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Seasick!

Having spent 20+ years as a competitive swimmer(in a pool!)I am now turning my hand to triathlon.I'm finding that open water swimming in the sea is making me feel very dizzy and physically sick,even on flat-ish water. Is this a common problem and how can I overcome it?

Comments

  • NickNick Posts: 66
    could be disoriantation from swiiming in a large expanse of water, with no clear point of reference.[&:]
  • JulieMacJulieMac Posts: 30
    I've never suffered any dizzyness but sometimes have to wretch, mostly due to a dry mouth and horrid sea water. I guess getting out little and often till you become accustom to it and like Nick suggested work on sighting so your brain/balance doesn't freak out as much. I do quite a bit of sea swimming but it still takes me a while to settel down to a good rhythm if its choppy
  • Rich_CRich_C Posts: 152
    I have heared of this before. While training in lanzarote I spoke with a guy who had swum the 1.2 mile course and then found himself being sick as soon as he got back to shore. He said he only had the problem in the sea and not in lakes ETC.



    He seemed to just accept it as being 'one of those things' ?????
  • BarbsaramaBarbsarama Posts: 73
    [color=#cc3399]Hey guys, [/color]

    [color=#cc3399]A friend of mine gets dizzy and disorientated from the swim. I've heard that it can be from having a cold head, so the recommendation was to wear at least two swimming caps.[/color]

    [color=#cc3399]The second recommendation I heard was similar to what's been mentioned here before with not being able to see the ground etc, and the recommendation was to breath every third stroke so you are breathing both sides... My friend mentioned that it was slightly improved breathing every third stroke...[/color]

    [color=#cc3399]Hope this helps[/color]

    [color=#cc3399]Barbs[/color]
  • JulieMacJulieMac Posts: 30
    I was having another think about this and wondered if you could take motion sickness medication for it? I'm not sure of the regs on what meds you can or can't take or if they even apply to an age group athlete. (B.T. web site will probably have info on it) I don't mean to take them every time you swim O.W. maybe try it a couple of times and if it works you know you can take them when you race. The last thing you need is to be even more wobbly coming out of the water to T1 than you would be just from the change in blood pressure.

    Maybe let us know how you get on and if you come up with a solution.

    The bilateral breathing is a very good suggestion. It will also make your sighting more even so you'll be less likely to deviate from a straight course. Definitely a winner all round.
  • HarryDHarryD Posts: 425
    You're not alone. Someone I open water swim with also does a lot of diving & apparently this nausea is common especially in murky water.



    Something to do with your balance being based on your inner ears and your eyesight. If your eyes give signals that conflict with what your ears are giving you get "travel sick".



    I find clear water ok, very murky water ok but that type between where my eyes try and fail to properly focus on something is the worst. Clear sea water can be bad as the choppy water is bobbing your body up & down causing constant re-focussing that conflicts with signals from the ears.



    Don't have a cure for it though

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