Altitude Sickness Ended my hike

[wornoutboots]

I just returned from my most amazing hike to date!! The JMT is Surreal!! Everyday on this hike the Mind Blowing Scenery gets better & better. I successfully completed 140 miles then bailed across Bishop Pass as heavy smoke choked out the valley from several nearby forest fires. I bailed for 2 reasons, #1 near panic attacks while sleeping above 10,500-11,000. I couldn't catch my breath at Wanda lake my last night & had to pack up & hike out to get below 10.500 at midnight on my last night. #2 a swollen left ankle. Next time I will see my doctor for altitude sickness before I leave & educate myself on breathing techniques (which unfortunately you can't do while sleeping which is the only time I had issues). A lot of people I hiked with were taking altitude medication. I did all that I knew before starting the hike, stayed at Tuolumne Meadows & hiked around 8000 for 2 days before my hike, moved over to the Valley & hiked up Vernal & Nevada Falls, then back down the JMT to Happy Isles. But nothing prepares you for sleeping above 10,000-12,000 feet. I've since learned its a good plan to take nero days & hang out above 11000+ feet for 6+ hours several times throughout the hike as you work your way towards Whitney. This was an Amazing Hike & I encourage everyone to attempt it & can't wait to go back! Any helpful information or comments are appreciated!!

[RCBear]

That's such a beautiful trail. I can't wait to do it soon. 6 of us day hiked Whitney a few years ago and half had to drop out by the time we hit the switch backs. One had fine several 14ers and never had a problem before. I think it doesn't discriminate. We didn't acclimatize so that didn't help matters. I came all the way from Florida so I was hell bent on not turning back.

Are you going to post pics of the journey?

[Drybones]

It's interesting how altitude affects some and not others. From what I've read it may be the only advantage of being older, seems to affect old folks less. Fortunately, I've never had a problem either when younger or not quite as young. I'm thinking the JMT for me when I've completed the AT. I did a week hike in the Weminuche wilderness and you do get some good views out west.

[Malto]

Love to hear the excitement about my favorite place on earth, the high Sierra. Here is the cool part to look for award to..... The southern part of trail is as cool as the Last 30 miles that you hiked. On your next trip you will be primarily in the eastern Sierra. I would recommend looking at spending a couple nights up at the 8000'-9000' range prior to trip to assist with elevation issues. The Kearsarge Pass area, Onion Valley is one option. There are others further near Bishop.

[Hot Flash]

Altitude sickness is a strange beast. I've never experienced it, even when living at near sea level and climbing 14ers the same day I arrived for the climbs. Then again, I have a friend who starts getting sick at 8-9k feet every single time.

[Train Wreck]

Four of us (2 couples) did the North Lake - South Lake loop nearly 20 years ago. Our ages ranging from mid-30's to mid-40's.We did the same thing to try to acclimate - went and spent a couple days in Kings Canyon & camped at Yosemite but I don't know how much that helped. The two guys had similar problems with shortness of breath, waking up feeling like they were smothering, etc. Plus reporting weird dreams and generally restless nights. They seemed to start getting symptoms at 9000 ft. The women didn't have any problem. Our trip was only 5 nights/6 days and we only had one night as low as 7000. I don't think there's any way to predict who will/who won't have a problem.

[Dogwood]

I don't think you had Altitude Sickness! I think it more accurate to say you had a hard time adjusting to the altitude mentally, emotionally, and physically and didn't experience what's medically defined as AS. What I'm saying is that it sounds like you had some shortness of breath and got panicked when lying down which sometimes increases that sense of suffocation. Just my guess, taking into consideration with what you shared, but if you had been able to control the panic you would have been able to sleep and possibly have continued on, discounting the ankle issue. Fires also consume oxygen and the particulates(soot, ash, etc) emitted in the process can make it harder to breathe too.

