SunSurfer Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 This SES will be my first trip to Aspen. Keen for it to be a great trip. Reading around, seems like a fair number of Aspen visitors get altitude sickness to some degree. Debating the wisdom of getting my family doc to prescribe me some acetazolamide (Diamox) as prophylaxis and start taking it a few days prior to arriving. I'm flying in direct with only a couple of hours in Denver en route. What have other people's experiences been? SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algunderfoot Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Never had issues in CO except for one stay at Blue Moon Condos, more than a few clicks above Breckenridge. Prolonged periods are usually the culprit. However Vitamin K is an O2 carrier in the blood, so loading up on alfalfa tabs before and during your stay will help. I've also heard that E helps too, but have no evidence. The key is to take it easy the first day and get acclimated, be aware of symptoms, stay hydrated. Few have any trouble atcity level. Just hope for more snow and plan on a good time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Better to prevent it than to see your group ride off without you. Leaving you to die on the mt top as you slowly succumb to the sickness throwing off you mitts and exposing your body to the fridged elements. Well you probably won't do that but you might as well take the script and prevent it if you think it might effect you. No one is going to want to ride a chair or gondola with you if you are going to hurl on them. Might want to delete this thread before you arrive state side.:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 I live at 400' above sea level so I'm a prime candidate. I got very mild headaches the first year, but someone suggested drinking LOTS of water and getting 8+ hours of sleep per night. That fixed it for me. However, I'm still breathing hard while walking through the parking lot, and even worse when riding. You get better as the week goes on as you get used to it. Let's ride together, we can both stop at the side and cheer on the fellow rippers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmut Karvlow Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Other then the year Billy and Dave brought the 3 month FUNK, never had a problem. Have fun it's a BLAST and the people are great (except for a few) they Know who they are ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger jr Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Good thinking Sun Surfer, Yes we will be living at 8,000 to 12,000 ft for a week. I'm from Salt Lake City (5,000 ft) and ride often at 8,000 to 11,000 ft. Was sucking air at the top of snowmass (12,000 ft?). The worst for me was trying to get a good nights sleep. By the end of the week I was pretty shot and I think it was mostly lack of sleep, so any good sleep tricks you have will be good. Hope you have a little gas left for apre ski . Look foward to meeting you. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2012/chapter-2-the-pre-travel-consultation/altitude-illness.htm SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Looks like you only need to lay off the alcohol for 48 hours. On Everest that would be fermented yack milk. I'm sure the locals can supply you with something similar. Enjoy your trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckmann AG Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Not directly related to the more serious aspects of altitude sickness, but you might want to bring a personal hydration pack, and use a dilute electrolyte mix. And cleaning apparatus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrutton Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Coming from the lowlands, the first day seems to kill me; and I'm fine after that. I spend the first day lying on the snow for prolonged periods between sessions; bystanders come up and ask me if I'm OK. One trip to Brekenridge I ended up with a bad prolonged headache on the 3rd day. Weird. Maybe not enough hydration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 All these guys have nailed it. As someone who has lived at 9000 ft for the last 20 years I can tell you this: - Drink water even when you are not thirsty. Even better (as Beckmann said) sports drinks are due to the electrolyte. - Take it easy at the start of the week. Lack of sleep and drinking like a plumber can send you over the edge fast. I see it all the time here. Billy Bob from Texas just gets into town, drinks a pony keg, skis like a rock star, then falls on his face with alti-sick. Ease into it. - And the one I figured out a while ago: hydrate while you sleep. I do this with a big glass of water before I go to bed and I run a humidifier at night only during the winter (dry). Lots of condos and hotels can supply you with a humidifier if you ask. - And stay away from Algunderfoot...bad news all around. See you soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted January 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/content/171/3/275.full.pdf http://jap.physiology.org/content/100/6/2031.full.pdf Viagra reduces the decrease in exercise performance caused by altitude. Found more research than just these papers supporting this conclusion. Appears some people benefit more than others. Now all I have to do is persuade my wife that I'm off to Colorado with a suitcase full of Viagra and it's nothing to do with John Gilmour's cougars! SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceangirl Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 Kia ora! Maybe you should bring your wife with you? You know...as an FP doc I would recommend it. I learned to carve at SES in '06...in fact that is how I learned to snowboard at all! Alisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algunderfoot Posted January 17, 2012 Report Share Posted January 17, 2012 - And stay away from Algunderfoot...bad news all around. See you soon! Jeeze Fin, I thought you'd be over that by now ... besides I'm close to invalid status for this year, virtually harmless :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted January 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Kia ora!Maybe you should bring your wife with you? You know...as an FP doc I would recommend it. I learned to carve at SES in '06...in fact that is how I learned to snowboard at all! Alisa I'm not serious about the Viagra. Even with generic sildenafil available in NZ the cost would be close to a lift ticket per day of tablets. But the physiology is intriguing, in particular what is behind the variability in PA pressure changes with a decreased inspired oxygen concentrations, and the variable response to the sildenafil. I'm attending an anaesthesia conference in Aspen Snowmass at the same time SES is on, with pre & post snow sessions each day. Sadly, my wife no longer skis due to a "mild" version of Ehlers Danlos which makes her very prone to sprains and strains of ligaments, with very long recovery times, so she's staying in NZ. Having learned to carve pretty much in isolation I am looking forward to learning a great deal, both on, and off, the slopes. SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 From one Kiwi to another, it's a shame I pulled the pin on my trip this year. It would have been fun to meet and ride with you. Altitude affects everyone differently, but even if you do get sick it's usually only bad for a day or so. Diamox is good, but sometimes the side effects (tingly fingers and toes and numb face) are worse than the symptoms. Just take it easy the first couple of days, expect that you'll be sucking wind a bit, and don't let them tell you that the top of Big Burn at Snowmass is "not that high" (a joke the boys like to play on unsuspecting Antipodeans). Have a wonderful trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantheman0177 Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 I live at 400' above sea level so I'm a prime candidate. I got very mild headaches the first year, but someone suggested drinking LOTS of water and getting 8+ hours of sleep per night. That fixed it for me. However, I'm still breathing hard while walking through the parking lot, and even worse when riding. You get better as the week goes on as you get used to it. Let's ride together, we can both stop at the side and cheer on the fellow rippers! I've lived at sea level pretty much every year I've been to SES and that's exactly what I experienced. And nearly all my riding before that had been in Oz, so below 1850 meters. But as the week wears on, you feel fitter, lungs work better and riding improves. A winner, however you look at it. In the past I've ridden with a camelback which has helped with the hydration side of things (just make sure it's insulated so the tube doesn't freeze). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Other then the year Billy and Dave brought the 3 month FUNKHoly H_LL that was a 5 day stink I do not wish to repeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 18, 2012 Report Share Posted January 18, 2012 Sun Surfer, in my experience it affects everyone differently,no matter what kind of shape you are in or how often you have been at altitude. I have seen star athletes drop to their knees with it, and little old ladies kicking my butt up 14ers. However, I have heard that products designed to help with motion sickness will help with altitude as well. Also, and i know it sounds silly, but they sell bottled O2 here and breathing on them is supposed to help tremendously. We even have O2 bars here in Summit.... If you do the things that these guys have mentioned, hydrate, don't go big on the first night, and suck down some vitamins and electrolytes you should be just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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