Swimmer's Itch

How gross!  Swimmer's Itch sounds as gross as it is.

In a nutshell, Swimmer's Itch happens when a person swims in shallow, warm water infested with a particular parasite that lives on ducks and other waterfowl.  At a particular part of their life cycle, they float freely in the water hoping to hitch a ride on some bird.  Swimmers become accidental hosts instead.  However, humans aren't compatible hosts and the parasites die immediately after burrowing into the first layer of skin.  Lovely.  Then the itching starts.

I have been doing some of my swim training in open water rather than in the pool.  Sometimes in Deer Creek Reservoir, sometimes in Utah Lake.  Utah Lake is a nasty lake, I admit.  For those of you who aren't local, Utah Lake is shallow, shallow, shallow.  It can't be more than 50 feet deep in any given spot, and most of it is much shallower than that.  It is a large body of water, but because it is so shallow, it is very warm.  The current water temperature in the lake is 80* F.  Deer Creek Reservoir is up in the mountains, and is a dammed body of water, so it is deep and much cooler.  I'd say high 60's, low 70's on the surface.

So I think it is most likely that I got this Swimmer's Itch infection from Utah Lake.  I have a fine rash that itches intensely across my chest and back, everywhere my swimsuit did not cover.

I couldn't sleep last night because it itched so badly!  I wanted to rip my skin right off and finally ended up taking some night-time cold medicine just for the sleepy effect to help me get some rest.

Today I couldn't take it any more and went to the dermatologist.  He prescribed a shot of something or other and some topical creams to put out the fire of the itch (they're not working!) and said I could use Benadryl, too.  He also said it isn't serious and won't lead to any complications or dangers and that it is not contagious (obviously).  It is just unfortunate because it is so very itchy.

The doc recommended avoiding the area where I most likely came in contact with the parasites in the water.  Great.  I am pretty sure I came into contact with the parasites at the race site.  So the only thing I can really do is make sure to pour clean water over myself in the transition area and vigorously towel off before getting onto the bike.  And I'll do the rest of my open water training at Deer Creek.

In the meantime, I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS CREAM TO MAKE THE ITCHING GO AWAY!!!!!  Stupid parasites.