We are going to Peru and Chile for a holiday but my wife is worried at the
thought of getting altitude sickness as she suffers from terrible migraines.
Is there anything we can do to reduce the possibility - the travel agent
told me to drink the tea! Denis Michelson, by email
Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: Altitude sickness is
caused by the decreasing levels of oxygen in the air at higher altitudes. It
can be a very serious illness, which in its worst case can prove fatal, but
with the right precautions you should be fine; even if you are a migraine
sufferer, as there isn't a proven link between migraines and suffering from
altitude sickness.
The basic thing to remember is to take your time when going to higher
altitudes, especially over 8,000ft. Most cases of altitude sickness come
about by people not taking enough time for their bodies to adjust.
You should consult your GP before heading off on your South American
adventure, as there are some treatments for altitude sickness that you can
be prescribed. However it is important not to take them until you have
symptoms - otherwise you could mask something important. Symptoms to look
out for include headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, malaise, insomnia,
and loss of appetite.
It may sound a bit silly to recommend the local tea, but in fact your travel
agent is on the right track there. Throughout South America there are
derivatives of a tea called Mate, which has a weak derivative of cocaine in
it, which locals say helps to prevent altitude sickness.
Incidentally, Tibetans or Bolivians coming down to the beach don't get low
altitude sickness. It only is a problem for us low altitude dwellers going
up.
I worked in Peru for several years and had to visit the mines there which were at altitudes up to (and some higher than) 17,000 feet. I suffered from altitude sickness which manifested itself by headaches and breathlessness. I was told that shorter people did not suffer from this so much. Unfortunately I am 6 foot 1 inch. Yes, drinking coca tea did help but slowly. If you want a rapid refief you must go to a hospital or some doctors surgeries and ask for a whiff of oxygen. This gives rapid relief but unfortunatel is not long lasting. In the end I would bring my own minature oxygen cylinder with me.
Barry Ashcroft, Barnet, Hertfordshire, UK
And, drink plenty of (bottled) water as well as the tea. And lay off anything alcoholic until your body has adjusted. But most important is to take it easy the first days and let your body adjust.
You'll have a great time.
Mary Dodge, Port Saint Lucie, FL, US
Don't worry too much - this causes illness sometimes! I had a great time in Tibet earlier on this year and didn't get altitude sickness at all, even though I spent some time at 5000 metres (you can convert that into feet if you wish). And no need to take any medicines beforehand; just take things as they come (or don't come, remember?).
Shenagh Whitehead, Gueret, France