replies:
Christine O: Since I get Migraines and have Raynaud’s, I'm always a little leary about taking things that might cause headaches and mess with my circulation. Too many hikes planned for the summer to get stuck with altitude sickness so I'll be checking into it
Steve E: I struggle with altitude sickness, and Diamox worked wonders for me on Whitney
Scott G: That's a photo of White Mountain Peak. It's a good 14er warm up for Mt Whitney.
William K: That's White Mountain in June, which makes it a good early season trip...especially this year after a dry winter.
John M: How likely is it that a Dr would Rx that for you? I've been looking into it for Whitney this year since were coming from 2 blocks from the beach in SD and only have one night to acclimate.
Scott G: I would take diamox if you haven't been to altitude before. It helps. I took it when I did MT Kilimanjaro.
April Y: John M, any dr. can prescribe Diamox however they will prescribe the recommended dosage by the manufacturer. It is WAY too much. You need to find a dr. who understands & is knowledgeable in high altitude medicine. I cannot recommend to you the dosage that works for me but it worked for me on a training hike on Mt. Dana (13k') and on my actual climb on The Grand Tetons. I suffer fm AMS horribly and it always hits me at 12k' predictably. W/Diamox, I slept and ate so well on The Tetons where everyone around me felt like crap. I have attempted Whitney 5X thru MR and wished I knew about Diamox sooner.
John M: Good to know. I just ask because I'm not to sure about marching into my Dr office and asking for it. I've heard lots of people who have been turned down by their doctors.
April Y: Diamox is a diuretic so I suppose you should be careful if you have a heart condition or have high blood pressure. I have hypertension (take meds regularly) but was careful in taking the Diamox first at sea level before going up high. It didn't affect me adversely. I will let you know a side effect that is weird but benign is random buzzy feeling in your palms, soles of your feet and ears. For me, the symptoms were isolated to one extremity, went away and then would transfer to another. It wasn't constant, came and went. Didn't effect my energy level nor hindered me physically. I have heard others experience this as well.
Nancy F: There were 4 of us who climbed Whitney a couple of years ago, and I read the Whitney blog like the Bible. Many hikers SWORE by diamox so we all had it prescribed, used it at its lowest dose a few months before we went to make sure that there were no side effects and ALL of us had NO issues with altitude on the climb...other than the normal lack of oxygen near the summit and needing to slow down more frequently. Let me add that the youngest in our group was 53. The next time I find myself attempting a hike over 12,000' I will take diamox.
William K: John, Most doctors will prescribe it...at least that the sense I get reading the Whitney boards over the years. The problem, like April said, is getting the dosing right...and it is personal (my dose regiment differs from current recommendations). This is why I tell people to search out Dr. Peter Hackett in my blog posting and not post how I take it. Hackett is the go to guy on how to dose Diamox. I only post how my personal doctor told me to take it and the results. I do not recommend this drug to anyone unless they have experienced the debilitating symptoms of AMS because the side effects can end your trip before it starts. Again, do White Mountain, see if you have problems, if you do, see your doctor. There are no short cuts.
Joseph Q: this is a great topic to talk about. I agree most docs will prescribe. I did mine by phone and his only question was how long I would be at altitude. I also took less than prescribed. Interactions with other drugs is a concern though and should be researched. Any ideas on that?
William K: Joe, That is a question for a pharmacist. I take statins and it does not have an interaction with it.
Steve C: People are beating around the bush here on the dosage. If you get a prescription and it says take 250 mg twice a day, don't do it! For hiking, half that dose should be the max, and I have seen many who say a quarter dose works for them. Diamox now comes in 125 mg tablets, and they can be cut in half for a 62.5 mg dose. That is what I would take twice a day.
Diamox was originally created and prescribed for Glaucoma, and 500 mg doses were prescribed. I've had the buzzing fingers once on the low dose, can't imagine what it would be like with that huge amount.
