Nausea at altitude

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Scott P
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by Scott P »

The thing that is confusing me is how this seems to be "new". In my previous 14ers, which now numbers 50, this has never happened. All of my food, diet, health, physical conditioning, and acclimitization time are more or less identical.
This is not uncommon at all when it comes to altitude. In addition to seeing many cases of altitude sickness, I have even seen someone who has been on Everest several times get pretty sick at 18K.
I'd rule out AMS because it's linked to physical stress not altitude
Without arguing, I would politely disagree that it couldn't be related to altitude, unless it also happens at lower altitude. One test might be to really push yourself at a lower altitude, to same point as being exhausted and see if the symptoms are the same. If it also happens at lower altitude, then I would agree 100%.

A doctor check is a good idea.
key point being it stops when level out but are at the same altitude.
Not necessarily. Above a certain altitude (which is different for every person and even different for each people over time), the body produces certain hormones, such as the hormone leptin, which suppresses appetite. Although leptin is also produced at higher altitudes while at rest, and appetites are still lost at rest, production of the hormone increases with physical stress because the body attempts to maximize oxygen available to the brain instead of "wasting" valuable energy on things like digestion.

That said though, it would be much to go to a doctor and find out what is causing it. It could be a combination of many factors, including exhaustion (or something else not mentioned yet). Whatever happens, let us know!
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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youngk2844
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by youngk2844 »

I hope you find resolution soon and are able to enjoy the high country again without feeling sick.
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by Herbert »

I have struggled in the past with acclimatization, coming from Houston with only a week at a time in Colorado. I have hiked better toward the end of the week, but I keep looking for a way to speed up the process. On my last two trips I have done well with a protocol of zero alcohol, a lot of hydration, and acetazolamide (Diamox). That protocol has eliminated headaches, nausea and sleeplessness. It has not eliminated, however, getting more winded than I think I should be -- again more so in the beginning of the week than toward the end. So at my annual physical last week, I floated to my doctor the thought of Cialis or Viagra as a means of enhancing blood flow at altitude, and she did not disagree. As a matter of fact she said Viagra has been used as a therapy for cold finger tips -- she had a name for it which I do not remember. At any rate, I am kind of half tempted to give it a try on our upcoming trip to Colorado in early September and see if it has any merit. I did a word search of the Forum and it has been mentioned favorably a couple of times.
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by SoCool »

Herbert wrote:the thought of Viagra as a means of enhancing blood flow at altitude...
Can someone please tell me if this is a troll post or not?
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by Scott P »

Can someone please tell me if this is a troll post or not?
http://www.webmd.com/men/news/20050201/ ... e-sickness" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by SoCool »

Scott P wrote:
Can someone please tell me if this is a troll post or not?
http://www.webmd.com/men/news/20050201/ ... e-sickness" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21962063" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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dpage
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by dpage »

My dog has pulmonary hypertension as a lasting result of heart worms that he had when we adopted him. He's on Viagra for life and can't go to high altitudes.
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by Herbert »

SoCool wrote:Can someone please tell me if this is a troll post or not?
I know it sounded kind of hokie, but no, it was not a troll. I recognize that AMS is a serious issue.
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oldschool
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by oldschool »

aweskamp wrote:Does this happen when you run or bike at lower elevations?
No.....this doesn't happen at all at "lower" elevations. It has happened the last 2x on 14ers (San Luis and Castle/Conundrum) and thinking back it also happened to me when I was 35 miles into my R2R2R in April of 2015. There is some altitude on that but nothing over 8000 ft.

I have identified a product I have used on 2 of the 3 activities listed above. It's called Perpetuem made by Hammer Nutrition. I use it often during my "lower altitude" workouts (long runs and bike rides) but just recently started taking it up into the mtns. It's a maltodextrin and protein powder I mix with water. I have never had nausea with it when running or biking.

I will not use it next 14er hike and see if it makes a difference....and I'll see the Doc too!
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by CorduroyCalves »

oldschool wrote:
aweskamp wrote:Does this happen when you run or bike at lower elevations?
No.....this doesn't happen at all at "lower" elevations. It has happened the last 2x on 14ers (San Luis and Castle/Conundrum) and thinking back it also happened to me when I was 35 miles into my R2R2R in April of 2015. There is some altitude on that but nothing over 8000 ft.

I have identified a product I have used on 2 of the 3 activities listed above. It's called Perpetuem made by Hammer Nutrition. I use it often during my "lower altitude" workouts (long runs and bike rides) but just recently started taking it up into the mtns. It's a maltodextrin and protein powder I mix with water. I have never had nausea with it when running or biking.

I will not use it next 14er hike and see if it makes a difference....and I'll see the Doc too!
Do you know from where the maltodextrin is derived?
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by TomPierce »

Mike,

Here's a left field idea: adult onset asthma? I'm not a doc so it's complete speculation, but my long term climbing buddy (who has since moved to Florida) was always really strong at altitude, then starting in his 50's would begin to peter out the higher we went. Really noticeable. At one point was coughing up pink stuff when we were descending from a winter climb of the Flying Dutchman a few years ago. Turns out it was asthma, he went on an inhaler, etc. and it seemed to do wonders. I didn't quiz him about nausea, so it's hard to say if that was implicated. But your doing-fine-for-years-now-this story rang a bell, made me think of my over 50 buddy. Just throwing an idea out.

As for Perpetuem, I am very familiar with that product, use it all the time for long distance (100 mile+) cycling. While the taste is not great, a bit chalky, not sure it'd produce nausea at altitude if your body handles it well lower down. But if it's a recent change, certainly a variable to explore.

Best of luck figuring this out.

-Tom
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Re: Nausea at altitude

Post by CorduroyCalves »

My boys were both asthmatic until we changed our diet. Problem solved.
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