Yet another theory...

[susandennis]

I sent a note to Dr. Lung to tell him of what I discovered vis a vis the pool (sorry, I love using vis a vis and so rarely can work it in).

I just got this back from him:

"While it's possible it's related to chlorine, it's also possible you're dealing with an immune reaction to the bacteria in that particular pool. It is very common for swimming pools to be colonized with different types of bacteria, including "atypical mycobacteria" that can set off an immune reaction in the lungs, causing pneumonia like symptoms.

The delay in symptoms (started 2 hours after starting swimming) seems more suggestive of this than a problem due to chemical irritation from chlorine.

You could try swimming in a different chlorinated pool to experiment to see if it's the chlorine or something else."

I think it kind of makes sense. And maybe also explains why I was able to swim in the pool for a few weeks before it started killing me.

I'm actually relieved to know that maybe not all chlorine pools are off limits. But, since I don't have to, I'm not interested in trying one any time soon. Also his theory says that the LA Fitness pool is fine for me, since I swam in it's bacteria daily for so many years without issue. So, whew.

Comments

[jaywil.livejournal.com]

He sounds like a good doctor. First he answered your text and secondly he actually put some thought in his answer!

[susandennis]

He's really wonderful.

Plus, in my note to him, I explicitly said that no reply was necessary. I said that I was just filling in background for my file. So the fact that he responded and with such good info is even more surprising and nice.

[sweetmeow]

I, too had wondered about the time you swam in that pool with no problem. I chalked it up to possibly the influence of prednisone. But, once off that, I figured it was then that the influence of the chlorine manifested itself.

Yeah -- you could experiment with another pool. But why (and risk another horrid day), when where you are is just fine.

[shutterbug.livejournal.com]

Neat! I like that Dr. Lung guy. Other docs could learn from him.

[kk1raven.livejournal.com]

I think you have a good doctor there. That explanation does make sense.

[underwear-slave.livejournal.com]

I wonder if you can get some kind of doctors note to help get some of your membership fees back?