Experiences with

Altitude sickness

You can get altitude sickness if you travel to a high altitude too quickly.

Breathing becomes difficult because you're not able to take in as much oxygen.

Altitude sickness, also called acute mountain sickness (AMS), can become a medical emergency if ignored.

Your age, sex or physical fitness do not affect your likelihood of getting altitude sickness.

Also, just because you may not have had it before, this does not mean you will not get it on another trip.

Symptoms of altitude sickness

Symptoms of altitude sickness usually develop between 6 and 24 hours after reaching altitudes more than 2,500m above sea level.

Symptoms are similar to those of a bad hangover and include:

  • headache
  • feeling and being sick
  • dizziness
  • tiredness
  • loss of appetite
  • shortness of breath

The symptoms are usually worse at night.

Altitude sickness does not only affect mountain climbers. Tourists travelling to cities that are 2,500m above sea level or higher, such as La Paz in Bolivia or Bogotá in Colombia, can also get altitude sickness.

It's not possible to get altitude sickness in the UK because the highest mountain, Ben Nevis in Scotland, is only 1,345m.

Preventing altitude sickness

The best way to prevent getting altitude sickness is to travel to altitudes above 2,500m slowly.

It usually takes a few days for your body to get used to a change in altitude.

You should also:

  • avoid flying directly to areas of high altitude, if possible
  • take 2 to 3 days to get used to high altitudes before going above 2,500m
  • avoid climbing more than 300m to 500m a day
  • have a rest day every 600m to 900m you go up, or rest every 3 to 4 days
  • make sure you're drinking enough water
  • avoid smoking and alcohol
  • avoid strenuous exercise for the first 24 hours
  • eat a light but high-calorie diet

Medicines

Consider travelling with these medicines for altitude sickness:

In the UK, acetazolamide is not licensed to treat altitude sickness. But it's available from most travel clinics and some GPs may prescribe it.

Promethazine is available from pharmacies. You do not need a prescription to buy it.

Begin taking acetazolamide 1 to 2 days before you start to go up in altitude and continue to take it while going up.

You should still go up gradually and follow the prevention advice, including taking time to acclimatise, having regular rest days and drinking plenty of water.

If you get symptoms of altitude sickness while taking acetazolamide, rest or go down until you feel better before going up again.

Treating altitude sickness

If you think you have altitude sickness:

  • stop and rest where you are
  • do not go any higher for at least 24 to 48 hours
  • if you have a headache, take ibuprofen or paracetamol
  • if you feel sick, take an anti-sickness medicine, such as promethazine
  • make sure you're drinking enough water
  • do not smoke, drink alcohol, or exercise

Acetazolamide can be used to reduce the severity of your symptoms, but it will not completely get rid of them.

Tell your travel companions how you feel, even if your symptoms are mild – there's a danger your judgement may not be clear.

You can continue going up with care once you feel you have fully recovered.

If you do not feel any better after 24 hours, go down by at least 500m (about 1,600 feet).

Do not attempt to climb again until your symptoms have completely disappeared.

After 2 to 3 days, your body should have adjusted to the altitude and your symptoms should disappear.

See a doctor if your symptoms do not improve or get worse.

Complications

If the symptoms of altitude sickness are ignored, they can lead to life-threatening conditions affecting the brain or lungs.

High altitude cerebral oedema (HACE)

High altitude cerebral oedema (HACE) is swelling of the brain caused by a lack of oxygen.

Symptoms of HACE include:

  • headache
  • weakness
  • feeling and being sick
  • loss of coordination
  • feeling confused
  • hallucinations (seeing and hearing things that are not there)

A person with HACE will often not realise they're ill. They may insist they're OK and want to be left alone.

HACE can develop quickly over a few hours. It can be fatal if it's not treated immediately.

Treating HACE:

  • move down to a lower altitude immediately
  • take dexamethasone
  • give bottled oxygen, if available

Dexamethasone is a steroid medicine that reduces swelling of the brain. It's often carried by professional mountain climbers as part of their medical supplies.

If you cannot go down immediately, dexamethasone can help relieve symptoms until it's safe to do so.

You should go to hospital as soon as possible for follow-up treatment.

High altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE)

High altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE) is a build-up of fluid in the lungs.

Symptoms of HAPE:

  • blue tinge to the skin or lips (cyanosis)
  • breathing difficulties, even when resting
  • tightness in the chest
  • a persistent cough, bringing up pink or white frothy liquid (sputum)
  • tiredness and weakness

The symptoms of HAPE can start to appear a few days after arrival at high altitude. It can be fatal if it's not treated immediately.

Treating HAPE:

  • move down to a lower altitude immediately
  • take nifedipine
  • give bottled oxygen, if available

Nifedipine is a medicine that helps to reduce chest tightness and make breathing easier. It's also often part of an expedition's medical supplies

You should go to hospital as soon as possible for follow-up treatment.

If you've had HAPE, you can register with the International HAPE Database to help develop new treatments for the condition.

