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Switzerland - altitude sickness question.

Switzerland - altitude sickness question.

Old Jul 5th, 2015, 06:50 PM
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Switzerland - altitude sickness question.

When I traveled to Colorado and went to the top of pikes peak on the cog train, I felt uncomfortable after reaching the top and really rushed indoors after a quick picture. Was not any thing serious but just did not want to stay long outside.
Would I experience anything similar when visiting the alps on a trip to Switzerland?

Thank you.
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Old Jul 5th, 2015, 07:41 PM
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FWIW -

The only 2 places I have ever had altitude sickness was Pikes Peak (before I lived at altitude in NM) and atop Mont Blanc (even after living here for 14 years!!)
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Old Jul 5th, 2015, 07:42 PM
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I also have trouble in Colorado but it is exceptionally high in a lot of places. Most of Switzerland is much lower in altitude. For example Wengen is at half the altitude of Estes Park, even though both are bases for accessing high mountain areas. If you go to the very top of one of the highest Alps then yes you will have the same discomfort.
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Old Jul 5th, 2015, 07:56 PM
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Are you talking about breathing?
It has a lot to do with the altitude and how quickly you got up there and if you have moved around quickly. Pikes peak station is at over 14,000 ft. Jungfraujoch station is above 11,300 ft, and Mt. Titlis station is around 10,000ft. "Rushing" at these altitudes would sure to cause breathing difficulties. For example, while you may be ok standing at the Jungfraujoch station, if you want to get to the Sphinx observatory, if you "rush" hoping to get there and back quickly, you might lose breath and it would be very difficult to catch up breath at this altitude.
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Old Jul 5th, 2015, 09:59 PM
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Jungfraujoch and the Glacier Paradise Gondola in Zermatt.

I've known people to get altitude sickness at both.
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Old Jul 6th, 2015, 12:45 AM
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When we spent the night at the Kulm hotel in Gornergrat (10,170 feet), we were warned that many people have trouble sleeping due to the altitude. We weren't bothered by the altitude but the dryness really got to us. We plan to go back for another stay this winter, but this time we're tucking a small room humidifier into our luggage.
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Old Jul 6th, 2015, 04:16 AM
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A problem with the ascent to Mont Blanc is that you do it in two 15 minutes segments on the lift. The cog railway at Pikes Peak is slower, but that didn't help back in 2000. Water, Tylenol (with codeine) helped when I got down but I felt crappy for a few ours after. Apparently my lips were turning blue atop Mont Blanc, so I went back down pretty fast. I had awful headaches at both locations but at PP I felt like my limbs weighed 500 pounds a piece; didn't have that at MB.
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Old Jul 6th, 2015, 05:08 AM
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Yes, I posted this same question before our trip to Switzerland about two years ago; probably can pull it up on "Search." I had terrible headaches when we skied Breckenridge & Vail. Cocktails the night before probably didn't help, and as it's winter, I did not drink enough water when out to ski and was dehydrated. I got a prescription for Diamox (a glaucoma drug) from a clinic in Vail; next trip out took on day we flew out, it worked beautifully. However, I had no such problems in Switzerland. We stayed in Interlaken and took the morning trains up to Jungfrau, to both sides from Lauterbrunnen. No problems at all. And yes we drank alcohol at dinner. Did not take any medication for it. Do bring and drink water during the day. We had lots of warm, sunny weather. Enjoy!
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Old Jul 6th, 2015, 05:17 AM
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just did not want to stay long outside.

I don't think this will make any difference!! As above, drink lots of water, but if you are not going directly to the high mountains, you will probably acclimate in a day or so. Aspirin can help a bit, but you should probably ask your doctor--it is not for those already on blood thinners.
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Old Jul 6th, 2015, 09:24 AM
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How you are affected by altitude varies a lot by specific person.

We were OK taking the train/cog railway up Jungfrau. Changed trains at about 7,000 ft and that was fine but when we got to the top I did feel slightly light headed. We went to the cafe, had a drink (not alcohol) and snack and felt much better and spent a couple of hours touring. But, we were just walking - if we had started rushing around I think we would have felt it more. Perhaps it bothered us more than some people since we live at sea level.

However, an older couple who came up with us had a lot of trouble breathing immediately and turned around and went right back down.

Also, anyone with any breathing problem - emphysema, asthma, etc - or who smokes - is more likely to be affected by the altitude.

The altitude of valleys in Switz - or even lower mountains - like Mt Pilatus - shouldn't bother most people.
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Old Jul 6th, 2015, 09:28 AM
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Another thing people forget in these high altitudes is the sun. Where a hat if you are out all day. Sunscreen.
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 05:55 AM
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Yes, altitude is altitude. Hydrating well is a necessity. When possible, gradual introduction to high altitudes will help.
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 08:21 AM
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The only thing that will help you predict altitude sickness is your experience at similar altitude. If you have had altitude sickness before (not just being aware of needing to breathe more) you will likely have it again at a similar altitude.

I'd been at altitude in the Himalayas with no problem, but got altitude sickness in the Cusco area 11,000-12,000 ft., which was about a thousand feet higher than where we were in the Himalayas.

Altitude sickness is not correlated with fitness, but you are likely to have more difficulty if you have asthma. Even having a cold can cause a problem. I once had a minor cold turn into pneumonia at 9,000 ft in Colorado.
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 02:44 PM
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I got sick in the Rockies but fine in Switzerland even at pretty high altitude
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 05:46 PM
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Going inside anywhere you feel altitude sickness will not help anything. It's the same altitude.
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Old Jul 14th, 2015, 08:33 PM
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I am probably not using the right word, it may really not be sickness but that uncomfortable feeling of breathlessness. Yes it did disappear as soon as I walked in the cafe, we had a drink, light snacks and did some shopping, I felt nothing similar to what I felt when we got off the cog train. The train was slow moving so I am thinking, like some of you have mentioned, it may help with drinking lot of water.
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