High Altitude woes

Tony_H wrote:I often get nosebleeds after flying and sometimes during the first day or two in resort. Is that linked to altitude problems?

It could well be Tony, or high blood pressure.

bandit wrote:I still had a few "cold hands" incidents in January though :(

My wife has trouble with those... although, oddly, they seem to coincide with me experiencing a "clip round the ear" incident...

I don't think it's altitude-related though.

Admin wrote:

bandit wrote:I still had a few "cold hands" incidents in January though :(

My wife has trouble with those... although, oddly, they seem to coincide with me experiencing a "clip round the ear" incident...

I don't think it's altitude-related though.

My hands literally froze about 15mins into a snowmobile safari and I still had a good 4hrs to go. But within another 15mins they were toasty hot. I could'nt explain, but Hubby said he had fathomed the controls and had swithched on heated seats, heated handlebars, and heated grab handles at the back for me..........pure bliss.

I get cold hands just sitting about the house. I wondered whether than might be related to blood pressure? Its certainly not related to altitude, as where I live its just about bang on sea level.

RoseR wrote:Strange you say Ise dexamethasone used for altitude sickness, never knew that, but knew Diamox. Actually when I had surgery last year I was given dexamethasone, high dose pre anaesthetic.

Diamox is the drug of choice for mild AMS, the alpine variety really. Diamox is something that can be administered and have the person still moving, dexamethasone is really only suitable for use as you're evacuating someone.

Dexamethasone is a bit more hard core and something you'd use as a primary choice for HACE and for HAPE you'd probably chose Nifedipine. You're really only going to carry Nifedipine and Dexamethasone if you're in the death zone or for long periods above 5000m particularly if you've no easy escape. OTOH, Dexamethasone has some other uses and you can get it in nasal spray and it's useful in high dose to treat anaphylactic shock.

All of which isn't anything to worry about at skier heights :D

I'm slightly concerned about my youngest. I've mentioned before that he suffered badly when we got off the funicular on the grand motte (about 3000m I think). we're back there at easter but this time he'll be in lessons so I'll have to have a word with the instructor.

he didn't suffer at the top of toviere (2704m) so I'm guessing it was the speed of getting to the altitude rather than the altitude itself, so could he be ok if he went on the good old fashioned chair lift?

caron-a wrote:I'm slightly concerned about my youngest. I've mentioned before that he suffered badly when we got off the funicular on the grand motte (about 3000m I think). we're back there at easter but this time he'll be in lessons so I'll have to have a word with the instructor.

he didn't suffer at the top of toviere (2704m) so I'm guessing it was the speed of getting to the altitude rather than the altitude itself, so could he be ok if he went on the good old fashioned chair lift?

I think you're right, the first day or so if you can stay at 2000-2500m that would help. Also, take the other lifts up, stop between each one for 5 or 10 minutes or longer, take some mild exercise, chuck a snowball or something but nothing too dramatic.

It can be unpleasant but there's no significant long term effects but there are immediate safety concerns, ataxia (loss of co-ordination), headaches, nausea or GI problems, shortness of breath etc all make it difficult to ski (climb or trek etc) safely. If in doubt hop back on the lift.

caron-a wrote:I'm slightly concerned about my youngest. I've mentioned before that he suffered badly when we got off the funicular on the grand motte (about 3000m I think). we're back there at easter but this time he'll be in lessons so I'll have to have a word with the instructor.

he didn't suffer at the top of toviere (2704m) so I'm guessing it was the speed of getting to the altitude rather than the altitude itself, so could he be ok if he went on the good old fashioned chair lift?

Maybe he nicked Graham's hipflask?