Any shortcuts to acclimating?

Prerylyon

Prerylyon

Veteran member
Apr 25, 2016
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Cedar Rapids, IA
I'm 5' 11, 44 yrs old, 220#.

About 5 yrs ago, I decided I wanted to be healthier. At that time I weighed about 300#, and had been that heavy since my late 20s.

I radically changed my diet and started some modest excercise. Over time, about a year into it, I settled to where I am now. Friends and relatives asked me what diet I used, and the conclusion reached was "a poor man's paleo diet".

I really cut back on portion sizes and simple carbs; eat mostly meat, cheese, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts. Cut back on pop big time. Drink black coffee and tea. Still do beer as a treat and enjoy a glass or two of wine with a few meals/week. Seem like I can eat as much meat and veggies as I want and stay at 220#. So far, no cholesterol issues.

Doc would like me to lose more and I would too-200# is a goal, but between work and 7 kids, getting a workout in regularly is a challenge.

Regards,

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hskrhntr

hskrhntr

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Aug 8, 2014
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Good work! That's impressive. Glad it has worked so well for you. Its amazing what diet can do.

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DanPickar

DanPickar

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Mar 4, 2014
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About the only thing you can do is take medication. Diamox and Cialis is best. I recently went to Tajikistan and was hunting at 14k-16k ft and ended up with HAPE. I live at 4600 ft here in WY and hike the mountains all fall. I am in great cardiovascular shape, which was my weakness because my RBC were not carrying enough oxygen molecules to my cells. Hence why my organs starting shutting down, specifically my lungs. After talking to a pulmonary specialist, my take away is...the better cardiovascular shape you are in the worse off you will be. Wild huh! Back to Cialis. Given it dilates your capillaries, it gives your body and organs to absorb more oxygen and this is ultimately how I beat HAPE without coming down below 9000'. If you guys want any more details or have questions about high altitude prep, feel free to PM me.
 
DanPickar

DanPickar

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Mar 4, 2014
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Wyoming
Slugz said:
Dan do you know what your O2 percentage was?
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No I don't, probably pretty low. I probably could have prepared better with eating more red meat and more iron in general but I had about 3 guys tell me I wouldn't have a problem running around at 15k since I'm used to running around at 10k. Wrong!
 
Slugz

Slugz

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Oct 12, 2014
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DanPickar said:
No I don't, probably pretty low. I probably could have prepared better with eating more red meat and more iron in general but I had about 3 guys tell me I wouldn't have a problem running around at 15k since I'm used to running around at 10k. Wrong!
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Roger. I ask cause when I was at the Dr the other day and they put that Pulse Ox deal on my finger my brain started to run.......was thinking it would be near to have one in the pack just to see at different levels/alt what it is actually........and to see just how step up works to altitude in relation to O2 percentage over time.
 
L

LaHunter

Active Member
Aug 24, 2012
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N.E. LA
DanPickar said:
About the only thing you can do is take medication. Diamox and Cialis is best. I recently went to Tajikistan and was hunting at 14k-16k ft and ended up with HAPE. I live at 4600 ft here in WY and hike the mountains all fall. I am in great cardiovascular shape, which was my weakness because my RBC were not carrying enough oxygen molecules to my cells. Hence why my organs starting shutting down, specifically my lungs. After talking to a pulmonary specialist, my take away is...the better cardiovascular shape you are in the worse off you will be. Wild huh! Back to Cialis. Given it dilates your capillaries, it gives your body and organs to absorb more oxygen and this is ultimately how I beat HAPE without coming down below 9000'. If you guys want any more details or have questions about high altitude prep, feel free to PM me.
Click to expand...
I'm not following your statement about being in good cardio condition was your weakness leading to you having HAPE (high altitude pulmonary edema?). Being in good cardio condition and living and training at high altitude should result in you having higher RBC count.
 
DanPickar

DanPickar

Active Member
Mar 4, 2014
294
104
Wyoming
LaHunter said:
I'm not following your statement about being in good cardio condition was your weakness leading to you having HAPE (high altitude pulmonary edema?). Being in good cardio condition and living and training at high altitude should result in you having higher RBC count.
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Being in good cardiovascular condition (at 4000 ft) means that your body and organs don't need as much oxygen to function 100% perfectly. So I have lower levels of O2 molecules attaching to my RBC compared to those who are out of shape. Someone who is out of shape, has lungs and a heart that have to work harder than mine to function 100%, so they need more O2. I also have low blood pressure.

So, for me, when I went from 6k to 12k ft by vehicle in a matter of a few hours, my body wasn't acclimated and I already have low amounts of O2 attaching to my RBC, so altitude sickness hit me first and the hardest. A gentlemen on the same hunt was from California and lives at 600 ft. He was out of shape and has high blood pressure, but never even was affected by the altitude. He didn't take one pill.

Also, before going up in elevation, get your irons levels up. Eat high iron foods (liver) and that will help a lot. All this info was from a pulmonary doctor, hope this helps.
 
mntnguide

mntnguide

Very Active Member
Feb 21, 2011
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The mountains of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming
What Dan says is pretty spot on.. back in 07' I hiked to base came of Everest with 2 friends. All of us born and raised in central Idaho mountains above 6k and all in great shape. one friend who is taller and far leaner than myself and his brother came down with altitude sickness at just over 13k one day. Luckily we were in the only village with a British staffed medic building put there specifically for altitude sickness issues. He had to go down in altitude for a few days and take medicine. But he ended up joining us at base camp at 19k few days later and was fine. His body just didn't adjust like mine. I've seen numerous beginning cases of altitude sickness through my years of guiding hunters and pack trips. Different people react to altitude differently no matter physical fitness.

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ScottR

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
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Feb 3, 2014
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Altitude sickness is one of the craziest things out there. I brought an accomplished backpacker with me this fall on my elk hunt. Two weeks prior he had been above 11k on a week long adventure in the same set of mountains. Our overnighter ate his lunch for no apparent reason with the altitude.
 
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