altitude sickness
- Thread starter sledcaddie
- Start date
Sounds like a low altitude to get altitude sickness, you must be very sensitive, small planes are restricted to 10,000' without oxygen, but they can fly at 10,000 all day. So I would assume that means almost everyone is immune at that altitude.
water
lots of h2o. i live @6000 and ride @ 9000 to 11000. never a head ache.
lots of h2o. i live @6000 and ride @ 9000 to 11000. never a head ache.
Also never had a headache, I usually have a few beers about 60 miles before destination tho, done driving by then. I think being in good shape helps tho, some of my buddies struggle way more than i do.
Like Dam Dave's Hotty said, Rolaids. It will help with the headaches and upset stomach but won't do anything for the shortness of breath. Been doing this for years, not sure why but it seems to work when hunting/camping at high altitudes.
Rolaids! I eat 2-3 when i get up and a few at lunch. I also drink lots of water but ever since i started on the rolaids thing I have been good. Dont know what it is but it seems to work.
I believe lots of water, but it is very important to have good cardio health, too. Use the treadmill for a month prior, a couple miles. But I think what also really works the best is this Voldyne can that a doctor requires people to use prior to heart and lung surgery....$20http://www.onlinemedicalsupply.com/RESPIRATORY/RESP_MISC/HUD8884719009/product.aspx?iorb=4764&?utm_source=yoms&utm_medium=yoms&utm_campaign=yoms What this tube/can does is that you suck air from this can through a hose very slowly and for a long time so that a puck is pulled up to a certain volume.....the larger the volume the better, but you must pull air into your lungs slowly in order to build up your lung capacity. The first couple days of use you become very light headed after the first couple tries, but after that you really feel your lungs begin to strengthen and your lung capacity significantly increases...this helps adapt for the smaller amount of air at higher altitudes and prevents your lungs from having to work so hard to breathe.
Z
zr600cce
Active member
We ride with a family friend who recommends Pink Grapefruit Juice. He starts drinking it about 2 hours out from Laramie and as long as he drinks that he is fine. Tylenol doesn't work nor does lots of extra water. Something in it keeps him from getting sick. Might be worth a shot.
This device (incentive spirometer) is just intended to maintain lung capacity in patients who are lying around a lot (i.e. post-op or in hospital for a long time) because their lungs begin to collapse, does not really increase your lung capacity.
A lot of these guys are right your headache could be due to dehydration or hypoxia. The cure for hypoxia is oxygen, but it probably doesn't need to be used unless you have more severe symptoms. The problem that you face is that the purpose of the acetazolamide is to decrease your blood volume slightly to prevent the serious effects of AMS which are cerebral edema and pulmonary edema, but it could be contributing to dehydration. If you have never experienced AMS you could try without the acetazolamide and be sure you are well hydrated. Make sure there is someone with you that can recognize the signs of AMS such as confusion or difficulty walking because most people will not realize that are developing neurologic symptoms. If you are know you are prone to actual AMS and not just normal high altitude symptoms then you should probably continue to take acetazolamide. Also if you are going to take it you should continue for 2 days after arrival at altitude. And maybe this is obvious but if you ever get worse symptoms than a headache such confusion or difficulty walking then you have to descend ASAP.
Otherwise more gradual ascent is really the only prevention.
Ibuprofen is the recommended treatment for headache, probably better than tylenol.
Some studies have shown that ginkgo 120mg twice a day can help reduce symptoms, but make sure you buy a reputable brand name because preparations can vary a lot.
Otherwise more gradual ascent is really the only prevention.
Ibuprofen is the recommended treatment for headache, probably better than tylenol.
Some studies have shown that ginkgo 120mg twice a day can help reduce symptoms, but make sure you buy a reputable brand name because preparations can vary a lot.
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Actually some people can get altitude sickness as low as 6000', it's less common but certainly 8-9,000' is plenty for both mild symptoms as well as more serious cerebral and pulmonary edema. It depends on what altitude you are acclimated to and your genetics.
I used to get a headache really bad. I normally drink a lot more pop then I should and now quit several days before a trip and keep it limited while I'm at elevation. That along with trying to get to where ever the night before and taking it easy that first night and I haven't had any symptoms since other then one trip were we drove all night drinking lots of pop.
When digging out go slow and do your best to breath in through your nose and out through your month. Do your best to cut down the number of times you have to stop and take large breaths through your mouth because by then you've already getting your PH level too alkaline, speeding up dehydration and irritating your lungs with large gulps of cold dry air.
Here's some really good general info:
http://www.altitude.org/breathing.htm
Here's some really good general info:
http://www.altitude.org/breathing.htm
M
MTdream
Well-known member
not quite accurate, LOTS and LOTS of people get AMS at 8000 feet...that is kind of the trigger elevation....
in a plane, you are generally not doing anything strenuous or using your lungs for more than just sitting, so it generally wont impact you, and you are generally not up at that altitude for longer than a couple hours....
If you're serious get a pulse oximeter, $40 for the lesser expensive ones, it measures the oxygen attached to the hemoglobin in blood stream. Anything below 92% saturation could be mild hypoxic (juice to the squash). Get a base line at home before and after a workout to see where you are at. Then give her a try at elevation. The higher you go in elevation the more water you need to consume. I mean alot more, don't wait until you're thirsty. A camel back works great because you're not always opening the dash bag and gettin out a bottle. And no alcohol for this test! Deep breathing exercises when you take a break. Also watch the blood sugar levels, you don't need to use a accu-check, but snack on an apple or banana, and eat a couple small sandwiches during the day.
Good Luck!
Mark
p.s. Just also remembered, when you unload the sled and start it up to warm up, all those exhaust fumes are crazy to breath, (carbon monoxide). Metabolically what happens is the cabon monoxide attach to the hemoglobin and won't let the oxygen attach, so the pulse oximeter will throw a false number. It will take all day to get the carbon monoxide out of your system, thus the brain want's more oxygen, and results in a headache.
Good Luck!
Mark
p.s. Just also remembered, when you unload the sled and start it up to warm up, all those exhaust fumes are crazy to breath, (carbon monoxide). Metabolically what happens is the cabon monoxide attach to the hemoglobin and won't let the oxygen attach, so the pulse oximeter will throw a false number. It will take all day to get the carbon monoxide out of your system, thus the brain want's more oxygen, and results in a headache.
remedies
Well, let's see. Take Ginko. Eat carbs. Eat fat and protein. Drink pink grapefruit juice and gallons of water. 2 beers 60 miles from destination. Top that off with some Rolaids.
And I though truckers had funky diets! The responses here have been interesting. Basically, keep flushing stuff through your system, I guess. The only one I disagreed with was going above 10,000 feet in a plane to get aclimated. Planes have pressurized cabins and fly around 30,000 feet. I know a girl who lives in Centennial. She says when she returns from a weekend visit to Denver, she gets headaches too on the first day back. All the .edu web sites about AMS say scientists have never been able to answer why some people get it and some don't. Thanks everybody!
Well, let's see. Take Ginko. Eat carbs. Eat fat and protein. Drink pink grapefruit juice and gallons of water. 2 beers 60 miles from destination. Top that off with some Rolaids.
And I though truckers had funky diets! The responses here have been interesting. Basically, keep flushing stuff through your system, I guess. The only one I disagreed with was going above 10,000 feet in a plane to get aclimated. Planes have pressurized cabins and fly around 30,000 feet. I know a girl who lives in Centennial. She says when she returns from a weekend visit to Denver, she gets headaches too on the first day back. All the .edu web sites about AMS say scientists have never been able to answer why some people get it and some don't. Thanks everybody!