Often, a dispute arises between traditionalists and the non-the-process of adapting to excessive altitudes throughout a trek.
The traditionalists argue that counting on substances like Diamox to hasten acclimatization deviates from the genuine trekking expertise. They advocate for a extra natural method, permitting the physique to adapt progressively via gradual ascension and common breaks, thereby respecting the pure acclimatization course of.
Nonetheless, those that don’t adhere strictly to a particular perception suppose that prioritizing security over doubtlessly experiencing the signs of excessive altitude illness is extra helpful. They consider taking Acetazolamide (Diamox) earlier than embarking on a high-altitude trek would enhance their chance of a profitable journey. Because of this, they start taking Diamox earlier than beginning their trek.
To find out the suitable plan of action, let’s first take a second to contemplate the fundamentals of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).
At greater elevations, the air strain decreases, leading to much less oxygen being delivered to the bloodstream with every breath. To compensate, the physique should work more durable to acquire oxygen, which ends up in elevated respiration and longer breaths. This impact is magnified when climbing uphill, inflicting the physique to provide extra carbon dioxide as a byproduct of the elevated respiratory charge.
As you ascend to greater elevations, your physique adapts naturally to the lower in oxygen ranges by creating a “zone of tolerance,” the place it will possibly perform usually regardless of the decrease oxygen ranges. This zone shifts upward as your physique acclimates to the upper altitudes. Nonetheless, if the buildup of carbon dioxide exceeds your tolerance zone, your physique will react, resulting in Acute Mountain Illness (AMS) or excessive altitude illness.
Indicators of Acute Mountain Illness (AMS) embrace feeling sick, vertigo, exhaustion, and issue respiratory.
It’s puzzling when hikers at 11,000 ft categorical complaints of complications whereas others of their neighborhood dismiss it as a typical prevalence. Nonetheless, it’s not typical to expertise a headache at excessive altitude. In the event you’re experiencing a headache, strive consuming a liter of water, taking a Disprin, and observing for an hour. Dehydration is a typical explanation for complications, and this routine may also help alleviate it. In case your headache persists after an hour, it’s possible an indication of Acute Mountain Illness (AMS). On this case, descend to a decrease altitude the place you final felt properly.
This leads me to the subject of using Acetaziamox) for aiding in acclimatization and safeguarding in opposition to the prevalence of excessive altitude illness.
Selecting between utilizing Diamox or not shouldn’t be the first concern for a trekker. As a substitute, the important thing components to contemplate are the size of the trek and the quantity of altitude achieve. For a 6-day trek that reaches excessive altitudes (over 14,000 ft), beginning a course of Diamox earlier than the trek is really useful to assist your physique acclimatize, because the brief period doesn’t enable for enough acclimatization. Nonetheless, for an extended trek of 12-14 days, your physique has sufficient time to regulate to the altitude, making Diamox pointless for acclimatization.
In an effort to alter to excessive altitudes (above 10,000 ft), giving your physique 24-48 hours to acclimate is often really useful. Nonetheless, in fashionable trekking, we frequently shouldn’t have the posh of this time. Sometimes, we arrive at a camp round 2 pm after which transfer to the subsequent greater camp early the subsequent morning, leaving us with lower than 16-18 hours to acclimate. Sadly, that is usually inadequate and may make trekkers extra inclined to AMS (Acute Mountain Illness).
In case your trek is proscribed in time and doesn’t allow you to spend greater than 24 hours at a excessive altitude, it will be advisable to take Diamox as a precautionary measure.
Ceaselessly, I obtain cellphone calls from hikers who declare to have accomplished quite a few high-altitude treks while not having to make use of Diamox. I’m perplexed by this reasoning. AMS can have an effect on anybody, no matter age, gender, bodily health, or prior expertise with excessive altitudes. It’s attainable to develop AMS on any trek, and it will be unlucky to desert a trek just because one didn’t take this primary precaution.
