Inhaling water, Anyone else had the pleasure?

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Tony

White bear (Admin)
Admin
Apr 16, 2003
24,131
1
1,879
53
Wales
www.bushcraftuk.com
So, on Tuesday I was doing lengths in the local swimming pool, breastroke, pulling hard, I came up to breath and got a wave of water in my face from a lady going the other way, because I was sucking in breath this went straight in and stopped me dead.

I had a bit of a panic because I couldn't breathe at all, and it took longer to ease than I expected, I'd done a fair amount of lengths so I called it a day and even though I was a bit uncomfortable I seemed generally fine. Tuesday night I had an awful sleep, wheezing, painful throat, shallow breaths and ended up getting up at like 3am, all of yesterday I felt like I had the flue, washed out joints aching, rasping breath, coughing, shallow breathing etc.

My lovely other half got me over a tub of something last night to breath in vapours to help clear it and I think it has helped a lot, slept 9 hours last night, got up this morning without the chest rasping, although I'm still breathing shallowly, and I feel generally better, but like it's the backend of having flue.

I'm putting this down to inhaling the water and I was wondering if anyone else has done the same thing and if you did were there the same consequences? I've done a lot of swimming and been hammed at times in the sea but never had this before...
 

Ruud

Full Member
Jun 29, 2012
670
176
Belgium
www.rudecheers.wordpress.com
There is such a thing called 'dry drowning'. This happens with children who inhaled water and start suffering the consequences after a couple of hours. A small quantity of water has a huge impact on getting enough oxigen in blood. I gues an adult can cope better with the pain and discomfort but I would go see a doctor if the symptoms you described persist.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Janne

Tony

White bear (Admin)
Admin
Apr 16, 2003
24,131
1
1,879
53
Wales
www.bushcraftuk.com
Yeah, I had a good read up about it at 4 in the morning! I'd planned on seeing the doctor if it had carried on into today, as long as I improve more tomorrow I'll leave it, if not I might get checked out.
 

MrEd

Life Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,148
1,053
Surrey/Sussex
www.thetimechamber.co.uk
So, on Tuesday I was doing lengths in the local swimming pool, breastroke, pulling hard, I came up to breath and got a wave of water in my face from a lady going the other way, because I was sucking in breath this went straight in and stopped me dead.

I had a bit of a panic because I couldn't breathe at all, and it took longer to ease than I expected, I'd done a fair amount of lengths so I called it a day and even though I was a bit uncomfortable I seemed generally fine. Tuesday night I had an awful sleep, wheezing, painful throat, shallow breaths and ended up getting up at like 3am, all of yesterday I felt like I had the flue, washed out joints aching, rasping breath, coughing, shallow breathing etc.

My lovely other half got me over a tub of something last night to breath in vapours to help clear it and I think it has helped a lot, slept 9 hours last night, got up this morning without the chest rasping, although I'm still breathing shallowly, and I feel generally better, but like it's the backend of having flue.

I'm putting this down to inhaling the water and I was wondering if anyone else has done the same thing and if you did were there the same consequences? I've done a lot of swimming and been hammed at times in the sea but never had this before...

sounds like you had a slight aspiration and will have some inflammation etc, this can turn to pneumonia so keep an eye on your symptoms and if you dont improve or get worse then get uo the quacks, or A+E if your getting worse. Particularly if you feel weak, shivery or are running a temperature. Keep an eye on your sputum aswell - getting thicker and darker/creamy etc indicates potential chest infection

I had this in a similar situation except i was sailing (capsized and inhaled when stuck under the main-sail), i ended up on anti-biotics about a week later as i just didnt shift it - that was dirty lake water though rather than clean pool water but even so be aware and have a low threshold for going to the docs.

The lungs are mostly sterile once you get out of the main airway and they do not take well to even a small amount of foreign matter, and developing an aspiration pneumonia is fairly easy, even for a healthy person.
 

MrEd

Life Member
Feb 18, 2010
2,148
1,053
Surrey/Sussex
www.thetimechamber.co.uk
There is such a thing called 'dry drowning'. This happens with children who inhaled water and start suffering the consequences after a couple of hours. A small quantity of water has a huge impact on getting enough oxigen in blood. I gues an adult can cope better with the pain and discomfort but I would go see a doctor if the symptoms you described persist.

yes secondary drowning is a big deal and can affect adults and children, however you partially drown, get revived and cough it up and is what then happens is you get a surge in the inflammatory response some hours later and the lungs fill with fluid (originating from the body) and that's when you get the secondary drowning affect. Its why anyone suspected of a almost drowning incident is hospitalised for monitoring
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Ruud

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE