ALTITUDE SICKNESS/ACCLIMATIZATION

What Is Altitude Sickness/Acclimatization?
---Mountain sickness is a fact that there is about half the amount of oxygen at 5,000 meters as sea level, gives your body a long to-do list, so you can continue to enjoy your vacation. And simply put, things that your body does for you is called acclimatization. Help it by doing your part; you know it is your body after all.

Your body will increase pulse rate and breathing rate/depth. Given that your heart is already working harder, do not push it by exerting yourself.
Your body will let go of non-vital fluids by increasing urination. Do your part by replenishing the fluids.
Your body will thicken blood through fluid loss and increased red cells production. This increases danger of internal blood clots. Do your part by drinking enough and remaining active during the day.
Your body might go through a phase of periodic breathing which will disturb sleep. This is normal. Do your part by not suppressing this response through sleeping pills.
However, nothing will acclimate you above 5,500 meters unless you are Reinhold Messner. Do your part by limiting the length of stay or using supplemental oxygen.
Above everything else, remember that acclimatization is a process that takes time and depends on a wide variety of factors. And the single most important factor that causes sickness has got to be cockiness. The fact that you are an ultra-athlete or in the SAS is irrelevant to the mountains. Be kind to your body by giving it time and listening carefully to what your body is telling you. And we cannot stress this more but DO NOT even think of ascent with any symptom of altitude sickness.

The Do’s

1. Above 3,000 meters limit your daily ascent to 500 meters between night stops.

2. Have a rest day every 3 days or 1,000 meters ascent, whichever comes first.

3. Stay active during your rest days. Do not sleep during the day.

4. Drink 3 liters of fluid every day. ORS is highly recommended. Yes you will be peeing much more frequently, but remember you would be peeing almost as much even without the 3 liters.

5. For the Everest trek, preventive use of acetazolamide (Diamox) must be considered in addition to the aforementioned points. Dosage: 125 mg twice daily initiated a day before climb and continued until descent starts or after 3 days at target altitude for extended stay. For children below 16 the suggested dose is 2.5mg/kg twice daily.

6. If prior history of High Altitude Pulmonary Edema is present, nifedipine must be used preventively.  Dosage: 60 mg daily, divided into smaller doses for sustained release, starting the day before ascent and continued until descent begins or 5 nights at target elevation.

7. Make sure you are warmly clothed at all times. Carry a fleece in your day pack and make use of your windstopper.

The Don’ts

1. Do not continue ascent with headache or any other sign of altitude illness.

2. Avoid alcohol at all costs, when you are going up.

3. Try to avoid sleeping pill as far as possible.