Diamox for altitude

[Mykolaivka887]

And this is why you shouldn’t take medical
Advice from an online forum. Your advice could get someone in trouble a lot more than diamox could.

Based on my own and other's experiences at altitudes over 10,000. Just sayin' ....

 

[Texasbuckeye]

I do not want to derail the thread, but anecdotal examples do not make medical advice. There is nothing about fitness that dictates risk for AS, and some people who never get it, can get it for whatever reason after a long history of never having had it. Being aware of the symptoms is more important and listening to your body is more important than anything anyone tells me about their body.

I dont mean these comments to be mean or rude to you, but as was mentioned earlier, this is a discussion the OP needs to have with his primary doc and not with people who largely have no understanding of how AS even happens and why it happens.

How do we know if this hunter is worried about AS because he has a strong family history of kidney dosease, has kidney disease himself, has a history of an AVM in his brain or has lung disease from any number of things that could make HACE or HAPE deadly? There are so many possibles that we do not know, and shpuld never know, but advice of “just get out there and go balls to the wall” could he a recommendation for this guys death. Yes, for the vast majority AS isnt an issue, but it is a real thing for some.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Very familiar with HACE and HAPE, otherwise known in layman's terms as "AS" or "Altitude Sickness". Best recommendation is to acclimate when working above 8,000.

 

[Mojave Kid]

In 1992, I travelled to La Paz Bolivia (you land at almost 14000 ft and then the city is at 12000ft plus). I didn't take it easy the first day of arriving and hit the hotel gym and then walked around down town. That night I wanted to cut my head off because of my headache (altitude sickness). Next day the embassy doctor put me on Diamox and it worked for my duration there.

 

[Texasbuckeye]

Acclimation takes more than a day. More than a week. True acclimation takes about 2-3 weeks, but who has that time right?

I am sure you know that as well, and yet you said acclimate for a day and then balls to the wall….for someone who admitedly has never been to altitude. Good advice (sarcasm in case it is missed). I am done responding to this thread, i’ve said my 2 cents.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Acclimation takes more than a day. More than a week. True acclimation takes about 2-3 weeks, but who has that time right?

I am sure you know that as well, and yet you said acclimate for a day and then balls to the wall….for someone who admitedly has never been to altitude. Good advice (sarcasm in case it is missed). I am done responding to this thread, i’ve said my 2 cents.

I disagree. Of all the times I've worked above 10,000 and alongside others who were working alongside me, we easily acclimated in less than 72 hours. On one trip though, a twenty-something kid couldn't quite seem to get used to it and we had him on bottled oxygen every night, till we all decided to take him down to a lower elevation. Most people can hack it though, after a day or two or maybe three at 8,000 and then move up another 6,000 or 7,000 above that, then acclimate again if pushing toward 20,000 above sea level, which is way higher than anything in the Lower-48 (lol).

 

[Mikido]

Last year I went straight to 11,000 and wanted to cut my head off. Ruined the hunt.

This year I’m arriving 3 days early to acclimate, and will be taking Diamox. The feeling is worse than the worst hangover you’ve ever had and I don’t want to ever feel it again. Any side effect is worth it to me.

I believe it can be also used after the fact to treat symptoms. Doesn’t hurt to keep it in your bag. There’s a good podcast about it somewhere on this site, do a search.

Good luck on your decision

 

[danarnold]

look in to osha root, our neighbor harvests it and makes an extract out of it we use for colds/sore throat but is known to be very effective for AS
I'd try that way before the meds with such harsh side effects , good luck

 

[Eagle]

I start taking it three days before I head to altitude so that the diuretic effect has had time to dissipate before I start my 20 hour drive.
It makes me piss A LOT and it sucks to have to pee every hour when your on a long drive, but taking it a few days prior alleviates that issue for me. That’s the only side effect I’ve ever dealt with, and it helps me tremendously.

 

[FlyGuy]

Personally, I wouldn't bother with it. If you're that out of shape that 24-48 hours of acclimating at 9,000 doesn't help, Diamox sure as hell isn't going to do anything for you and could potentially get you into real trouble. If you're in relatively descent shape for your age, just acclimate at 8,000 or so and then balls to the wall. Good luck!

Fitness is not a reliable prevention for altitude sickness. It’s great for a lot of things but AS can hit the most physically fit people hard and have no effect on someone in the same hunting party who lives on a couch.

To the best of my knowledge, you can’t get Diamox without a prescription, so talking to your dr isn’t exactly optional.

I think it’s great insurance. Maybe you won’t need it but a buddy unexpectedly finds himself in a bad way….

The diamox helps you acclimate very quickly. I live at sea level, I can go Hard on day 1 at elevations from 8-12k (I’m chasing elk so I’ve never needed to be any higher than that this far).

