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Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas?
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 2009-06-07 4:39 PM |
Expert  1170    Southern Pines, NC |  Subject: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas?Had a nice longish (1 mile) OWS this morning. I felt great in the water, actually. Technique was OK, pace was good, arms felt fine. At the end of the swim, though, I climb up out of the water and I'm overcome with nausea and dizziness. I mean, I felt miserable. I sat down on the beach, puked a little, then went on about my day without any problems. I didn't feel tired at all--I mean, I really felt like my arms and legs were pretty fresh, and I wasn't particularly short of breath. I had felt similar after my last sprint tri's 550m swim, but not quite as bad. So here are my theories after discussing with a couple other BTers who were there: 1. Motion sickness. Is swimming in the waves enough to set this off? Or, alternatively, is the rapid transition from laying to standing enough to set something like this off? I got seasick way back when i was a kid but haven't had any issues since. 2. Dehydration/orthostatic hypotension - Having experienced this before I think this is less likely, but I didn't hydrate particularly well this morning and I guess it could've been a factor, but it was definitely more vertigo than a near-syncope kind of thing. 3. Hypoxia-- I mean, I guess this is a possibility, but I really don't think I was as short of breath as I thought. Any thoughts/ideas? I hope I don't have to struggle with this at every tri... |
| 2009-06-07 6:06 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
Extreme Veteran 745 | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? Well, nobody has said anything, so I'll chime in. It could be the transition from bobbing up and down to the steady-state of dry land. You probably adapted OK to being constantly bobbing up and down and then when you landed your body had trouble adapting. (And, duh, you probably figured this out.) You might be able to get over this quicker with practice and repetition. Has it happened since the first time? |
| 2009-06-07 6:14 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
Extreme Veteran 452 Ottawa, Ontario | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? I'm always dizzy when I get out of the water after an OWS. Never nausea though so it may not be the same problem. Ear plugs solved it for me. Might be worth a try. D |
| 2009-06-07 6:25 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
Regular 109 Denton TX. | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? Was the water colder than you are used to swimming in? Colder water makes me dizzy. I will be trying earplugs this season. |
| 2009-06-07 6:25 PM in reply to: #2200591 |
Expert 1170 Southern Pines, NC | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? herridge - 2009-06-07 7:14 PM I'm always dizzy when I get out of the water after an OWS. Never nausea though so it may not be the same problem. Ear plugs solved it for me. Might be worth a try. D Yeah, that's one thing I did do differently on my last 2 OWSs... I haven't worn my earplugs the last couple times. I use them in the pool every time. I guess I somehow got it into my head that I need to hear what's going on around me. I'll put them back in and see what happens for the next swim. |
| 2009-06-07 6:39 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
Royal(PITA) 14270  West Chester, Ohio | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? I was dizzy and nauseas for an entire OWS race. Water temp and current play a huge factor. I'm going to try ear plugs nest time around. |
| 2009-06-07 6:43 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
| Expert 638 | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? I asked my father-in-law doctor about this a couple years ago when I noticed I was always dizzy after the swim portion. He said it was to be expected, for two reasons: First, in an open water swim, you are moving up and down with the waves and swimmer action in the water, as well as moving side to side with your breathing strokes. That kind of multiple movement plays havoc on your vestibular system. Couple that with the fact that open water is often cold, which can amplify all of the effects on your body, and there you have your dizziness. I typically don't have nausea to go with it, but it doesn't surprise me. |
| 2009-06-07 6:50 PM in reply to: #2200652 |
Expert 1170 Southern Pines, NC | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? Hazelmn - 2009-06-07 7:43 PM I asked my father-in-law doctor about this a couple years ago when I noticed I was always dizzy after the swim portion. He said it was to be expected, for two reasons: First, in an open water swim, you are moving up and down with the waves and swimmer action in the water, as well as moving side to side with your breathing strokes. That kind of multiple movement plays havoc on your vestibular system. Couple that with the fact that open water is often cold, which can amplify all of the effects on your body, and there you have your dizziness. I typically don't have nausea to go with it, but it doesn't surprise me. 500th post!!! Woohoo!!!  Anyway, back on topic--the cold caloric/repetitive rolling/movement with the waves theory definitely makes sense, and kinda fits with what I was intuitively thinking. Of course, being a surgeon, it's not exactly my area of expertise, so I figured picking some brains was a good idea. I'll definitely do the earplugs for my next OWS and see if it makes a difference. Does anyone have experience with medications for motion sickness? I was kicking around the idea of trying a scopolamine patch or dramamine and seeing what happens, but I have no clue how it would impact athletic performance. |
| 2009-06-07 7:38 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
| 244 | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? I get motion sickness after long swims. Plus, if you wear a wetsuit, the buoyancy makes it worse (more movement). I have friends who take Bonine before OWSs. Not Dramamine because it causes drowsiness. |
| 2009-06-07 8:15 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
Expert 1170 Southern Pines, NC | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? Thanks--I'll pick up some Bonine and give that a shot. If that works it would be nice to avoid scopolamine. |
