high altitude and breathing issues for newcomers (Colorado Springs, Longmont: apartment, landscaping)

[Élan vital]

my hubby,daughter & I hope to relocate from the east coast to Colorado Springs by this time next year. For anyone else who moved to the area from places that were not higher altitudes; did you encounter breathing issues? If so how did you overcome it and how long does it typically take to adjust? Thanks..........we can hardly wait to settle in there and it shall be my last move.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by northernexposure

my hubby,daughter & I hope to relocate from the east coast to Colorado Springs by this time next year. For anyone else who moved to the area from places that were not higher altitudes; did you encounter breathing issues? If so how did you overcome it and how long does it typically take to adjust? Thanks..........we can hardly wait to settle in there and it shall be my last move.

Unless you have a chronic pulmonary condition (emphysema, etc.) you will not have a problem other than the minimal extra exertion experienced walking up stairs or performing other oxygen demanding activities. It is no big deal.

So the answer is no problems. Your body will make some physiological adjustments, but no problems.

And you will dig on the dry weather too.

[beam steering]

Our family relocated from sea level to the north-western slope of Pikes Peak(9,100 feet) and did not have any issues. At this altitude, your body will generate about 20% more red blood cells to accommodate the lower amount of oxygen. The acclimation period can take 6 months.

[MorningGlory]

My neighbor is a doctor and he says it takes 3 months for your body to replace all of your red blood cells with the bigger and better Colorado kind. So gradually as they die off and are replaced you breathe better.

[azuree]

One interesting thing I read recently is that panic attacks seem to have a higher frequency at altitude because shallow breathing which accompanies attacks can make it easier for someone with that tendency to feel dizzy.

[Curious in CT]

Hi,

We moved here from CT in January. Other than running out of breath climbing stairs, I've had no problems whatsoever. Our friends, however, who just visited from CT experienced headaches and a little dizziness. My friend's son got a few nosebleeds on his trip as well. And that's pretty interesting about feeling more dizzy here if you experience panic attacks. I suffer from them occassionally and I did notice that I'll just be in my car driving (cuz that's when I get them) that I do feel more panicky and dizzy here and it is due to my breathing. I would say though that it took a few months to get used to the altitude change on my body. I go biking often with no shortness of breath. Where are you moving from Dream Weaven? (did I spell that o.k.?) We love it out here. There's definitely no shortage of things to do around here, especially with kids. And the weather is awesome.....LOVE the cool storms that blow through here and the sky is amazing... I often think it's more amazing than the mountains at times.

[Maynerd]

Medically, your body might not fully aclimatize for four to six months, but you won't notice the altitude after just a couple weeks. It's really no big deal.

It's very dry, so drinking a lot of water helps (and this will help with the altitude, as well).

You might need to start paying attention to the high altitude directions on your favorite foods.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Maynerd

You might need to start paying attention to the high altitude directions on your favorite foods.

I've noticed that if you follow the directions to the letter for Papa Murphy's take and bake pizzas, they come out a little underdone.

The reason foods have these instructions is because the boiling point of water changes with altitude. As you go higher, the boiling temperature decreases.

At sea level, the boiling point of water is 212 degrees F (100 degrees C). As a general rule, the temperature decreases by 1 degree F for every 540 feet of altitude. On top of Pike's Peak, over 14,000 feet, the boiling point of water is about 187 degrees F . So food cooked at sea level is seeing 25 degrees more heat than food cooked on Pike's Peak. The lower heat means a longer cooking time is needed.

[jerrygoldsmith]

Years ago I had a collapsed lung that was not properly identified or treated due to the ineptitude of idiot small-town doctors. After heavy landscaping for a week, I went to what I refer to technically as "real" doctors and they said my lung was collapsed due to a spontaneous pnuemothorax (sp?)

as a result, I have 30% damage, permanant scarring, and a tendency to not enjoy running as much as I used to.

i moved here from Illinois, basically 200 ft above sea level. Its 6k above here. I didn't have much trouble at all, aside from climbing the stairs to my 3rd floor apartment. I was tired and felt ill on and off for about a month. But as long as I stayed hydrated and continued exercising and stayed active it wasn't too bad.

Now.... going to Rocky Mtn National Park is another story.... 9k and 12k ft above sea level and I started reeling and falling after a day. Had to cut my visit short.


Assuming you don't have something like that, you'll be fine

[Threerun]

A couple of weeks ago my family vacationed in Colorado. We have parents in Estes Park and a brother in Longmont, and we live in West Virginia (around 900 ft). We flew in on a Friday evening, hung out at our parents on Saturday and then took the kids (6 and 8) on a 8 mile hike at altitude on Sunday. No problems at all. Just keep hydrated, watch for warning signs like dizziness, nausea etc and know when to back down.

While on vacation I received a job offer in Colorado Springs and another in Canon City. Leaning towards the Colorado Springs offer, so it looks like we'll be moving there in short order. Personally, I can't wait to hike at altitude. It really is refreshing, especially when you're used to sucking wind during the hot, humid months of summer out here. There is no comparison, IMO.