# Acetazolamide and Dexamethasone



## brendodendo (Jul 18, 2004)

Drugs like that are risky. So is altitude sickness. When comming up in elevation...try these instead. 24 hours of limited activity (if possible). Assuming you arrive at DIA and rent a car and drive into the hills you should have 16 to 20 hours before you are active.
NO ALCOHOL for the first night, and limited on the 2nd.
Lots of water. Drink, drink, drink.
Advil or asprin: take 2 every 8 to 10 hours. start as you get on the plane (it thins the blood and allows it to move oxegen around the body more easily.
Benadryl: 1 pill, 1 hour before bed will make sure you get GOOD sleep
More H2O


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## liquidchaos (Jul 11, 2005)

Are they just to come up to Co and go skiing? If so you dont need either of them. I dabbled with both for climbs above 20,000' and they didnt really help then. if your coming up, be in shape, drink water and dont party too hard, but that said altitude affects each person diffrently, each time, so you might get screwed, but most likely will be fine. oh, and dont huck on your first run!


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## powdahound76 (Jul 20, 2006)

*Drugs for AMS*

Using drugs like these to speed up your body's adjustment or worse, hide the symptoms of AMS is a horrible idea. From sea level to anywhere in CO (or the lower 48) you should not take these. As previously stated, lots of water and zero alchohol intake will help a lot. Diamox (acetazolamide) is only available by prescription as far as I know. Dexamethasone (or any steroid) should only ever be used as an emergent drug or if nothing else works (IE: descend, extra oxygen, etc..). Glucocorticoids wreak havoc on your body's normal system of checks and balances if taken by someone who is not very, very ill and would most likely make you feel worse than just a little mountain sickness. Remember, no powder is worth getting very ill from Acute Mountain Sickness.


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## fet123 (Aug 27, 2006)

Thanks for the advice, well yeah I decided to take the first day of that way we reduce the chances of things going wrong, plus i dint know that the Vail pass is good for keystone at night, that right there will save me some money, thats always a good thing. I got out of the family reunion crap so that gives me 3rd day of ski thats nice too. well thanks again.


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## stubby (Oct 13, 2003)

a good alternative is loading up on garlic. a bunch of studies have shown that it has serious good effects on preventing minor altitude sickness. Take the tablet form though, not just eating cloves of it...everyone else will thank you. 

On another note I met some guys that swore by a couple of baby aspirin two times the day before heading up and then twice the day they went up. That was for quick trips to peaks around 14 or so. I've tried it and had pretty good luck and I used to always suffer from huge headaches despite liberal use of water and good food. 

Anyway, my two cents.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

fet123, your are one crazy mother. I've never seen someone do so much research for a ski trip. Do you have all your runs for the day mapped out? Specific routes based on snow conditions, run openings/closures, wind conditions, lighting? I expect to see a full report after your trip.

My advice is skip the drugs and start running, biking, swimming, playing basketball, whatever with increasing intensity to increase your body's ability to process oxygen. If your body is well conditioned, you stay hydrated while you're here and get some sleep chances are plenty good you'll dodge the altitude sickness.


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## WhiteLightning (Apr 21, 2004)

Use Marlboro Reds to expand lung capacity I read somewhere...


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## Steve Kahn (Apr 17, 2004)

yeah, this is weird.

i don't know the stats, but lots and lots and lots of people come here to ski from all over the country. 

i think you're too conerned with alt. sickness.

don't worry so much - you'll have more fun.

if you really want to worry, look at weather patterns and hope that you get good (recent) snow. that's what you should be thinking about.

S


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## tuberslickmysweatyballs (Sep 24, 2005)

yeah, dex is some serious shit, dude and is used AFTER the shit is hitting the fan with HAPE or HACE. It's not a casual preventitive. 

I'd skip the drugs. Not worth messing with for a couple days of skiing. AS stated before, keep hydrated and eating and if you start feeling like shit then take it easy and relax back in town.

Google "pressure breathing" too. It's the most effective thing you can do to get rid of AMS type symptoms. Some people think it's BS but they are clueless wanks who don't know how to do it properly.


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## fet123 (Aug 27, 2006)

Steve Kahn said:


> yeah, this is weird.
> 
> i don't know the stats, but lots and lots and lots of people come here to ski from all over the country.
> 
> ...



Trust me I wont be so concerned if in everywhere I post I get warned about it, I could care less about it, but I don't want it to be the problem of the trip, just trying to stay clear.

Oh about the runs, nah I think thats the one thing I haven't done, loll, and i don't plan doing thats as it goes, but yeah i know its funny, I plan my trips to much sometimes I think a little to much and then it can be a real disappointment if it dosent come close to what I imagined, but the problem is that is my nature I cant control it. But once again thanks for the help, yeah I am going to skip the drugs, I not to crazy about them any way.

Thanks a lot guys, this is probably the best forum out there. Thanks for the patience.


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