avoid liquor and caffeine
don't do much the first day
drink as much water as you can
skip any diuretic medication(ask Dr)

being in the best shape is a big factor.

a lot of people never experience altitude sickness, maybe you won't either.

We went to Santa Fe several years ago and I didn't have any altitude sickness. When we were in Breckenridge the altitude really bothered me for several days so maybe Santa Fe won't be high enough to bother you.

I live in New Mexico. Remember, it's the high desert, so it's dry to start with. I drink more than a liter of water per day here, and you will probably need more than your usual amount as well.

Lee Ann

I live near sea level as well, 32 feet. I have never had altitude sickness even on top of Pikes Peak at an altitude of 14,110 feet above sea level.

You sound like you are going to worry yourself sick worrying about getting sick.

Just live a healthy life style, take care of yourself and take the days as they come. Most of all stop worrying!

Okay, thanks for the responses. I smiled at Redrock's message. I know you are right. I'll just plan a wonderful trip and take it as it comes.

Thanks for the attitude adjustment.

Staci

Do people really get altitude sickness at 7000 feet?

Absolutely they get altitude sickness at 7000 feet. My DH does when we are camping and he puts up the tent and organizes the campsite. But if we stay in a cabin and we have him relax, he is able to avoid it by not exerting too much on the first day. He's not old either!

Heck, I've gotten a headache from the altitude in Denver once. Most of the time I'm fine though, so it really all depends on the individual. If you are affected, it's not going to matter one bit that others had no issues with it.

I'd say you need to drink more water in general based on you saying you have headaches from dehydration every 2-3 days. That can't be good long term. Certainly for the trip to Santa Fe you're going to have to drink more water and cut back on the caffeine and alcohol, at least until you figure out how the altitude and dry air affects you specifically.

How much water is a guess - you sure don't want to be running to the bathroom every 20 minutes. I guess I'd say before the trip for a few days drink enough water so you have to go every 2-3 hours minimum, then keep that up for at least the first day or two. And make sure you get enough rest while you're out there.

Predicting the appearence and severity of altitude sickness is pretty much impossible, even for the same person. Some people almost never have it, others get it at (relatively) low altitudes, others get it one time but not the other. All you can do is try to prevent it, be ready for it if it happens, and then wait for it go away. The advice from Spiro is good. If your attempts at prevention don't work, just take aspirin, relax a bit, and wait for your body to adjust.

A couple things I'd add:
The best hydration is provided by tap water. Don't be a sucker for the person who came up with the idea of putting tap water in 20 oz plastic bottles and charging you $1 for doing so. Just put a cup under the tap.
How much is enough fluid? Hard to say. But if you have easy access to a bathroom, then it's pretty much impossible to drink TOO MUCH fluid. Your body will simply get rid of any excess in a very simple process, and no harm will be done. So, when in doubt, just drink up.

>>Heck, I've gotten a headache from the altitude in Denver once.<<

WhereAreWe, how did you know the headache was caused by Denver's altitude?

How did I know? Not sure what you want for a response - I didn't do a scientific study to determine the cause of it, but I'm quite sure it ws the altitude. I'm familiar enough with myself and have spent enough time at altitude to safely draw the conclusion it was the altitude.

If I have a 'headache' could I blame mine on being at sea level?

After all you said you got one 'once'. Was that your one and only time in the Denver area or was it the only time you got a headache while in the Denver area?

It's easier to get dehydrated at a higher altitude, but that's not the same thing as actual altitude sickness. Both can cause headaches.

RedRock - As I said, I'm familiar enough with altitude, its effects on me and my own body to safely conclude my headache was caused by the altitude. I'm not going to go into great detail about how many times I've been at altitude, how high, etc. blah blah blah. If you don't wish to trust my conclusion, that is your choice.

I'd definitely recommend drinking enough water so that you need to find a restroom every three hours.
When we ski in the mountains, we try to drink at least a cup of water every hour. We also avoid caffeine and alcohol the first few days (because both are dehydrating), and take an aspirin every morning and every evening to improve oxygenation.

