How to Deal with Altitude Sickness

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methods

1Taking Medication

2Altering Your Diet

3Making Lifestyle Changes

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Tips and Warnings

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If you're taking a trip to an inland city or climbing a mountain, altitude sickness can put a damper on your adventure. Mild altitude sickness usually kicks in when you're above 8,000 feet (2,400 m), but it's possible to feel symptoms at a lower elevation if you’ve spent most of your life in a place that’s much lower in elevation or close to sea level. Altitude sickness can cause dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea, or shortness of breath. In most cases, the symptoms are very mild and will go away in 2 or 3 days once your body is acclimated.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Taking Medication

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   Take 600 mg of ibuprofen 6 hours before flying or climbing. Take 3 200-mg tablets of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) with 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of water 6 hours before you get on the plane or, if you're a climber, 6 hours before you start your ascent. Once you're there, don't take it for another 24 hours, then take 1 to 2 capsules every 4 to 6 hours.

   • It's best to take it after a meal so it doesn't upset your stomach.
   • The initial high-dosage will help your body acclimate faster and ease any head pain or sluggishness you might feel from the get-go.
   • Don’t go over 2,400 mg per day or take ibuprofen in high doses for longer than 7 days because it can increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
   • If you have heart disease or are at risk, talk to your doctor about using naproxen instead.

   Tip: Only take medication beforehand if you have a history of altitude sickness or have to make a planned rapid ascent to a high altitude. It's best to increase your altitude gradually rather than to rely on medication to help with altitude sickness.
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   Ease a headache with 1 to 2 tablets of paracetamol. Swallow 1 to 2 500-mg tablets of paracetamol (Tylenol, Excedrin, Calpol, Panadol) every 4 to 6 hours to help alleviate a mild to moderate headache. If you're flying to a city that’s a higher elevation than the one you came from, take the first dose 1 hour before you get on the plane.

   • You can buy paracetamol without a prescription from any pharmacy or grocery store.
   • Paracetamol can make some people nauseous, so take it after eating if you have a sensitive stomach.
   • Don't take paracetamol if you have alcoholism, liver disease, or kidney problems.
3. 
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   Start taking 125 mg of acetazolamide 1 to 2 days before your trip. If you plan to travel or go climbing, prepare your body by taking acetazolamide (Diamox) 1 or 2 days beforehand and continue to take it once you're there for up to 48 hours. Swallow 125 mg to 250 mg (which is 1 or 2 pills depending on the strength) twice a day with 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of water.

   • If you’re climbing and will continue the ascent for the next few days, keep taking it as needed.
   • Acetazolamide helps decrease the pressure in your head (particularly your eyes), preventing headaches, swelling, dizziness, and other symptoms of altitude sickness.
   • You'll need to visit your doctor at least 1 week before your trip to get a prescription for acetazolamide.
   • Talk to your doctor before taking this drug if you take cisapride, lithium, memantine, methenamine, orlistat, or anti-seizure medications.

   Warning: Since acetazolamide is also a diuretic, it can cause fluid loss from frequent urination. Drink plenty of fluids and monitor yourself for signs of dehydration or decreased blood pressure.
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   Swallow 4 mg of dexamethasone 8 hours before your trip. Make sure you eat something before swallowing 1 or 2 pills (depending on the strength) with 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of water. Once you're at your high-altitude destination, take it every 6 hours on a full stomach to keep altitude sickness at bay. Don’t take it every day for more than a week and feel free to lower your dosage once your body has acclimated after the first 3 days.

   • Decadron, Dexasone, Hexadrol are brand names for dexamethasone. Your doctor may prescribe dexamethasone if you don't tolerate acetazolamide.
   • You can also take an initial dose of 8 mg and then go down to 4 mg every 6 hours if you're concerned about the initial exposure to high altitude.
   • If you stop taking dexamethasone while you're ascending, you may notice a sudden onset or worsening of altitude sickness symptoms. Because of this, it's more common to take acetazolamide for prevention and dexamethasone for treatment of altitude sickness.
   • Do not drink alcohol with dexamethasone because it can exacerbate the drug’s side effects like insomnia, mood changes, dry skin, weight gain, swelling, and blurry vision. Additionally, don't take it for longer than 7 days because it will increase your risk of high blood sugar, immune suppression, and psychiatric symptoms.
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   Relieve nausea by taking 25 to 50 mg of promethazine. If you've gotten nauseous from high altitudes in the past, 25 to 50 mg (1 or 2 pills) of promethazine (Phenergan, Phenadoz) every 4 to 6 hours can help. Take it 2 to 4 times every day with or without food.

   • You'll need to visit your doctor 1 week before your trip to get a prescription.
   • Drowsiness is a common side effect of promethazine, so it's not the best option if you're a climber or expect to have long days on your trip.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Altering Your Diet

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   Stay hydrated by drinking at least 8 cups of water per day. Follow the recommended daily intake of at least 64 fluid ounces (1,900 mL) of water while you're at a higher elevation. If you're relatively active, a good rule of thumb is to drink 2 to 3 8  fl oz (240 mL) glasses of water every hour or 2.

