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[pct-l] Mt. Whitney
Diamox is a strong diuretic, while at the same time it acts on CO2
metabolism. Who knows, really, but it sounds like the docs were right on
target. I'm thankful the stuff works for me.
Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija
"Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached the top.
Then you will see how low it was." Dag Hammarskjold
----- Original Message -----
From: "dude" <dude@fastmail.ca>
To: <teamcourage@attbi.com>
Cc: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 2:19 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Mt. Whitney
| to be honest, I am not sure. she seemed to be very concerned about
| her diet. I am not sure how severe her Diabetis was either. She had
| to inject insulin, I know that.
|
| I know that she ended up depleating her potassium/electrolytes and
| her condition was called "hypokalemia". I asked a few doctors about
| diabetis, Diamox, and hypokalemia and several of them said that it
| made sense that she would have been hypokalemic due to the
| Diamox/Diabetis combo.
|
| peace!
| dude
|
|
|
|
| > how much was from the altuatde and how much was from her not
| > eating right. I have had plenty of disbteics take it with no
| > problim. Nothing in my high altutde back country emergency tech
| > books say a word about it.
| >
| > dude wrote:
| >
| >> This all sound slike good advice, but I have one thing to add:
| >>
| >> ****DO NOT take any medicine on the mountain that you have not
| >> previously taken at home with no ill side effects!!*****
| >>
| >> I once took a diabetic woman up whitney who was feeling the
| >> effects of altitude and decide dto "borrow" some Diamox from a
| >> fellow climber. Everyone has heard of Diamox and how it is
| >> suppose dto help with altitude sickness, so she figured "yeah!
| >> that's what I need. I will fell better in no time and be ready
| >> to race up the mountain!"
| >>
| >> WRONG! It turned out that diabetics cannot take Diamox and she
| >> almost died on the mountain! Her blood sugar went down to 19
| >> (normal is like 80-120) and she passed out 17 times on the way
| >> down the trail. When she got to the hospital in Lone Pine, she
| >> needed 2 liters of intraveinous saline solution to bring her back
| >> from severe dehydration. She is really lucky to be alive. I
| >> tell doctors that story and they are amazed that she was
| >> conscious with a blood sugar level of 19.
| >>
| >> this story is not meant to scare you or anyone who wants to climb
| >> Whitney or any other mountain. Its just meant to prove a point:
| >> don't take medicine that you are not familiar with on the
| >> mountain. It doesnt matter if its Tylenol, Tums, Imodium, or
| >> Sucrets. You never know if you will be the 1 in 10 million
| >> people who will be allergic to it and you do not want to find out
| >> at 14,000 ft and 10 hours from a hospital.
| >>
| >>
| >> godo luck.
| >>
| >> peace!
| >> dude
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >>
| >>> You most likely will acclimate quite quickly to "altitudes
| >>> above, say, 9,000' "..
| >>> and since you are not going to have an extended stay above
| >>> 10,000 feet there is naught to worry about for 99% of the people
| >>> who go there...any symptoms of high altitude sickness (which you
| >>> should read up on FYI) will not occur, typically, in the few
| >>> hours you are at alttitude. Appetite changes usually take 4-5
| >>> days AT ALTITUDE to occur and you will be totally hungary for
| >>> the mere day you are there...
| >>>
| >>> Please do not be fearful of the negative implicaitons of those
| >>> comments as they truely don't pertain to someone hiking to the
| >>> top of Whitney and going back down in a few hours or so...most
| >>> sicknesses need several days for most people to occur (at
| >>> altitude above 10,000- 12,000) feet and at most if you stay
| >>> overnight @ the high camp (about 12,000) feet you will feel
| >>> short of breath, a little nausa perhaps but that is about it...
| >>> I have spent entire summers above 10,000 and after a few days
| >>> most people acclimate very easily. For 4 days just take what you
| >>> like to eat, is easy to prepare as per my other post, and is not
| >>> too heavy. But,additionally, most of your weight will be carried
| >>> to trail camp and u leave your tent and heavy bag there.
| >>>
| >>> Most people fare well..if you feel a lot of gurgling in your
| >>> chest or extreme lightheaded,severe headachey, drink several
| >>> liters of water..at leaast 2,
| >>> and wait 20-30 minutes. Maybe take 2-3 aspirin. If those
| >>> symptoms worsen head down to lower altitude
| >>> just about immediately...the symptoms will magically dissapear
| >>> around 8000-9000 feet in an hour. U can then rest there for a
| >>> day and try again, stopping
| >>> for half a day at 10,500 and proceed leisurely up to 12000 and
| >>> camp; then the summit the next day.
| >>>
| >>> As far as winds and delta temps, dont worry...during Aug it is
| >>> very very much late spring/ early summer above 9000', in 25
| >>> years of hanging around Whitney area it does not fluctuate that
| >>> much in Aug...but be prepared for 40's F.
| >>> You have more to worry about with the bears at the Portal than
| >>> alititude loss of appetite, or wind or whatever!
| >>>
| >>> Check out my web site for a great pic (IMHO)
| >>> http://www.infolane.com/calliger
| >>>
| >>> If you want to discuss it more, I am considered somewhat of an
| >>> expert after several months of mountaineering schools and 25+
| >>> years of accident/event free mountaineering of quite a few peaks
| >>> (although I did fracture my foot in my driveway at home!!)
| >>> in the ice..but that don't count!!... please write me off-line.
| >>>
| >>>
| >>> Richard
| >>>
| >>> Ps-
| >>>
| >>> There are bold mountaineers, and there are old mountaineers.
| >>>
| >>> There are few,if any, old, bold mountaineers.
| >>>
| >>> PPS-
| >>>
| >>> An expert is defined as one who knows his and others limitations
| >>> and usually exceeds them-- cautiously!1 <smile>...
| >>>
| >>>
| >>>
| >>>
| >>>
| >>> At 10:02 AM 6/2/03 -0700, Christine Kudija wrote:
| >>>
| >>>
| >>>> Jane,
| >>>>
| >>>> A couple of questions for you: (1) are you accustomed to
| >>>> altitudes above, say, 9,000'/~3000m? Appetite changes at
| >>>> elevation, especially if going to high elevations is not
| >>>> something you usually do. (2) are you accustomed to an
| >>>> alpine environment, where temperatures and winds can fluctuate
| >>>> substantially, depending on where you are on the mountain?
| >>>>
| >>>> I'll have some suggestions after you reply....also, are you
| >>>> asking only about food, or about gear as well?
| >>>>
| >>>> Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija
| >>>>
| >>>> "Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached
| >>>> the top. Then you will see how low it was." Dag Hammarskjold
| >>>>
| >>>> ----- Original Message -----
| >>>> From: "Jane E Overton" <jeoverton@sbcglobal.net>
| >>>> To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
| >>>> Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2003 11:52 AM
| >>>> Subject: [pct-l] Mt. Whitney
| >>>>
| >>>>
| >>>> | I am climbing Mt. Whitney in August (permit in hand). I have
| >>>> a number of books, but not one has a sensible list of supples
| >>>> for the climb. Does anyone have a link, where I could hust get
| >>>> the grocery list fot a four day hike. I am not a picky eater.
| >>>> | _______________________________________________
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| >>>>
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| >>>>
| >>>>
| >>>>
| >>>>
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| >>>
| >>
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