Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board altitude sickness medication

Does anyone know of a pill/medication that one can take to alleviate or, better yet, prevent altitude sickness? A friend of mine is heading down to Cuzco and asked - I wasn't aware of any.

Acetazolomide. Many use it to effectively prevent/treat AMS. I swear by it when I'm going above 12K. It really has enabled me to do what I love to do.

Yes, acetazolamide (also called Diamox) is the most commonly used medicaton. It's sulfa-based, so as long as you're not Sulfa allergic. It's also a mild diuretic, so keeping hydrated is a must. Side effects also include tingling in the fingers/toes/lips and all carbonated beverages taste flat while you are on the medication. All of this goes away once you stop the medication. It's a prescription medication, so one should check with their doctor first.

FYI, traveling from 7500 ft (Mammoth Lakes) to Cusco, I had no troubles, but any side trips we took out of there (Inca Trail, etc.) I definitely began feeling the affects of altitude. Be especially careful on bus rides, as they sometimes go over high mountain passes that can take you by surprise (picture children throwing up and crying on a crowded bus, while dealing with one's own headache... not fun). Its a beautiful city though, so enjoy your trip!

For a non-prescription alternative, try the herbal supplement Ginkgo Biloba. If you search google, you can find several studies showing it definately helps.

The Ginkgo Biloba is an option...although I'm not convinced of it's effectiveness. I tried it on Mt. Kilimanjaro, but once I got altitude sickness at about 13,000 feet, I started the diamox and did great the rest of the hike. The ginko is supposed to help with circulation, so it may help with keeping fingers and toes warm. In the research I did (I gave a talk on altitude sickness at a medical conference), I didn't see many GOOD studies, although there is definitely some anectdotal reports about gingko's effectiveness.
FYI, there are also recent studies about Viagra helping with pulmonary edema. Probably not using it prophylactically, but if symptoms arise (no pun intended).
Happy hiking.

You can also check this thread from May on <A href="http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=002950">Diamox</A>.

I have tried ferrous sulfate. I figured the iron content would help the hemoglobin. I took 1/4 a pill (I think it had gazillion milligrams per pill) every other day for a 2 weeks prior to Whitney last year and this year. No side effects.

I use Gingko on big mountains and find that it makes a huge difference. I used to feel pretty bad in the teens before I started using it and now I've made several summits with Gingko on board and felt great. I've also tried diamox, but found that the side effects weren't worth it.

Here are the Highlights from a Gingko study:

From the article:

Acute Mountain Sickness
As seen in the New England Journal of Medicine, July 12, 2001
By Peter Hackett, MD and Robert C. Roach, PhD

1991 Colorado survey study: Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) in 22% at 7,000-9,000’; 42% at 10,000’. Risk factors include previous bouts of AMS, residence below 2,800’, exertion and preexisting cardiopulmonary conditions. Persons over 50 years of age are somewhat less susceptible to AMS whereas children are about as susceptible as adults. Women are less susceptible than men to HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema) but equally prone to AMS. Physical fitness is not protective against high-altitude sickness. Genetic factors and environment probably explain varying individual susceptibilities. Descent of 1,500 to 3,000’ usually leads to resolution of AMS; HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema) may require greater descent. New evidence suggests that ALL people have swelling of the brain at high altitudes. One hypothesis is that those with high cerebrospinal fluid volume to brain volume experience AMS less often, since they have more skull space with which to accommodate brain swelling. 400 to 600 mg. of ibuprofen decreased or resolved high-altitude headaches. Gradual ascent is still the best strategy for AMS avoidance. In two controlled trials, Ginkgo Biloba (80-120mg. orally twice a day) prevented AMS during ascent to 15,000’ and was 50% effective in an abrupt ascent to 12,500’. Prophylactic aspirin (325mg. every four hours totaling three doses) reduced the incidence of headache from 50 to 7%. The notion that over hydration prevents AMS has no scientific basis. PETER HACKETT, MD: Associate Professor, University of Washington School of Medicine; Director, Denali Altitude Research Project, Medical Control, Denali National Park Mountaineering Rangers; Emergency Medicine, Grand Junction, Colorado

Be careful with Diamox - it can help or it can make you sick. I tried it and got sick is a dog.

Dr. Hackett is considered one of the top experts in this field in the world.

Wingding, I don't know the details, but that was common for people using the old dosing recommendations, under the new recommendations, it is quite rare.
I think it is best to take for a few days, long before a trip, so one knows what to expect, and how one's body reacts.