Comments on: A Natural High: 6 Tips for Preventing Altitude Sickness http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/2009/09/11/a-natural-high-6-tips-for-preventing-altitude-sickness/ Traveling the world one color at a time. Wed, 16 May 2012 13:31:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: santafetraveler http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/2009/09/11/a-natural-high-6-tips-for-preventing-altitude-sickness/comment-page-1/#comment-10267 santafetraveler Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:31:23 +0000 http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/?p=478#comment-10267 Great info. It is important to note that people can get altitude sickness at lower altitudes than 10,000 ft. I live in Santa Fe, NM, we are at 7.000 feet and people do get sick here. One of the reasons I think is the dryness here. As you mentioned, keeping hydrated is important and it is more of a challenge here. Also, avoid coffee and alcohol as they seem to make symptoms worse. Great info. It is important to note that people can get altitude sickness at lower altitudes than 10,000 ft. I live in Santa Fe, NM, we are at 7.000 feet and people do get sick here. One of the reasons I think is the dryness here. As you mentioned, keeping hydrated is important and it is more of a challenge here. Also, avoid coffee and alcohol as they seem to make symptoms worse.

]]> By: JoAnna http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/2009/09/11/a-natural-high-6-tips-for-preventing-altitude-sickness/comment-page-1/#comment-4779 JoAnna Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:31:04 +0000 http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/?p=478#comment-4779 You are absolutely right, Leigh, and I'm glad you brought this point up. If anyone wants to use drugs to help altitude sickness, they absolutely should consult a doctor who is experienced in such matters. Thank you very much for your comment. You are absolutely right, Leigh, and I’m glad you brought this point up. If anyone wants to use drugs to help altitude sickness, they absolutely should consult a doctor who is experienced in such matters.

Thank you very much for your comment.

]]> By: Leigh http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/2009/09/11/a-natural-high-6-tips-for-preventing-altitude-sickness/comment-page-1/#comment-4776 Leigh Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:34:50 +0000 http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/?p=478#comment-4776 Great tips but people should be aware that EVEN if they have done all of the above including taking Diamox they can get altitude sickness. I speak from experience climbing Kiliminjaro and sleeping at 18,700' (and I did the longest acclimatization possible) Many doctors who have no experience in the mountains are uncomfortable prescribing Diamox. My daughter recently had a doctor who said it was no longer available - that occurred 6 weeks ago(April 2010) It's a drug used in treating glaucoma so some inexperienced doctors don't understand that it's the drug of choice for altitude. There is another steroid type drug- dexamethasone which we took high on the mountain and it cured acute altitude sickness in under 6 hours and I mean 100% cured. However both drugs have contraindications - sulfa allergies for diamox and diabetes for dexamethasone, so you need to know what you're doing. Didn't mean to spout for so long......... Great tips but people should be aware that EVEN if they have done all of the above including taking Diamox they can get altitude sickness. I speak from experience climbing Kiliminjaro and sleeping at 18,700′ (and I did the longest acclimatization possible)

Many doctors who have no experience in the mountains are uncomfortable prescribing Diamox. My daughter recently had a doctor who said it was no longer available — that occurred 6 weeks ago(April 2010) It’s a drug used in treating glaucoma so some inexperienced doctors don’t understand that it’s the drug of choice for altitude. There is another steroid type drug– dexamethasone which we took high on the mountain and it cured acute altitude sickness in under 6 hours and I mean 100% cured. However both drugs have contraindications — sulfa allergies for diamox and diabetes for dexamethasone, so you need to know what you’re doing.

Didn’t mean to spout for so long.….….

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