   • If you're a man, aim to drink around 125 fluid ounces (3,700 mL) of water per day. If you're a woman, try to get about 96 fluid ounces (2,800 mL).
2. 
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   Avoid drinking alcohol before and while being at a higher elevation. Stick to water, juice, decaf coffee, and herbal tea to avoid dehydrating your body. Drinking too much alcohol can leave you feeling sluggish and exacerbate any symptoms you’re already feeling from being at a higher altitude.

   • If you’re on vacation and plan to drink anyway, make sure to drink 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of water for every 1 alcoholic beverage.
3. 
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   Eat foods high in potassium to help your body acclimate faster. Snack on bananas, greens, avocados, dried fruit, tomatoes, and potatoes the first few days of your trip. The high amount of potassium will help balance the amount of water in your body and make any symptoms of altitude sickness a bit milder.

   • The recommended intake of potassium is 3,500 to 4,700 mg per day.
   • Sports drinks, electrolyte water, and coconut water are also great sippers for getting your daily dose of potassium.
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   Limit or avoid overly salty foods and snacks. Make sure you’re not taking in more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, which is equal to about 1 teaspoon (4.2 grams) of salt. If you’re dining out, resist the urge to salt your food at the table. Use a minimal amount if you’re cooking while on your trip.

   • Always check the label on frozen foods, canned vegetables, condiments, and dressings and buy low-sodium varieties if you can.
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   Load up on complex carbohydrates to maintain your energy. Altitude sickness can make you feel sluggish and exhausted, but eating oats, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole grain bread, quinoa, or barley can perk you up and keep you fueled throughout the day. Avoid simple carbs like white rice, white bread, regular pasta, and sweets because your body will use up the fuel too quickly and spike your blood sugar, exacerbating any headaches or fatigue you might be feeling.

   • Potatoes (white and sweet), kidney beans, pumpkin, couscous, and multigrain breakfast cereals are also great foods to fuel up on during your trip.
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   Sip ginger tea or chew ginger gummies to alleviate nausea. Pour 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of boiling or hot water over a bag of ginger tea and let it steep for 3 to 5 minutes. It’s also wise to pack some ginger gummies into your day bag for nausea-relief while you’re on-the-go.

   • You can buy ginger gummies from most grocery stores and pharmacies.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Lifestyle Changes

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   Preacclimate yourself to higher altitudes before a planned ascent. You're less likely to experience altitude sickness if you pace yourself. One way to do this is to expose yourself to a higher altitude before a planned ascent or to spend time at a partial higher altitude before going higher.

   • For instance, you might spend 24 to 48 hours in Denver, Colorado, before going up into the mountains.
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   Don't exercise for the first 24 to 48 hours of being at a higher altitude. Don't do any physical activity that works up a sweat or gets your heart pumping. Light walking is okay, just be sure to take breaks every hour or so if you feel short of breath, tired, or dizzy.

   • Mild shortness of breath is a common symptom of altitude sickness, so take it easy the first couple of days until your body acclimates to the higher elevation.
   • If you feel extreme tightness in your chest while you’re simply walking around, stop walking and call for emergency medical care as soon as you can.
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   Avoid smoking cigarettes if you smoke. Smoking directly impacts your lung capacity, so it’s wise to kick the habit no matter what elevation you’re at. Your body may already be slightly oxygen-deprived at a higher elevation, and smoking only decreases the amount of oxygen in your body (which means more headaches).

   • If you’re not ready to quit altogether, cut the number of cigarettes you have each day in half or as low as you can while you’re on your trip. Your lungs will thank you for cutting back even a little bit!
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   Pace yourself if you're climbing a mountain or traveling from city to city. If you're a climber, don't climb over 300 to 500 meters per day because swift changes in elevation can make altitude sickness worse. It's also important to take a full day of rest every 3 to 4 days or 600 to 900 meters.

   • Use a GPS unit or GPS app to measure how many meters you've climbed. Some popular climbing paths may have elevation markers posted as checkpoints.
   • If you’re a traveler bouncing from place to place, try to move between cities that are close in elevation. For instance, avoid going from Mumbai, India to Kathmandu, Nepal because they have an elevation difference of 4,153 feet (1,266 m).
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Tips

• If you’re an avid climber, carry a canister of supplemental oxygen in your pack to help your body acclimate to an extremely-high altitude.
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• Keep all of your medications in your carry-on bag so you can take them as needed in case your checked luggage gets lost or delayed.
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Warnings

• If you’re climbing and your symptoms seem to get worse, don’t go any further—descend to a lower elevation, taking rests when you need to.
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• If you experience extreme tightness in your chest, bluing of your lips or fingernails, wet coughing, fever, extreme fatigue, severe headache, or rattling when you breathe, call for emergency medical care right away.
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