Elevation sickness

[Jimbow65]

Anyone else get sick at elevation? any cures or preventions?

We camp at over 10k and I know going up slow helps, but that is not really an option. Each time has been about the same, within an hour of arriving at camp and trying to setup I get  nauseous, vomiting till I am empty. I curl up in my sleeping bag, sipping water when I can and sleep for about 12-14 hours. when I wake up the next morning I feel better. The first 12 hours I am worthless.

I was told tums and ibuprofen would help, but it didn't. any safe preventions anyone knows of?

 

[NolanOutdoors]

The last two years I hunted with a pharmacist. This year we got perception meds that was supposed to prevent it. I have never had a problem and did not again this year. Contact you doctor and get a recommendation. That stuff made us pee like a racehorse :-[

 

[RockyMountainHi]

You took Diamox (Acetazolamide) which helps prevent altitude sickness which can progress to HAPE and HACE (high altitude pulmonary edema and high altitude cerebral edema).  Both of these can kill you, so no minor issue.  The drug speeds up your acclimatization (still takes a day or two) and if you don't want to lose days hunting, take your time going up in elevation.  If you get symptoms, the cure is not drugs, but getting lower in elevation NOW.  Drinking lots of fluids is important but not a cure all.


Going from sea level to 10,000 feet in a day is enough to get you in trouble and prior history suggests likelihood of ongoing problems with future altitude changes.  Good luck and be careful with this. ???

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I never had a problem till last year. You can bet I will have a prescription from the doctor on any future high country hunts, it was brutal.

 

[rose-n-arrows]

I did a lot of research on this subject as we learned about it in nursing school and I was kind of freaked out about it.  I found this article to be particularly helpful. 
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/altitude.html