HealthUnlocked contains information from NHS Digital, licensed under the current version of the Open Government Licence

19 public posts

Question - newbie in mountains

The altitude is 1850 and even at that height I get altitude sickness and usually I take it easy on my first 3 days (I won’t ski as going up higher makes me so nauseous the first couple of days). I don’t want to stop the programme though. So any tips welcome.
emsninaGraduate
in Couch to 5K

Diamox/acetazolamide for migraines

Diamox is primarily used as an altitude sickness medication but has been used for things like seizures.
in National Migraine Centre

Cfs, altitude sickness similarities

Altitude sickness lists sleep problems, lightheadedness, fatigue, headache, nausea, rapid pulse, as well as shortness of breath and appetite loss.
in EDMESH
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Intermittent side effects on sulfasalazine?

I was willing to chalk it up to altitude sickness for a couple days, but we're going on my 4th day in Denver, now, from OKC, and I'm still nauseous, exhausted, and having headaches that not even Excedrin is completely getting rid of.
in NRAS

Hawaii 1 Dec 2018

I expected some altitude sickness as I had experienced it once around 7000 or so feet. This time I drank water and had a full stomach so no altitude sickness. The view was as you would expect, incredible.
in My MSAA Community

Anxiety about altitude sickness

Any suggestions on how to prevent altitude sickness? Thanks in advance.
in Anxiety and Depression Support

When we had lungs

This is pre copd/empysema days and just getting about on healthy lungs was a bit of a struggle,but i learnt from trusty locals that the ways to avoid altitude discomfort and sickness was to sip lots of Coca tea and chew on Coca leaves this had the effect of relieving headaches but left you with a completely
in British Lung Foundation

Altitude sickness

I've just read this article http://www.tiredthyroid.com/high-altitude-sickness.html I'm planning a visit to Bolivia to La Paz and am now reconsidering on the basis of this article which is extremely off putting. Should I rethink this trip? Does anyone know about this?
in Thyroid UK

Nucleic Acid Therapy

Charles Darwin noted that Andean Indians traveling to high altitudes where the air is thin, would eat onions as a remedy for altitude sickness. Onions are rich in nucleic acids.
in COPD Friends

Anxiety from moving??

I just moved to Denver from NY and I was quite anxious prior to the move because when I visited I felt altitude sickness (headache, nausea, lightheadedness) and actually at a point I felt like I was going to faint.
in Anxiety Support

High altitude and APS

I'm already a little nervous about altitude sickness, but I'm not sure if there's an increased risk of a clotting event. I have never had a clotting event, currently taking 81mg aspirin. Any thoughts? Thanks, Jess
in Hughes Syndrome - APS Support

Altitude sickness

I don't think I suffered from altitude sickness although after about 10 steps outside the lift I had to sit down. There was not enough air getting to my brain! I made it all they way round the station, not very far, with rests now and then and there have not been any after effects.
in MPN Voice

ET and altitude sickness

I would dearly like to go to Mt Teide but the guide books warn about altitude sickness even for fit people. Does anyone know if MPNs make the likelihood of contracting altitude sickness more or not. I am a bit anaemic now as well so this wont help. Sally
in MPN Voice

Now This Is More Like It ... University of Edinburgh MRC Centre for Inflammation Research

Sickness Like Carbonic Anhydrase And Other Drugs And How Our Will To Survive Our Bodies Will Look For Alternatives Pretty Much What Happens If Your Starving Your Body Will Look For Alternatives
in British Lung Foundation

Anemia

Like altitude sickness without the vomiting. I was curious i I might be anaemic. I was v anaemic when I had my son 2 yrs ago. Have just looked at most recent tests.
in Thyroid UK

Domperidone

It stops the sickness , I asked my Dr about a month ago if he could prescribe them for me , he told me they use Domperidone for altitude sickness , so he knows they work ,and he gave them to add to my prescription . Not that im going to climb a mountain anytime soon ,but you never know.
in NRAS

Interesting Chat With @Gordon57 On Value Of PH Or If Any

Then We I Got Carried Away With Myself As Illustrated Below :O But In Our Conversation I Asked Why Sciencetist Are Not Trying To Find A Quick Fix By Putting Oxegen Into Our Blood Streams Vie Our Digestive System And It Looks Like They Are Thanks To Sir Ranulph Fiennes High Altitude Sickness Hypoxia
in British Lung Foundation

Has anyone been to Denver, Colorado or any other high altitude destination?

I am visiting a school friend and she has told me that ""lots"" of people who go there suffer from altitude sickness. At first I thought she was joking but apparently not. It has started me thinking would it affect my asthma as the air is ""thinner"".
in Asthma UK community forum

Altitude

However at 2500m, where someone is unlikely to get symptoms of altitude sickness, there is 74% of oxygen available, so although 74% sounds very low, it isn't that bad really. If I were to trek to 6000m, there would be 48% of oxygen around.
in Asthma UK community forum
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