Kidney
Swimming or Not
Hello Everyone,
I’ve recently joined swimming classes at YMCA, Mumbai branch, for a 2-month course. Started yesterday—Day 1 went well, and I felt fit, fine, and energetic.
However, on Day 2, the trainer introduced a bit more practice, and I started feeling quite exhausted—slight nose block, body pain, anxiety, and overall fatigue. I’ve informed the trainer and my batchmates that I’ll be a slow learner as I’m a special case, and thankfully, they’ve been understanding and supportive.
I do have low Vitamin D & B levels, which might be contributing to body aches and fatigue. The pool is said to be filtered, chlorinated, and water is changed every Monday.
Being a beginner, I’m feeling a bit low today—maybe due to lack of rest or overexertion. Honestly, I’m also a little afraid of any risk of infection.
I’d really appreciate your suggestions—
Should I continue daily or shift to alternate days?
Are there any safety tips or precautions I should follow?
Has anyone here tried swimming post-transplant?
Would be grateful for your guidance.
Warm regards,
Aamir
Kidney Transplant Recipient – Post 10 Years
1 - 8 of 8 Replies
For your low Vit. D level, I suggest taking Vit D with K2. I was taking 10,000 IUs of Vit D and still had low levels until I started taking it with K2. It made all the difference.
Of course, check with your doctor first. Good luck!
Transplant Patient
I’m not a swimmer but I have some incredible friends who are professional swimmers post transplant. @Jillbest @Grey @DannyH
i always come back to listen to your body. If you feel like you need to take a rest day, you should listen.
I had kidney transplant for 24 yrs. I always swim 30 min -60 min with my own pace twice a week. I also do other exercises too. Swimming is very good for the body.
The key is: not overdoing it.
i did a half marathon 10 yrs ago. I overdid it.
I love swimming! I swam competitively until I was diagnosed with lupus nephritis—it’s such a great form of exercise.
I waited until I was about six months post-transplant and had full approval from my medical team. I try to avoid public hot tubs, but I’ve been comfortable using public pools as long as they’re well-maintained. It sounds like you’re taking all the right precautions. Just be sure not to swim with any open wounds!
Since my transplant, I’ve noticed that my body isn’t quite as sprightly as it used to be. It takes a little longer to adjust to new types of exercise. My advice? Listen to your body and rest more than a non-transplant patient might. It may take a bit longer to reach your goals—but you’ll get there!
I want to swim everyday if I can because I can exercise and relax at the same time.
I used to be very atheltic pre transplant, I played soccer and ran track to improve my endurance and speed on the field. After transplant it was very hard to get back into it and I never regained that fitness level but I think part of it was also getting older and that I am not a very patient person. Post transplant is a slow and gradual build up. I hope you can swim everyday but I agree with the comments above, take it easy, listen to your body and be patient with yourself :) You will get there over time!
Hello All,
Good Morning!
Referring to my earlier post "Swimming or not", I wanted to share a quick update. I’ve taken the plunge—literally—and it's been a week since I started swimming.
That said, I’m still facing a few challenges:
I suspect my stiff body and medical history may be contributing factors—as a kidney transplant recipient (10 years post-transplant), things can be a bit different. Still, I haven’t given up. I swim every day at 6:30 AM. While I sleep late and wake up early (5:30 AM), the tiredness hasn’t stopped me from showing up daily.
Some mornings, I feel like skipping due to fatigue—but I push through.
I’d really appreciate any advice on building confidence in water and overcoming aquaphobia.
Has anyone here gone through a similar phase or journey? Your thoughts or guidance would mean a lot.
Thank you and take care,
Aamir
+91 9769 14 19 14
Kidney transplant recipient (10 years)
Thanks @AliEm14 for pointing out this discussion! I've sent a message to Aamir and hopefully the tips I've given will help build confidence! Swimming is not an easy sport especially to begin as an adult but its so good for us and with consistency and guidance you will get better a little bit everyday! Listen to your body as the others have said, thats the most important thing. Happy Swimming :)