Altitude sickness varies tremendously by person. If you have ever smoked or have asthma or any sort of breathing problems it's much more likely to occur.

Agree to drink as much water as you can (at least 4 or 5 small bottles a day) and avoid caffeine and alcohol. Also, give you body a day or two to be acclimatized.

At 7,000 feet many people don;t notice much if sitting still or just strolling - but if you try to do anything active you may notice it right away.

Yes, some people get altitude sickness at 7,000 feet and some people never get it at any altitude and some people who never had it before can suddenly develop it and being in good shape-- or not-- does not determine if you get it. There is no doubt that dehydration is something to be avoided any time you travel.

The one definite aspect of it is that once you get it, it becomes worse on each additional exposure to high altitude.

>>The best hydration is provided by tap water. Don't be a sucker for the person who came up with the idea of putting tap water in 20 oz plastic bottles and charging you $1 for doing so. Just put a cup under the tap.<<

Unfortunately, there aren't many water fountains around Santa Fe. We carry a water bottle and refill it as needed.

Lee Ann

Drink lots of water and don't drink alcohol....I neglected that once and almost fainted.

There are a number of great threads on here about adjusting to altitude.

It took me a good year to feel okay when doing outdoor activities after moving from NY to ABQ.

Limit alcohol and caffeine; drink twice as much water as you think you need. Pace yourself.

We ALWAYS carry bottles of water in the car. They get warm, but you don't want to EVER be without water. [The color of your urine will let you know if you are drinking enough - if it is med to dark drink more. It should be almost colorless. Sorry.. ]

It is so dry here, you won't even know your body is hot - sweat evaporates almost instantly.

Use sunscreen and lip stuff with spf 70. Reapply it.

You say you are coming with family; make sure the kids [if any] do the same. Their smaller bodies [if young] are impacted by the heat more than yours. and they might not even know they are getting dehydrated.

Here's one of the good threads:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=1&tid=34865407


Deb

Better to ask your Doctor at home first..or see a Travel MD...

We live at absolute sea level and often fly to Colorado to our place which is just under 11,000 feet. My DH often gets a headache for about 24 hours even drinking water. I, on the other hand, drink lots of water (and being bad, a glass of wine in the other hand..not recommended) and feel fine.

A good trick is for the first night or two to take Tylenol PM which gives a good uninterrupted sleep which can be difficult otherwise.

We visit in Denver often and over the years I have had severe altitude sickness there even. The list of do's and don't's that one poster gave is good.
DS hands us a bottle of water when we land!!
Taking some aspirin will also help some.
As for Pike's Peak--you weren't up there very long!!
Santa Fe is plenty "high" for altitude sickness!

I agree we were not on PP all that long but once you come down to the surrounding area you are still at an altitude that others are having problems with altitude sickness. We spent four weeks in the mountains last summer above the 5-6000 marker with no problems. A good part of the high plains area like Denver and the Rocky Mountains are well above the 5000' mark.

RedRock, I feel like you're trying to argue that altitude sickness doesn't exist just because you've never personally experienced it. Some people get it at 5,000 feet; some don't experience it until much higher altitudes; some never get it. My DH is in the lucky bunch. We both drink tons of water, hit the gym daily, don't smoke, etc. But at high altitudes, he can take off running while I need a lot of time to adjust/wheeze/make the world stop spinning.

WishIwasthere, if you're not usually a camel, the easiest way to make sure you're getting enough water is to buy a one-liter water bottle in the morning, finish it by early afternoon, refill it from the tap, and finish it before bed. If you come close, you're probably hydrated. And just don't plan anything too strenuous for the first 6-12 hours, in case you find you need time to adjust. If you're feeling fine, you can always do more than expected!

Yes, REd Rock. Sometimes I get sick, and sometimes I don't--in Denver, or the high mountains. But one way to forestall it, is to do what has been suggested.