That hike you did from HI up the JMT and out through Bishop Pass is phenomenal in its own right though! It's also a good place to leave off if and when you decide to get back to the Sierras to finish up the southern half of the JMT. Your next JMT hike(the remainder) can entail la more lets take a better looksie around approach too. Do you now understand why I tell those who aren't familiar with the Sierras and on their JMT thru-hikes not to rush? It's like having AWESOME sex. Why rush a GREAT thing?

[Dogwood]

What might help, along with the breathing and relaxation techniques, is taking a med such as Diamox that helps with increasing greater oxygen absorption and usage. I've only taken prescription altitude meds twice(Diamox). I've only been up to 18 k though. Instead, I take a small bottle of a liquid that's called CellFood when doing summits and sometimes on long distance higher elev. hikes(CDT, CT, etc.). I think it helps. I also take several supplements including herbs, although not specifically for AS, that help increase my circulation(Ginko biloba, ginseng, ginger, Nattokinease, etc). For me it's about combining these techniques with super saturating my blood with oxygen and then making sure I'm metabolizing efficiently and maximizing respiration. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and sedatives(This recommendation is listed in my second link). Although silly sounding to some, breathing techniques that teach how to take full oxygenating but relaxing breathes can surely help. Yoga classes and the one breathing class I took helped me a lot. I thought it was so hoity toity taking that breathing class that I almost didn't take it. I ignorantly initially thought who the heck needs a breathing class? That's New Age BS. I did! I also learned about proper breathing techniques in martial arts classes. Better breathing helped me in several ways with hiking/mountaineering and with other anaerobic activities.

And, of course, you should check info on how to prevent or minimize the possibility of AS(Acute Mountain Sickness(AMS)).

http://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Altitude-Sickness

http://www.ehow.com/how_2048407_avoid-altitude-sickness.html

Check out several websites about AS or AMS because not all have the same preventive info.

[modiyooch]

My experience with high altitudes is a migraine that won't quit. As soon as I come down to a lower elevation it quits. I'm bummed. Would this be considered AS? Advice?

[wornoutboots]

I don't think you had Altitude Sickness! I think it more accurate to say you had a hard time adjusting to the altitude mentally, emotionally, and physically and didn't experience what's medically defined as AS. What I'm saying is that it sounds like you had some shortness of breath and got panicked when lying down which sometimes increases that sense of suffocation. Just my guess, taking into consideration with what you shared, but if you had been able to control the panic you would have been able to sleep and possibly have continued on, discounting the ankle issue.

I Think you nailed it Dogwood. It got into my head & I was consumed about how I would get past laying down & sleeping each night. What is "AS" & how can I educate myself & strengthen my mind to conquer it??

[wornoutboots]

http://wikitravel.org/en/Altitude_sickness

[wornoutboots]

The strange thing is as I opened up & talked to several people I was hiking with, I found out that many of them had suffered the same type of near "Panic Attacks" in the past that I had when they 1st hiked @ 8000 & above

[wornoutboots]

I Think you nailed it Dogwood. It got into my head & I was consumed about how I would get past laying down & sleeping each night. What is "AS" & how can I educate myself & strengthen my mind to conquer it??

Sorry I didn't mean to ask what is AS Altitude Sickness...... You nailed it when you said I got panicked when I was laying down & it increased the sense of suffocation. Any advise on how to conquer or work through this would be great!!

[Dogwood]

I'm no expert on AS. I could be totally wrong. But here's why I said what I said 1) 2 nights at TM at around 8600 ft. 2) already on trail several additional nights. Although it would be nice to know at what elevs you slept at the two previous nights from Wanda Lake. It's my guess you already were acclimated to say around 11-12 k, which is what I think Wanda Lakes elev is at(around 11,500 K). And, even if you were experiencing AS it sounds like it wasn't resulting in extreme symptoms. There are different degrees of AS too. I think you got spooked by that feeling of suffocation which, as anyone knows, can spook anyone. Look at that link you posted. Glance at those Period Breathing/Cheyne Stokes sub headings. I think that's what you probably experienced. It takes some getting used to this type of breathing. I know it took time for me to get used to it. Whether I'm right or not you took steps to alleviate your discomfort. That's not the worst thing you can do in the situation you experienced.