If your dr green lights you for it, and if you have insurance so it costs you like $5, then I just don’t see a good reason not to have it with you.


“What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit.“

Chief Seattle

 

[Bligneel]

Thanks for all the info guys! I'm planning on talking to my Dr about it and seeing what they think but was just curious on other people's experiences with taking it or not taking it and dealing with altitude sickness.

 

[Jstumbaugh]

I asked my doc about Diamox at my physical a couple weeks ago in prep for our trip in a month. He prescribed it to me and also recommended not to over hydrate and to increase carb intake while at altitude. He said over hydrating can have just as much effect on AS as getting dehydrated.

 

[Cheato]

Some good medical articles on sleep apnea relief from diamox even at a low dose 250mg QD . I've climbed up to 14k with it and I will tell you that you have to stay overhydradrated or you will have a terrible headache and some vision changes. It can leach sodium and potassium from your system since it's a diuretic so drink liquid IV or pediatlye. I agree with the comment to start a few days before travel to acclimate to the drug and take the lowest amount your doctor suggests. It is used also to pull fluid off the brain with conditions like pseudotumor cerebri, so it can cause a horrible headache if not hydrated. Talk to your DR and know side effects and how to minimize those. I like to take 250mg once daily prior and 1st 2 days in camp to help me sleep and not wake up gasping. I then stop it after I've been in camp 2 days . No issues but everyone is different. Good luck

 

[Cactus kid]

It should be noted that diamox has been show to decrease endurance performance at altitude and increase perceived effort. But so does altitude sickness. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[AK Troutbum]

This is probably a better question asked on a climbing forum and for your primary care physician, but Diamox and Dexamethasone are the drugs of choice for staving off HAPE and HACE.


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[Archerichards]

Hey guys heading to Colorado in September for archery elk. Flatlander from Minnesota and Never been to much elevation over 4000. Area we have picked out has us from 9500 to 11500. Was just wondering what your guys take is on how to combat any altitude sickness. I know stay hydrated, keep eating, don't over exert ourselves. Is diamox worth it? I've seen alot of people mention it but I'm not sure I'm sold on it. Any input is appreciated

You will be affected by altitude, and likely have some altitude sickness. I regularly travel from Charlotte, NC to Southwest CO at 9000+ feet, so, I know it well. Symptoms (for me): headache, sleeplessness, and perhaps nausea. When you really have it, it will shut you down. You will not "power" your way through it, and will instead be curled up in a ball in your sleeping bag.

Diamox works for me. I take a half dose for three days before the trip and for two days after. It is cheap, an old and proven/understood drug (a blood pressure drug that also works on altitude sickness), and has few downsides if any. So I take it. Important: dehydration, alcohol, and caffeine all worsen altitude sickness symptoms. So, if you want to avoid it stay really hydrated (for me that means 3 to 5 liters of water a day) and dodge too much booze/coffee for at least first three days of the trip. (I never miss morning coffee-> one cup)

Finally, I will tell you that the people in the best physical condition are often the ones who suffer the most from altitude sickness. Not sure if that is you or not, but it does apply to me. I am fit.

 

[fwafwow]

I’m not a doctor or an expert, but I tried to do as much research and prep as possible before my first hunt at altitude. I got and took Diamox, and while I had some minor AS symptoms, I have no idea whether the Diamox helped. Maybe it was my sleeping in a reduced oxygen tent for weeks before the trip, or not drinking, or taking it easy the first few days, or the Diamox - or maybe I’m lucky and all of the stuff I did was a waste. I might be wrong and misremembering, but I seem to recall that the medical knowledge about what causes altitude sickness and the variants in some vs others was still subject to some disagreement.

Being informed is the best approach, and a discussion with *your* physician is the best advice in this thread.

This recent article might be of interest - "High-altitude illnesses: Old stories and new insights into the pathophysiology, treatment and prevention": https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666337621000214

 

[bbkick25]

Altitude RX is great. No one in my group has ever had an issue of any kind. You still have to stay hydrated though.

 

[sandhillhunter]

I start taking it three days before I head to altitude so that the diuretic effect has had time to dissipate before I start my 20 hour drive.
It makes me piss A LOT and it sucks to have to pee every hour when your on a long drive, but taking it a few days prior alleviates that issue for me. That’s the only side effect I’ve ever dealt with, and it helps me tremendously.

Same here.

This is my brother and I headed to the high country after preloading with fluids and 2-3 days of Diamox. It definitely has worked for us though.

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[doc holiday13]

Coca leaf tea is also a Peruvian remedy for altitude sickness but good luck getting here in the USA