| 2009-06-07 10:11 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
Extreme Veteran 536 Millersville, MD | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? Earplugs will make a huge difference. Especially in colder water. |
| 2009-06-08 6:56 AM in reply to: #2200441 |
Veteran 145 Warrenton, VA | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? Last week I had a similar issue, although I was swimming in the pool. Swam Wednesday and Thursday and had a major vertigo feeling all of thursday and friday. I was wondering if it was the water in my ears causing some sort of imbalance and giving me that vertigo/car sickness feeling. I could barely function on Friday..all day! Today I plan on giving my ear plugs a try during my swim. Sucks because I was just really starting to enjoy the swimming and that feeling is not a fun one!! |
| 2009-06-08 7:48 AM in reply to: #2200441 |
| Regular 93 NY | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? I just did my first long swim in awhile and I felt the same thing. I attributed it to jerking my head from side to side (while breathing). I never thought it could be motion sickness. Are there swimming specific ear plugs? |
| 2009-06-08 8:37 AM in reply to: #2200441 |
Pro 5169 Burbs | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? I didn't feel that sick, but I did feel a little woozy after that swim... the waves were more than I was used to and I bet that played a factor -- the going forward while also being going up and down. I'd suggest ear plugs for next time and see how you feel  |
| 2009-06-08 9:19 AM in reply to: #2200441 |
Master 1853 syracuse | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? ear plugs. I used them in a race on Sunday, first time I wasnt dizzy coming out of the water on a swim in OW. just take them out in T1...I had them in the whole race, finally my wife told me to take it out 30 minutes after the race..... |
| 2009-06-08 3:39 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
Master 2167 Livonia, MI | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? I have major issues with dizziness whenever my head position goes from horizontal to veritcal. It's been happening for years and it has been previously diagnosed as BPV (benign positional vertigo). I definitely have problems in the water but don't find that ear plugs make a difference. For me, it's all about that change in head position. It wouldn't hurt to visit an ENT just to make sure you don't have an inner ear infection, which often doesn't have any other symptoms than dizziness. One of the meds they prescribe for inner ear issues is actually a diuretic to keep the inner ear dry, but as an endurance athlete, I said no thanks, I'll take the dizziness :-) |
 2009-06-08 3:57 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
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| 2009-06-08 4:05 PM in reply to: #2200823 |
| Pro 3906 Libertyville, IL | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? DrPete - 2009-06-07 8:15 PM Thanks--I'll pick up some Bonine and give that a shot. If that works it would be nice to avoid scopolamine. I would try the earplugs or a neoprene or double up swim caps and cover the ears if its cold water first. I had a lovely case of vertigo (unrelated to swimming methinks) and puked up the Bonine instantly (probably just the wrong pill at the wrong time though, ha!) |
| 2009-06-09 11:49 AM in reply to: #2200441 |
| Expert 1170 Southern Pines, NC | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? Well, I stopped by ENT today (nice to have them one floor above you) and talked to one of the guys up there. He's fairly convinced that because I felt OK while I was in the water with my head submerged it was a cold caloric issue, i.e. cold water on the middle ear. He too recommended the earplugs and see how it goes. Also got some meclizine (AKA Bonine, mentioned above) and a scopolamine patch if the earplugs don't do the trick. |
| 2009-06-09 1:18 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
| Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? Next swim look around. The motion sick patches were all over the place during Mooseman. I had exactly what you were describing and ear plugs solved it 100%. It's weird but now I even need them in the pool but I've not felt dizzy once since I started wearing them swimming. |
| 2009-06-22 12:40 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
| Expert 1170 Southern Pines, NC | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? Just wanted to throw an update out there... I used my earplugs and popped a Meclizine (brand name: Bonine)1 hour before the swim, and all was well. Not sure which of the two it was, but since I usually use my earplugs and this is the first swim - pool OR OWS - that I've had zero dizziness and felt really good, I have to give the meclizine some credit. |
| 2009-06-22 12:55 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
| Expert 1040 SF Bay Area | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? My first few ow swims in 50'ish degree water I almost fell down I was so dizzy. I get motion sick very easily anyway. I bought some Mack's earplugs and haven't had a problem since then. I even wear them during races. |
| 2009-06-22 1:07 PM in reply to: #2234309 |
| Expert 1170 Southern Pines, NC | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? jeffy_101 - 2009-06-22 1:55 PM My first few ow swims in 50'ish degree water I almost fell down I was so dizzy. I get motion sick very easily anyway. I bought some Mack's earplugs and haven't had a problem since then. I even wear them during races. Yeah, I used Mack's too-- the "Aqua Seal," I think. Whatever the purple ones are called. |
| 2009-06-22 2:15 PM in reply to: #2200441 |
| 7 | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? I'm so glad you posted this-I thought I was the only one. I even get nauseous in the pool on occasion. I will try the earplugs! Nancy |
| 2009-06-22 2:47 PM in reply to: #2234252 |
| 244 | Subject: RE: Dizzy/nauseated after swim - any ideas? DrPete - 2009-06-23 11:40 AM Just wanted to throw an update out there... I used my earplugs and popped a Meclizine (brand name: Bonine)1 hour before the swim, and all was well. Not sure which of the two it was, but since I usually use my earplugs and this is the first swim - pool OR OWS - that I've had zero dizziness and felt really good, I have to give the meclizine some credit. Sweeet! Thanks for the update. |
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