I will be in Lhasa for 3 days in September as part of a tour of China. I have read conflicting comments about the need for taking Diamox (or something similar) for the prevention of altitude sickness. Some people have been violently ill while others just drank plenty of water and took an aspirin daily. I really don't care for taking medication unless it is absolutely necessary, but I also don't want to be ill. My husband and I took Diamox when we were visiting Cuzco, Peru. But the elevation in Tibet will be even higher.
I would appreciate hearing about anyone's experiences and recomendations.

It's impossible to predict whether you will have problems with altitude sickness. Some young, fit people come down with it, while some aging couch potatoes do fine. A couple of friends of mine were in Tibet recently - he (older) was fine, she was miserable. You won't know until you get there.

thursdays is exactly right: the only predictor of whether you'll get altitude sickness is whether you've gotten it before at a simlar or lower altitude. Be prepared.

Yeah - I know - but the problem is that I don't know if we are susceptible because we took the preventive medicine before. So - the dilemma is - do we chance it and keep our fingers crossed and do nothing, or take Diamox just in case.

As an alternative if you're not comfortable with prescription drugs, you might investigate herbal remedies. Look into notoginseng and rhodiola, and see what they recommend at a pharmacy in China.

Came down with bad altitude sickness in Shigatse - in the middle of the night.
Took half a Diamox and within an hour went back to sleep feeling fine. I reckon it saved my life. Don't risk it!

Take the diamox along. You really don't want to come down with serious altitude sickness and have nothing you can take that will help.

Can the Diamox be taken after illness strikes? I always thought it was taken before, as a preventative.

Don't like medication either, but people do die every year there so....
I awoke and asked my wife why they would be tearing down the hotel at 1 am. She couldn't hear anything and we realised it was my heart pounding in my ears! Check for latest usage instructions - it was 5 years ago.

I thought that you have to Diamox before, at least a couple of days before venturing into the high altitude zone. "If" it can work within 1/2 hour of taking it great!

Lolo12, I would just take it a couple days before especially if you're flying into Lhasa and have not had the time to gradually adjust to the higher altitude. When I took it the only side effect I had was to urinate a lot but I still suffered shortness of breath and my heart felt like it was going to explode around Zhongdian.

Where are you planning on staying in Lhasa?

I ended up being sick for a day, the next morning I felt fine, just walked slowly, etc. Our guide put us in the hotel about mid-morning and told us to take a long nap, don't shower(that's what he said) and eat a light dinner and bed early. He said don't take oxygen as it keeps you from aclimating. When he said we had over 300 steps to climb the next day I thought we wouldn't be able to do it but was fine, just slow. You feel like your IQ has dropped 30 points. Lhasa was interesting. Glad I went, glad I left.

Hanuman - I will be on a Viking tour and will be at Five Points Sheraton hotel.
My husband checked last week with his cardiologist (he had bypass surgery almost a year ago, but had no heart attack or heart damage) as to the altitude issue and no medication was recommended. But I still have concerns so I think I will play it safe and contact my doctor today for a prescription. You never know!!!

I forgot to mention that my friend took the medicine and she ended up being feeling worse than we did. Go figure.

Lolo12,

Please write a detailed trip report when you're back since I'm planing on going there in the near future.

Have a great trip and enjoy yourself!

PS. Stay away from the warm Yak butter tea!!!

Thanks - southeastern - I really needed to hear that!!
I already called my doctor and will be picking up my prescription this afternoon.
Hanuman - why stay away from the yak butter tea?
By the way - I have seen on these travel programs with Samantha Brown and Anthony Bourdain that they are eating a lot of the local food. But one wonders how their stomachs were afterward????

There is yak tea, yak butter, yak burgers, and they burn yak dung for fuel. In my opinion, yak also describes the taste of those things too.

Southeastern has eloquently described my feeling toward the yak butter tea.

I have not been to Tibet but have been to the Chinese side of Tibet(Zhongdian) and one thing that I've noticed was how salty their food are. Might be of importance for your husband's diet so you should be prepare.

There is a wisdom saying, that you must think of butter tea as soup. After spending much time with Tibetans and therefore drinking the national beverage a lot I found it completely true and liked it ever since. You are in zero humidity altitude and your food and drink requirements are completely different ( unless you are in the Sheraton - probably has Viennese waltzes playing in the elevator and microphones in the wall )

I wish I had heard about the "soup" mindset before I tried yak butter tea, I might have appreciated it more. But sadly it wasn't exactly my cup of tea

However, I did have the most delicious dish of yak meat. Yum-mo! (And that's coming from someone who doesn't eat red meat.)

Hi, Hope my information is helpful.
Nearly all the tourists entering Tibet have to experience highland altitude sickness, for some the effect is strong, while for others it is just a little. The reaction may various form person to person.It has nothing to do with the ages, sex. Whether you are old, or young, male or female, however, it does have to do with your health status. Here are some of the precautions tips for you to pay attention to before entering Tibet according to previous experiences.

Most of Tibet is high enough to produce some adverse reaction in most people. For the majority of people, the reaction will be a matter of discomfort, breathlessness, poor sleeping patterns or limited capacity for physical exertion. In some, more serious reactions can develop. These can be potentially life-threatening conditions that may only be relieved by moving to a lower altitude; travelers should inform themselves about the symptoms so that they can recognize them.

Adverse reaction to altitude is usually reduced if one acclimatizes by reaching high altitude over a period of at least a few days. For this reason, it is often supposed that driving to Lhasa is better than flying. But the altitudes where nights are spent while driving to Lhasa may be far in excess of Lhasa's 3600m. Roads blocked by landslides or otherwise may require travelers to exert themselves, carrying packs at high altitude, so increasing the likelihood of adverse reaction. Flying to Lhasa, acclimatizing there, and driving out may well be preferable.

On arrival by at high altitude, it is possible that no immediate effects of altitude will be felt. Nevertheless, it may be of great importance not to exceed the lowest level of physical exertion on the first day, and only increase exertion very gradually over the following days.

Most of western Tibet is at least 1000m higher than Lhasa, and is best only approached after several days acclimatizing at a lower altitude.
Tips against Highland Sickness

The reaction may various form people to person.It has nothing to do with the ages, sex and nationalities. Do not believe that taking some practice beforehand may be great helpful to prevent you from Highland Sickness. However, it is really necessary for you to know some precaution tips before planning your trip to Tibet.

1. People with serious heart diseases not go there and people with light heart troubles follow doctors' suggestion.
2. People with high or low blood pressure follow doctor's suggestion.
3. Try to keep healthy and not to catch a cold before entering Tibet.
4. Try to keep healthy and not to catch a cold in Tibet.
5. The first day arriving in Tibet, suggest visitors not take a bath and smokers not smoke.
6. Drink plenty of water in Tibet for the first few days.
7. Tell in time the guide when you don't feel well and follow guide's advice.
8. The sunscreen, sunglasses or dark glasses and lip creams are advised to protect your eyes and skin, for Tibet's high altitude and the atmosphere allow the sun's solar radiation to strike the earth with unusual intensity.
9. In addition to the normal medications for traveling, just like the Aspirin and Ibuprofen etc, you should bring some high altitude medication. Better ask your doctor for suggestions.
Take care,
Morgen