What medicines do you travel O/S with? [No specific medical advice]

[juddles]

Taking Diamox can help prevent it.
They say coca tea or Chlorophyll drops can help-though little evidence that they work.
Also told limit alcohol intake.That is obviously an old wive's tale.
But go to a hotel that has oxygen enhanced rooms.That does relieve the symptoms.

I am unfamiliar with Diamox but I can not see how it can work. The only thing that works is to take it very easy and slowly acclimatize. There is no fast way. Coca is great for long mountain hikes, but it is for stamina and hunger management, not for oxygen absorbtion. And it is a whole artform in itself. I loved seeing youths at Machu Picchu popping the coca leaves in their mouths that are sold at the base. They dont have a clue how to use them, but I guess it makes them feel the part - I tried the first time and realised my folly.

As for limiting alcohol intake, doctors tell you that for everything. Fools

 

[Pushka]

Diamox seems sulphur based. Acetazolamide. Commence one day before 2700 metres. Take half a tablet twice a day.

 

[juddles]

I am unfamiliar with Diamox but I can not see how it can work. .....

Just read up on Diamox - understand the concept but will stick to my way of taking things easy. The big thing in my experience is that you can very quickly do too much without realising it, and by the time you realize you are out of breath, you can be in real trouble.

 

[Pushka]

Just read up on Diamox - understand the concept but will stick to my way of taking things easy. The big thing in my experience is that you can very quickly do too much without realising it, and by the time you realize you are out of breath, you can be in real trouble.

Acclimatisation is really important too. The tablets aren't meant to replace that. But some people are vulnerable to altitude sickness - just because - and so the tablets help those people. You don't know if you are one of them until you try.

Funny story. A very fit thoracic surgeon and his wife were going to climb Mt Kilimanjaro. She made it. He didn't. Although I do recall she came back from another exotic trip and when she got off the plane everyone said how tanned she looked. Next day - yellow! Hepatitis A.

 

[Johnstone]

I always take Immodium and Panadol

 

[dfcatch]

Use to only take Panadol/ibuprofen

Then got really sick in Canada a few years ago over Xmas and has to suffer through it.

Nowadays I carry:

- Panadol/ibuprofen

- maxolon

- rulide

- hydralite

- Relenza

And any other prescriptions if I happen to be on them, but the above is my travel kit.

 

[drron]

Altitude sickness affects those predisposed to it no matter how much training they do.Mrsdrron gets it,I don't.Because I am unfit I get tired at altitude but don't suffer altitude sickness.

But on a lighter note here are some old fashioned remedies-
Why Our Great Grandparents Were So Happy!

 

[cove]

I do have Anginine in my travel bag as I know my arteries are less than perfect. Never had to use it but it is a just in case.

 

[MH_fan]

My little kit includes the following:
Panadol
Indocid
Stemetil
Maxolon
Gastro-stop
Pariet
Stilnox
Zyrtec
Keflex
Rulide
Ventolin puffer
Anti-inflammatory eye drops

And my regular medication, of course.

 

[clazman]

My little kit includes the following:
Panadol
Indocid
Stemetil
Maxolon
Gastro-stop
Pariet
Stilnox
Zyrtec
Keflex
Rulide
Ventolin puffer
Anti-inflammatory eye drops

And my regular medication, of course.

I think you would rattle if you took them all

 

[RooFlyer]

Just added Ondansetron wafters for sea sickness and Diamox for aiding altitude acclimatisation (Galapagos / Peru)

 

[Cynicor]

Unless you've tried ondansetron for motion sickness and it works for you, I would recommend against them. The mechanism of action means that in theory they don't work, and practically I've had a shot and they really don't...

 

[RooFlyer]

Unless you've tried ondansetron for motion sickness and it works for you, I would recommend against them. The mechanism of action means that in theory they don't work, and practically I've had a shot and they really don't...

Well, no thanks for shooting down any placebo effect they may have had for me. :evil:

But I'm happy to rely on the advice of two doctors.

 

[YNWA]

Unless you've tried ondansetron for motion sickness and it works for you, I would recommend against them. The mechanism of action means that in theory they don't work, and practically I've had a shot and they really don't...

+1. I always carry Ondansetron wafers for nausea/vomiting unrelated to motion sickness and they work brilliantly. For motion sickness (which I am prone to, boats rather than planes) I use Scopoderm patches. These are not available in Australis AFAIK, but I get mine from NZ.

 

[Pushka]

Bonine seems very popular amongst US cruisers and is very accessible in ship stores and Amazon.

 

[mel1]

I'm glad I'm not the only one with a long list of "just in case" meds! It's not a matter of not being able to get in whatever country I'm travelling in, it's that all too often illness (stomach, diarrhoea, headache etc) can hit in the middle of the night.
I take a comprehensive bag in my suitcase but I also take a small zip cosmetic bag on board with sleeping tabs, a few pandadol or aspirin for headache, Buscopan for stomach cramps, voltaran for back pain and immodium (ant-diarohhea) - as I've been caught out before on a long-haul flight - NEVER AGAIN!

 

[lvabarg]

i have heard from people who have taken them, that while they did work, the Scopoderm tablets made them feel weird. So best to take a look at what side effects they have, so you can be prepared.

 

[ChrisDPom]

Travelling mainly to Europe and Perth's holiday island of Bali, I have different kits for both:

Europe:
Imodium
Quickeze packet of 4 rolls
Painkiller
Anti-inflammatories
Codral (extra packs if going in winter)
Rid (always tropical strength as the normal one seems to attract Scottish midgies)
Small kit of bandages, band aids & bettadine (the 3 B's)

Bali:
Same as above and extra imodium (seem to always have people "borrowing" mine as they didn't think to pack there own and you do not want to risk running out!!).


NB: As I go each December to UK & Europe, I usually get the local flu shot lined up with my old GP in the UK with the latest version. We do the Oz winter flu shots here every April/ May through work and if the next European winter is an upgrade with different strains, I get the shot.

This is a sensitive issue to me as I have a sister who is senior matron at a major London hospital's ICU wards and she loses otherwise young healthy patients to swine flu every winter - let alone middle aged cobbers like me.

Chris

 

[cove]

Today we bought some sea sickness tablets that our boating friends wanted. Active ingredient is Meclizine Hydrochloride 25mg.

 

[opusman]

How do people here take Diamox? I have had one GP tell me it's better to use it preventively (i.e. before going to altitude), and another tell me to use it only if necessary