Swimming and Hot Tubbing?

[PamIvanicki]

I've read a few bad stories about swimming and/or hot tubbing and IC patients...something about the chlorine being bad for the bladder. Right before I was diagnosed, we started excavation on a new pool and hot tub at our home, and now I'm afraid I won't be able to enjoy it. :hmm:

Can you all share your experiences with swimming pools/hot tubs since you were diagnosed with IC? I'm very interested.

Thank you

Pam

[Portia17]

Pam

Great question. I was also wondering what about swimming at the beach with salt water??

[ICNDonna]

I do fine in the ocean.

There are chemicals you can use in your home pool that don't contain clorine. We're in the process of installing an above ground pool and we will not use clorine. Our daughter has one and doesn't use clorine and I do fine in it.

One suggestion --- I can't sit around in a wet swim suit without getting irritation so after I swim, I change into dry clothing.

Donna

[PamIvanicki]

Are you talking about the salt systems? I hear they convert the salt into chlorine.

[ICNDonna]

We'll be using baquicil --- I think that's the name.

Donna

[Bianchi]

I do fine in the ocean too, and sometimes swimming pools, but avoid them. I definitely will not go into a hot tub, unless its my own, wish, wish.
Bianchi

[Sherry5]

Someone asked this question on another thread, but I can't remember which. A girl was going to visit a cabin that had a hot tub and was asking for advice. It seemed that many people could handle either their own or their friends private hot tubs.

That being said, I used the hot tub on our cruise in January and was in a lot of pain. Of course, that hot tub was in use by a lot of people and was super shocked with chlorine every day. I doubt the two are comparable. I would probably stay away from cruise ship hot tubs, and maybe even hotel hot tubs.

I live in AZ and have already been inside my own pool and my sisters' pools, and haven't had any trouble. Of couse, I just jump in and get out to cool off.

I hope you get the answers you are looking for!

[Julie B]

I was going to say the same thing Sherry. When I was first diagnosed I couldn't tolerate any hot tub, pool or lake swimming. The ocean seemed to be fine. But now, if I am at a hotel and want to just get wet to cool off I can do that, or I can swim in Lake Michigan for a bit.........just like Donna, however, I have to change when I get out. I still don't like the spas that hotel rooms have sometimes. I wonder if the pipes ever get clean? I don't know................

[watergal]

when i was diagnosed with ic i was a lifeguard, and swim instructor, so i was constantly swimming to keep in shape, and in the water teaching! as it got worse over the years.. i couldnt work anymore, but i found swimming was still okay. it actually is the only excersise that doesnt seem to put strain on my bladder, the hardest part is geting to a pool! so if you have one, i say take advantage of it! at least try, becasue i have never found the chemicals to irritate, or cause a flare up! im sorry if it does! but even just walking in a pool is great! so good luck! i hope you can enjoy it!

[Sarojini]

I can tolerate our hot tub (WAHHHH -- that is the ONLY reason I am sorry we are moving away from this house, I won't have my hot tub anymore, although hubby has already made some plans to put one in at the new house at some point :( )

We use bromine in it, and hubby maintains it at the lowest possible bromine levels he can without turning it into a bacterial soup. However, there are new things on the market that do not involve chlorine or bromine -- there is the BacquaSpa (Bacquacil for pools, like Donna said) that is a different type of sanitizer, and there is ALSO a brand new type of cartridge sanitizer that you put on the pool or hot tub's filter intake or outflow line -- this cartridge contains nickel, copper and other things to clean the water, but it does not release ANYTHING into the water, so it is like sitting in a bath of fresh clean water, no chemicals at all! :)

[dminton]

I love swimming! It's the one thing I can do for exercise that does not bother my bladder or the rest of me in any way! I am lucky in that the local pool uses an ultraviolet light filter and very little chlorine. I know that when I go into an ordinary pool or hot tub, I hate the chlorine smell and feel, but it does not bother my bladder when I do (or urethra, or anything). Actually, I take that back; once I went into a pool with chlorine, after having had intercourse, and I guess my urethra was extra-irritated already, and I could feel the chlorine on it. But that was the only time. I live near the ocean but it is very cold water, so I don't go in. Ocean water in the past has not bothered me at all, however.

[sweetpea2555]

Sometimes if the water is cold and I'm already in a flare, the pool makes my ic worse, but most of the time the pool dosen't bother me. I think it just depends on how you are feeling. I haven't had a flare in about a week and I have been swimming alot lately. Swimming made me hurt worse at first but I think it is helping me in the long run because it is good exersese. Hope this helps! Good Luck!-All of us are so different hopefully the pool won't bother you! :)

[sue041]

I recently visited my sister and they have a hot tub, well before getting in my sister contacted Medtronics and they said not to get in a hot tub if it is over 102 degreese it can make my pain pump put out more morphine and I could overdose. Oh yes I forgot to mention I have a implanted pain pump which was put inside me year 2000 and doing ok up until now.
I did not get in the hot tub anyway.
Now I am having problems with pain in the bladder and around the pump site, I am concerned with bladder cancer,
Please contact your doctor before swimming and hot tubs, it is the smart thing to do since chemicals can cause us great discomfort.
Take care and thanks for all the help on these boards.
Love ya Sue.

[icsue]

I just started swimming because it's the only thing I could think of that didn't put stress on my hips and bladder. I also used the hot tub yesterday. Today I feel good. It seemed to help and not hurt me in anyway.

[PamIvanicki]

Well, I'm happy to report our pool is finished, and I've been swimming several times and used the hot tub last night with NO problems! WooHOO!!!!!! Thanks everyone for your input!

[windwalker]

Yeah on the pool!!!!! Glad its working for ya!!!