Sikcell: People living with Sickle Cell

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Does swimming trigger a crisis?

Hello All,
I noticed from a young age that any time I went into a pool I got a crisis. I am not talking about showers and tub baths. I would like to hear from the rest of the community. It is very frustrating, especially now because it is summer in the northeast United States. I live in a development with a heated pool. I have gone in for five minutes, but I don't dare to stay longer than that.

I took swimming lessons last september, but I had to stop because although the pool at the Y is supposed to be heated it was still cold. I ended up in the hospital. I love the feeling of being in water. I am not concerned about getting my hair wet because it is wash and wear.

Please I want to hear back from you on this subject.

Ali

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Comment by india on September 23, 2009 at 1:42am: I have to agree also any time i go to the pool and get in the water, i have a crisis..

Comment by Morgan Newton on September 21, 2009 at 10:40pm: I found out when I was around 5 that the pool is not for me. I am the youngest of 6 and my bros. and sis. all know how to swim. I live in Alabama so it gets HOT especially during the summer. Sometimes I just want to go in and take a dip but then i realize that its not worth the pain..so i just stay inside,get hydrated,and watch my family have fun from the inside. But thats what im willing to do to manage this disease.

Comment by Novella M Kourouma on September 20, 2009 at 10:35pm: I found out when I was about 7 or 8, unfortunately that I had SCD, how. the pool. I remember my friends carrying me home, I was in so much pain. Since then I have avoided most pools, but occasionally depending on the temperature and water temp at the beach. I will get in. Please be careful. It can lead to bringing on a crisis.

Comment by seulear hope on August 29, 2009 at 1:35pm: well the same thing happens to me , when im in the pool doing my thing and having fun ..... up comes a crisis and even when i go play in the rain i feel like im gonna die when the pain comes

Comment by Sickle Cell Warrior on August 20, 2009 at 9:54pm: For sickle cell warriors, my advice is not to swim in cold water. The main thing about swimming is that it drops your core body temperature, increasing the work load of your circulatory system to keep your internal temperature in a good range. In addition, you are probably decreasing your oxygen saturation with the exertion. If you go scuba diving or into the deep sea, the atmospheric pressure underwater drops and this decreases the ability of your hemoglobin to hang on to oxygen---all in all not a good recipe for a sickle cell survivor. In fact it's a direct trip to pain city, not passing go.

There are alot of people that just love the water, my guy is one of them. He's most comfortable when he's wet and just loves anything related to water. My suggestion is to try a heated pool, jacuzzi or swimming when it's warmer. Besides that I recommend the usual, hydration, taking your pain meds and avoiding stress. Personally I don't swim anymore, it's just too painful. If I must I wade in the water, but only for a short period of time and then I'm back on the beach warming up.

Milan told me she got invited to the beach and had to make excuses why she couldn't go. Personally I love to frolic on the beach, watching people, playing games, having a great time and enjoying the sun. So don't let sickle cell limit your life to that extent, go to the beach, just know your limitations regarding the water.