Health issues due to high altitude (Denver, Colorado Springs: high school, allergies, living)

[Lupulin]

Originally Posted by lildreamer

Lupulin thanks for all the info. You know your stuff. Does it mostly affect people when they first arrive? I guess what I am asking will our heart always work harder even after being acclimated? We can live long and healthy lives here if we begin that way right?

Altitude affects everyone differently. There are some things you can do to help prevent altitude sickness (gain elevation slowly, drink lots of water, abstain from alcohol, eat small meals often, don't overexert yourself, sleep low/climb high, yada yada), but some of it is biological (similar to how some people get sea sick and some people don't).

Getting a heart scan to see if there's any blockage or narrow areas would be a great idea. For $400 you can get an EBT heart scan at places like this: www.frontrangepreventiveimaging.com

I'm not a doctor, but from the books/articles I've read on altitude sickness, once you become fully acclimated, I don't think your heart works any "harder" here vs. sea level.

Being fully acclimated takes time. Most people make great leaps within a few days of being here. And after a few weeks people seem to be at least 90 percent acclimated. Then, after 3-6 months you should be fully acclimated (or at least as much as your potential), as the average lifespan of a red blood cell is 100-120 days.

Now, that said, you'll never be as "acclimated" as a Sherpa that lives at an elevation of Colorado's highest mountains. But they've got generations worth of genes that are made for that type of living. Whole different ballgame there.

As far as living a "long and healthy life by being born at high altitude," I think it has more to do with your lifestyle than anything. Sure, living at high altitude might give you a slight advantage if you're a high altitude mountain climber (or it might mean that you just require less time to acclimate to higher peaks than other lowlanders). But what you eat, how much you exercise, your stress level, etc. has much more to do with health than what elevation you're born at or where you live.

Again, I'm not a doctor ... but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by lildreamer

We moved here last June. Before arriving I was aware that at first we might be short of breath and that it takes a day or two to get acclimated. None of us experienced any shortmess of breath. We did of course get the dry skin and the dry nasal passages. A few weeks ago my husbands mother and grandmother came to visit us. Grandma died while she was here. Unaware that her heart was in poor condition before she came being here in the higher elevations made her body work harder and she just didn't make it. I learned from the hospital staff that many people come to visit or to ski and have heart attacks because of the higher elevations. I also learned that many pregnant women deliver prematurely because of the elevation as well. Has anyone else experienced this situation?

No, not personally, but one of the [many] reasons that I hated Durango so, was because I felt tired and sore ALL THE TIME. It wasn't until I had been there a good long while that I discovered that you need more red blood cells at higher altitudes to compensate for the decreased oxygen! Once I started taking iron tabs my fatigue and pain was greatly lessened, but by then I hated the place so much for other reasons, I wouldn't even consider staying another day.

20yrsinBranson

[SheridanL]

Lupulin....."I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night"!!! How funny! You crack me up!!

[TheHumanFund]

There has been lots of talk of the elderly and less healthy people having the most problems, but I was planning a move to COS in Nov.-Dec. at this time my daughter will be a year old and I will have a newborn as my wife is due in Oct. I'm not sure what effects the higher altitudes will have on my babies!! Maybe I should reconsider moving there!! Especially if there are going to be problems for them. It just would'nt be worth risking their health for my selfishness!!! Has anyone heard of it effecting newborns or infants????:confused :

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by TheHumanFund

There has been lots of talk of the elderly and less healthy people having the most problems, but I was planning a move to COS in Nov.-Dec. at this time my daughter will be a year old and I will have a newborn as my wife is due in Oct. I'm not sure what effects the higher altitudes will have on my babies!! Maybe I should reconsider moving there!! Especially if there are going to be problems for them. It just would'nt be worth risking their health for my selfishness!!! Has anyone heard of it effecting newborns or infants????:confused :

Unless they have a condition that compromises their respiratory system such as asthma, apparently they do very well. At least that is what I have read/heard.

20yrsinBranson

[SheridanL]

With ALL joking aside,......Lildreamer, I am so very sorry for your Grandma-in-law and Husbands Grandma's passing. That must be a hard thing for the both of you. Blessings to you both and your whole family.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by TheHumanFund

There has been lots of talk of the elderly and less healthy people having the most problems, but I was planning a move to COS in Nov.-Dec. at this time my daughter will be a year old and I will have a newborn as my wife is due in Oct. I'm not sure what effects the higher altitudes will have on my babies!! Maybe I should reconsider moving there!! Especially if there are going to be problems for them. It just would'nt be worth risking their health for my selfishness!!! Has anyone heard of it effecting newborns or infants????:confused :

Don't be worried. First, COS is not high elevation. Plenty of babies every year are born at hospitals in Frisco, Leadville, and many other locations in the Rockies with much higher elevations than COS. They do fine. Plenty of people visit the Colorado mountains every year, including children, for skiing -- no issues.

I'm convinced that many of these reports about "altitude sickness" have nothing to do with altitude and everything to do with dehydration. Colorado has a very dry climate, comparable to the southwestern deserts, and you need to keep up your water intake, or you will experience the fatigue and other health effects that others describe.

[karenbataglia]

Hi there,

I feel the same way you do. I have nothing but health problems since I came here, particulary chronic headaches, which I don't have at sea level. I'm trying to get out of here also. I would like to talk to you. You can email me at rene789@yahoo.com and from there we can swap phone numbers if you like. I hope to hear from you.

I have had chronic headaches since living in Colorado and I have been here 24 years. I am very health consious and drink lots of water and eat organic meat and vegetables. When I go to sea level I do not have headaches at all and I sleep and feel so much better. I would like to communicate with others who have also had health problems in CO. You can write to rene789@yahoo.com I look forward to hearing from you.

With all due respect you are very wrong. I have chronic headaches here and I don't in Arizona which is even dryer than CO. There is 17% less oxygen in Denver than at sea level and that puts a huge stress on the body. My physician says that it is a mistake for elderly people to come here and visit. Yes, there are elderly people that live here, but the bottom line is that our bodies need oxygen more than water and more than food and living in CO puts a huge stress on the body. An elderly person can not adjust like a younger one can.

Rene

[froggin4colorado]

Renee,
So sorry to hear you are having so many problems. I hope you find your way back to the coast- wish I could switch you! I am in VA in Williamsburg and would love to get back to COS! Unfortunately and fortunately, COS/CO isn't for everyone. Fortunately because then we would have a population problem and unfortunately because those of us who love it want to shout at the top of the mountain how great COS is. But, it is what it is. I wish you good health and safe journey back to the coast!

[karenbataglia]

Thanks for your kind words. I know it is nice here...in a way. VA is so lush and green, I can't wait to get back east.