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Joined: Dec 2002
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ACUTE MOUNTAIN SICKNESS
Symptoms (score):
Headache (1)
Nausea or loss of appetite (1)
Insomnia (1)
Dizziness (1)
Headache that remains after aspirin (2)
Vomiting (2)
Difficult breathing at rest (3)
Abnormal or intense fatigue (3)
Decreased urination (3)
Total score:
1 to 3, light AMS. Take aspirin.
4 to 6, moderate AMS. Take aspirin, rest, and do not ascend.
> 6, acute AMS. DESCEND, DESCEND, DESCEND
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This list was handed out by the leader on an expedition to Gasherbrum II a few years ago. I don’t know who put it together.
The only comment I have is to suggest ibuprofen instead of aspirin in the table. In a 2001 paper in the New England Journal of Medicine by Peter Hackett and Robert Roach, studies are cited showing that aspirin is good for preventing the headaches of AMS, but ibuprofen (a single 400 or 600 mg dose) is effective for treating them.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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Bob,
Has anything you have read on the subject mention Sudafed? I have found it helps relieve the pressure behind eyes with slight cases of AMS along with 600 to 800 mg. of Ibuprofen, in my pre-Diamox days.
I'm not a doctor and do not pretend to be one on this website. Use this regiment at your own peril.
Bill
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Bob,
I've seen this published somewhere. If the "light goes on" and I remeber where, I'll let you know.
Bill,
Along those same lines, I've climbed a couple of times while I had the symtoms of a cold/flu and felt that the effects of altitude were reduced after taking an over-the-counter cold/flu medication.
Again, nothing scientific that I know about, just wondering.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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I like this listing and the only thing I would change is Vomiting to a (6). Reason why; first off if you Vomit your body is trying to tell you something (Something is not right, turn back) and second you loss all of your fluids when you vomit and end up being dehydrated (not good any where).
Two years ago when I summited one of my friends who was hiking with me started to not feel good right before Trail Camp. We stopped to rest to see if that would help. Well right when he was starting to feel better and we thought we could press on he Vomited. As the leader of the group I sent him back down the hill with another friend that was turning around because he was not in shape enough to make it to the top. As soon as he started descending he felt much better and they both made it down the mountain safely. The only symptoms that my friend showed on the trip were first Nausea and then Vomiting, which according to this scale he could continue on, but I disagree with that.
Drugs:
Aspirin - Thins the blood and allows more oxygen to the brain.
Tylenol - Nerve blocker.
Ibuprofen - Muscle relaxer and reduces swelling.
Knowing this my trick to avoid AMS is to take an Aspirin and an Ibuprofen in the morning before I start hiking and then one of each mid-day. This helps me but each person is different and should address their own situation accordingly.
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trekking tim, does it help to take the aspirin and ibuprofen only if u need it later, or is it sort of too late at that time?
also, i think Ginkgo is a blood thinner and allows more oxygen to go the brain and that's why people take it before going up. i've been taking 1 mth 1/2 or so, now. i think it seems to help-at least i noticed a difference my last high altitude hike-my husband did, too, although he hasn't been taking it as consistently. part of it, i'm sure, it that we're getting acclimmated, but i guess it can't hurt to keep taking it.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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I take it to prevent the symptoms not to eleminate them. Although I have read and heard that if you start to get the symptoms this will help but then again you will have to wait for the drugs to kick in.
I don't know much about Ginkgo so I can't help you there. Best of luck on your hike and I hope you can avoid AMS.
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One should exercise care in taking any over-the-counter med to aleviate AMS symptoms because of the risk of "masking" a serious problem. My $0.02 and I ain't no licensed doc, but as ski patroller I've seen AMS go from bad to near critical in a very short period of time.
I've found greatest success in avoiding AMS symptoms by keeping myself hydrated (day before a climb I drink a ton of water and avoid diuretics like coffee). A slow pace helps too.
Safe hiking/climbing to all.
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Bob R,
The scale that you listed is a modification (incomplete listing) of the Lake Louise AMS Self-Assessment Scale. The actual scale is made up of 5 categories (headache, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue/weakness, dizziness/lightheadedness, and difficulty sleeping). Each category is rated from 0 (none at all) to 3 (severe/incapacitating). Technically, AMS is defined as a headache plus at least one of the other symptoms. Obviously, the higher the score, the more severe the situation.
I am a researcher (PhD in exercise physiology) studying the various variables that contribute to AMS (rate of ascent, previous altitude exposure, etc.). I, along with some colleagues from CSU-Sacramento, will actually be collecting AMS data on Mt. Whitney during the second week of August. If you are on the summit during that time, I hope you will participate in our data collection. Thanks to the forest service for allowing us to collect data and The American Alpine Club and Mazamas for funding this study.
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