I would recommend drinking 1/2 gallon/day on a low activity day and increase if you are doing higher heart rate activities. May sound like a lot but it's really only a small bottle every ~3 hours you are awake. I am also prone to nosebleeds and think the hydration might help a little.

I did get very mild altitude sickness at Pike's Peak--just a little dizziness/lightheadedness.

While I drank a good amount of water before and during the trip, I had very little for breakfast that morning. It was the rush of making the train boarding etc. If you're a mom, don't forget your own needs (including sunscreen too).

RedRock's attitude is seriously irresponsible.

No one knows how altitude will affect them until they arrive at a particular height on a particular day.

Dehydration is a serious possibility in high dry places.

Someone who drinks only morning coffee and evening glass of wine isn't drinking remotely enough liquid even at sea level. It is not normal to get dehydration headaches.

I don't think you have to be one of those people who constantly totes a water bottle, but my doctor told me at least two litres per day.

If it is dry enough outside, it will transpire from your body and you won't constantly need to find a toilet.

When you do need one, DebitNM is correct about the real test: if your urine is straw colored or paler, you are drinking enough water. If your urine is darker than that, you aren't. This is known to climbers everywhere.

Chewing coca leaves and/or drinking coca tea is also helpful to help w/ altitude issues. Unfortunately, these items which are readily available in South American countries, can't be had in the USA.

I don't know whether you'd have any problems ordering it online. This is the tea I drank when in Peru last year >>> http://www.peruviancocatea.com

And yes, it does have the active ingredient which when processed/refined, becomes cocaine. However you don't get 'high' from drinking the tea.

Ackislander -- RedRock's attitude is seriously irresponsible.

Ya know sometime something just may be in your head and to dwell on it you may be causeing some of your own problems. As you so stated: "No one knows how altitude will affect them until they arrive at a particular height on a particular day." I can agree with that.

If you will read one of my first post to the OP I stated live a healthy life style but and take care of yourself and you most likely will be ok with things. Ill post it in part here again for you.

"Just live a healthy life style, take care of yourself and take the days as they come. Most of all stop worrying!"

RedRock - OP stated she has dehydration issues at home and asked how much water to drink in/around Santa Fe because she's read that will help ward off altitude sickness.

That's hardly 'worrying herself sick' as you initially stated. Your response was flippant and as someone already said, sounds like you think because you have never had a problem then OP won't either.

And to now suggest it might just be in people's heads is just silly. Next time I see any advice from you, I'll consider the source.

WhereAreWe -- If you live a healthy life style you should have little or no problem. Having a problem with not drinking enough H2O at home at sea level and getting dehydrated does not mean you will have problems if you increase your altitude. How much water is enough? I am sure that would depend on the individual.. I live in Florida, its hot as hades here a good part of the year. That requires some thought as how to live and be outdoors, the same would apply in the mountains or desert.. You cannot plan in advance for every conceivable problem or situation in life. That is why I mentioned to the OP to live a healthy life style, that includes eating, drinking and getting adequate rest. I think the OP is an intelligent person and knows good and well what I was saying. I think this was evident in their reply to my first post.

I have to jump in here and say what you have all said is fine, BUT....
we live at sea level and were in northern NM, Durango & Ouray, CO in Sept and my husband ended up with a severe case of "Acute Mountain Sickness" or AMS as the medical people called it, caused by the altitudes we were at for 5 days (7000-10,000 ft). We didn't drink any alcohol, rested and drank lots of water, did all those wonderful things mentioned. It was the most scary thing! He woke up on the 5th day and couldn't think and was very disoriented. The doctor said his brain could have become swollen and he could have been in deep trouble if we had not immediately gone down to 4000 ft. At 7000 ft you have lost 30% of the oxygen we are used to - I think that is quite a lot. It isn't anything to fool around with and doesn't always happen in the first 24 or 48 hours. No, I wasn't affected - everyone is different. Believe me, it is not your imagination or anything that you have control over. Just be aware. Do a search for Acute Mountain Sickness if you are interested in reading more about it.

