be helpful, 3mil neoprene dive gloves may be just enough to keep hand's warm for the length of time you want. and don't bother about other people enjoy your swim. i like snokeling im gonna try this year and see how it go's

[msdeedee]

I no longer swim due to the severity of my attacks to painful. Although everybody is different so you have to judge for yourself what you can and cannot tolerate.

[dorothy69]

we had a backyard oasis. ( pool, decks hot tub, the works) enjoyed weekends with family and friend, night swims, cookouts, ect. till 5 years ago when i was told i had scleraderma, raynaunds and a blood cloting disorder...the pool was like ice water, could not get over how quickly that happened. so no more pool! I have went to many gyms with pools and none of the a warm enough, ect for the YMCA or the seniors centers. they keep there pools warmer for the arthritis members. another option is to find a Hilton brand hotel that has an indoor pool, we stay here always for the warm pool!!! call the manager or just walk in and see if they will let you use the pool for a nominal fee.never hurts to ask!!! good luck!

[lynbw]

Thank you once again for all your reply's . until six years ago we used to go abroad , we would always use the spar pools which were really warm for for a good half hour .the problem now is i cant go into the sun for long so seems a waste of time and money . i think the only thing i can do now is wrap myself in a large towel to the pool side and hope for the best. all your ideas seem worth trying i will let you all know , best wishes to all lyn

[Chocky]

Sorry you've had to give up some exercise you enjoy.

I have quite severe raynaud's (and abnormal nail fold capillaries/ +ve Anti-centromere antibody) but I do scuba dive in the UK in a wetsuit so I have investigated many neoprene diving gloves. I wear 5mm Oceanic gloves for scuba in the sea in the UK Summer, but 7mm Fourth Element "mittens" in the Spring/Winter (although I've vowed not to go diving in February/March until I've invested in a dry suit after a really bad attack Feb 2011 in Stoney Cove).

I also have a pair of neoprene socks made by Cressi that I wear under my neoprene boots.

So for the swimming pool you could invest in some 3mm neoprene gloves (as a previous post suggested) and some Cressi neoprene socks. You've obviously already tried the rash vest that you mentioned. I also have a 2mm neoprene rash vest from the company Mares - I wear it under my wetsuit and also when doing swimming pool training for my scuba. You can also buy long sleeved rash vests and even leggings and farmer johns (such as Oceanic Lavacore).

There are plenty of online dive shops if you don't have a local one. A google search should find plenty (DiveLife, simplyscuba, scubastore etc. etc.).

Best of luck and I hope you can enjoy swimming again!

[Hidden]

I can't swim indoors in the UK, only outdoors in the tropics! Its not just the raynaud's attacks, i cant enjoy it from fear of the attacks. I also always seem to get varruccas or athletes foot or some other delight on my feet. I used to take my daughter swimming, but now she is 21 and doesn't need escorting i am quite glad because i don't want to get cold/infected etc!!! Exercise will make raynaud's worse anyway as your body will naturally divert your blood supply to your essential organs when you are exercising, i even find going to the gym makes my hands very blue!!

[Coldfeet]

Investigate private health clubs if you can afford it as they often keep their pool and changing room temperatures higher than council facilities, plus you can warm up after swimming by going in the other hotter facilities - steam room, sauna or jacuzzi.

I find being really hot from the sauna helps me to cope with the gap between getting out of the pool and into the shower. I use a bath robe rather than a towel, and put a towel on the floor where I am changing to keep my feet warmer. Also neoprine swimming mits are really good - a bit like soft flippers for your hands, as they cover your hands when you first get in and reduce the effect of that first horrible temperature change. Once I'm in and swimming Im usually fine and the benefits are huge.

[Kuhu]

I rarely swim these days, but enjoyed a wonderful time in a pool fed by hot springs (Lake Bogoria, just North of the Equator in Kenya). Sorry that tropical option isn't open to most of you!!

[Suze932]

Yes, I swim at my local pool. However the main, Olympic sized pool is only heated to 28 degrees and as it is such a cavernous building I find it too cold. I have solved the conundrum of knowing that swimming is excellent exercise but how to keep warm. I go with my suit on underneath my clothes to avoid unnecessary time spent in cold changing rooms, use the learners' pool which is just deep enough to swim in and is 31 degrees and then use the hair dryer after changing to restore/improve circulation.

Although it sometimes feels like a chore before I go, when I come out I feel so much better and cannot recommend it enough.

[lynbw]

Thank you Suze , i am going to give it a try. i will use the learners pool you say it is much warmer it has to be worth a try , i always felt better after a swim before i got so ill and i think it is about the only exercise i can do. once again thank you for your reply all best wishes lyn