[Another Kevin]

High Altitude Periodic Breathing - one of the milder symptoms of altitude sickness - indeed can and does cause panic attacks, and it does get worse during sleep.

For some people, acetazolamide (Diamox) does help. For others, there's nothing but for it but making sure that you don't raise your sleeping elevation more than about 1000 feet a night.

[Dogwood]

That pic with the altitude warning sign in the link is either at Rocky Mt NP and/or Bishop Pass. I know I've hiked past it.

[colorado_rob]

I just returned from my most amazing hike to date!! The JMT is Surreal!! Everyday on this hike the Mind Blowing Scenery gets better & better. I successfully completed 140 miles then bailed across Bishop Pass as heavy smoke choked out the valley from several nearby forest fires. I bailed for 2 reasons, #1 near panic attacks while sleeping above 10,500-11,000. I couldn't catch my breath at Wanda lake my last night & had to pack up & hike out to get below 10.500 at midnight on my last night. #2 a swollen left ankle. Next time I will see my doctor for altitude sickness before I leave & educate myself on breathing techniques (which unfortunately you can't do while sleeping which is the only time I had issues). A lot of people I hiked with were taking altitude medication. I did all that I knew before starting the hike, stayed at Tuolumne Meadows & hiked around 8000 for 2 days before my hike, moved over to the Valley & hiked up Vernal & Nevada Falls, then back down the JMT to Happy Isles. But nothing prepares you for sleeping above 10,000-12,000 feet. I've since learned its a good plan to take nero days & hang out above 11000+ feet for 6+ hours several times throughout the hike as you work your way towards Whitney. This was an Amazing Hike & I encourage everyone to attempt it & can't wait to go back! Any helpful information or comments are appreciated!!

Sounds like a clear-cut case of Cheyne Stokes breathing arythmea, which I sometimes get when I sleep high w/o acclimating, and it sure sucks and feels like "panic attacks". Basically, right when you fall asleep, because your body's PH balance is out of whack (from the altitude), the trigger to breathe doesn't work quite right, so you don't breathe until finally enough CO2 builds up to trigger, and you gasp for air, which wakes you up in a "panic". Repeat, over and over. Horrible! I've been there many times.

Diamox, in small doses (60 or at most 125mg before bed) does wonders to smooth this out (allows the body to balance PH). Doesn't sound like you had "altitude sickness" if while sleeping is the only time you had issues (your words).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheyne-Stokes_respiration

Yes, the JMT is the single most beautiful trail I've ever hiked, and I've hike a lot of trails (including a lot of the AT). Go back and finish up! The southern half is even better IMHO. Just get the diamox thing working for you, but try it at home first to make sure you don't have any reactions.

[wornoutboots]

Yeah it was only when I laid down in my tent, that I would start getting a very uneasy feeling of suffocation. I slept at Upper Cathedral Lake 9603, Lyell Forks 9657, Garnet Lake 9686, Deer Creek 9114, Squaw Lake 10,296, Marie Lake 10,551 San Joaquin Rive 8486, all fine, but then I got to N Wanda 11,413, slept for a few hours, woke up in a panic state & packed up & hiked over Muir Pass & down to 10,200 where I slept good. Also on my 1st night in CA at the Mammoth Lakes hotel, I slept with the window opened & notice I was grasping for air even then??

[quasarr]

Don't forget to stay hydrated! The air is so dry at high elevations, you need to drink more than you normally would. Dehydration makes your altitude symptoms worse.

[Drybones]

My son and better half flew into Peru to do an eight day backpacking hike in the Andes. They both were skydiving every weekend and you'd think somewhat acclimated to high altitudes. I believe the town they flew in to was above 12,000 ft. They checked into the hotel and she passed out, fell, and broke her nose, the medication they gave her cured it quickly and they continued with the hike and had a great trip.