I do not mean to be negative here but it is a lot of useless information to think that you can will yourself not to contract altitude sickness thru good health habits. It is true that some bad health habits can make it worse but it is not a disease that skips over the virtuous and it is--or can be--very serious and life-threatening.

First you have to realize you have altitude sickness. The OP did not.

OK. Believe me, after a little while, after not feeling well, having a headache, and then feeling like you have the flu, you have altitude sickness. After a couple of bouts, BUT NOT every trip, in spite of my hydration attempts, I was sick as a dog, and missing out on some very nice social opportunities.
Does that do it for you REd Rock--congrats on not having it. You're a j lucky person. Some of us get it, even being healthy individuals. Get over yourself.

I never said altitude sickness was not a real sickness. My contention is don't worry about it until it happens. Especially the first time... Why worry your self sick worrying about getting sick. The OP was at sea level and was simply wondering about altitude sickness when they went to Santa FE.. A person could die in their sleep tonight, why stay awake all night worrying about it.

che sara, sara

Altitude sickness in NM? Have been to all SW states and only had a problem in the Breckenridge area; but their altitude is higher than other ski resorts. Don't think altitude will be a problem there, you can try taking a prescription for Diamox, a drug used to treat glaucoma also effective for altitude sickness/headaches. I think drinking a quart of water per day will take care of you just fine.

RedRock,

WishIwasthere asked for advice...on a forum about travel advice. I don't think that qualifies as "worrying oneself sick." If it does, this board is full of people worrying themselves sick over hotel choices, the best beaches, airfare, etc.

Sante Fe's elevation is almost 7,000 feet -- certainly high enough for this question to be warranted. I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to be prepared. The OP can't predict altitude sickness, but doing everything possible to avoid it (staying hydrated, etc) is just good sense. Your "logic" is akin to saying "Why bother drinking water or stretching your legs on an airplane, when the whole thing could go down?"

karameli - >>WishIwasthere asked for advice...on a forum about travel advice. I don't think that qualifies as "worrying oneself sick." <<

Yep, thats what I recommended. Not to worry onesself sick about altitude sickness before it happens. I agree with what you said in your post. That is why I recommended a healthy life style. That pertty well covers all that has been said. Eat well, drink the proper amount of water, get the proper amount of rest. Ya know all that kind of stuff you should be doing anyway. Then not to worry and enjoy your trip.

>>Your "logic" is akin to saying "Why bother drinking water or stretching your legs on an airplane, when the whole thing could go down?"<<

I do that all the time, especially on those long 12-14 hour flights to the Far East. If the 'whole thing' would go down there is nothing you or I could do. Why worry about that either?

RedRock -

Some people get it and some don't. If you don't fine - good for you.

But don;t accuse people of "worrying themselves sick" about something that can easily ruin a vacation - if you do get it.

Getting info in advance only makes sense.

And Santa Fe is plenty high enough for quite a few people to get altitude sickness - some people get it as low as 5,000 feet.

nytraveler-->But don;t accuse people of "worrying themselves sick" about something that can easily ruin a vacation <

Some people apparently are doing this.

>if you do get it.< - That is my point exactally. IF, a big IF. Most people do not get altitude sickness.

>Getting info in advance only makes sense.,<

That is the reason I suggested that the OP take care of them self. Ya know, like eat right, proper rest, drink water. I also added, enjoy the trip and not to worry. Common since things.

You'd think RedRock worked for the High-Altitude Toursit Board. 10% of people experience altitude sickness at 8,000 feet. I think that's ample reason to ask about it. Common sense (or "common since") is a perfectly fine recommendation. I think the point of everyone on this thread, RedRock, is that there's no reason to pretend altitude sickness is a near impossibility when many posters have experienced it firsthand...myself included.

Just a note that may ACTUALLY be helpful to the OP and others -- airplane cabins are typically pressurized to 8,000 feet. If you typically get a headache or sinus pressure on long flights, you may be more susceptible. (Don't worry, RedRock, we all already know you have never experienced such a thing and it's no use worrying about it...)