Medical and Utility Pharmaceutics Mountaineering

[dorianlee]

It was Pervitin, pharmaceutical grade methamphetamine, mass produced during WWII for servicemen.

 

"The Pervitin I was carrying gave me

confidence; I felt I could rely on it in case of emergency. Just

300 feet below the Fore-Summit I set foot on the above-

mentioned declivity."

 

"Assessing all these difficulties I remembered

the Pervitin and took two tablets. I should need every ounce of

energy and will-power I could muster. I knew that the drug

would remain effective for only six to seven hours and that I

must reach some resting place by that time. "

 

"The counter-gradient to the Silver Saddle seemed endless. I

now resorted once more to Pervitin. Whatever reserves of energy

were left must now be mobilized, otherwise I should be finished"

 

Excerpts from "Nanga Parbat"

 

 

[Buckaroo]

You know when you're carrying packfulls of nitroglycerin in the mountains, like if you want to bomb Chair peak or something, you can take little tabs of the nitroglycerin when you have a heart attack.

 

just refer to "Vertical Limit" if you have any further questions

[Marmot Prince]

""I AM EVALUATING ANY CHANCE OF THEIR UTILITY TO HELP IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. I AM NOT PLANNING TO USE ANY OF THESE ON ANY SORT OF HAZARDOUS TRIP.""

 

these r conflicting statements, emergencies almost always involve hazards

 

There is no conflict. These are tools to be used in an contingency, like how car insurance or airbags, or a PLB is used in an emergency.

 

That is different from using these drugs as part of a plan when no emergency has occurred, ie, climb 4 pitches, take two doses of stimulants, climb 3 more pitches, take more stimulants, etc. You can still be on a hazardous trip where no emergency has occurred.

[wetslide]

Marmot Prince has a good point. Wait...

[B Deleted_Beck]

I think the answer to this question is simple... Take the fuckin' drugs with you if you want. Why would you give a rats ass if any of these people think you should? This isn't really a debatable topic... it's something people either do or don't, and there's definitely no right or wrong answer.

 

Take hydrocodone, take benzodiazepine, take methamphetamine, take morphine, take peyote... none of it weighs anything or takes up any space, and most of it will only get you a year or ten in prison in most countries.

[Marmot Prince]

I don't think this is a controversial or argumentative subject. I am not seeking peoples approval of medication and I don't have any opinion, negative or positive.

 

I do seek medical opinions about medicines. There are just very few doctors who mountaineer and it is useful to hear what people here bring to use.

[DPS]

There are just very few doctors who mountaineer

Not sure about that.

[Coldfinger]

I don't think this is a controversial or argumentative subject. I am not seeking peoples approval of medication and I don't have any opinion, negative or positive.

 

I do seek medical opinions about medicines. There are just very few doctors who mountaineer and it is useful to hear what people here bring to use.

 

Whatever you're taking now seems to be affecting your diction.

 

But on the bright side you're making the usual amount of sense.

Edited February 27, 2012 by Coldfinger

[Buckaroo]

""There is no conflict. These are tools to be used in an contingency, like how car insurance or airbags, or a PLB is used in an emergency.""

 

""I AM EVALUATING ANY CHANCE OF THEIR UTILITY TO HELP IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. I AM NOT PLANNING TO USE ANY OF THESE ON ANY SORT OF HAZARDOUS TRIP.""

 

you are planning to use them in case of emergency, you are not planning to use them on any sort of hazardous trip. 9 times out of 10 hazards are the cause of emergencies, they go hand in hand and are directly related, you cant have one without the other. Therefore if you exclude one and include the other you have a conflicting situation.

 

To answer your question though I use Ginkgo for altitude, even relatively low altitude, like 7000'. you have to take it for a few weeks straight to get the full effect, but it does work from the start. A blood thinner, it really helps with extremity circulation and cognitive function. Side effects are nil, the only caution is not to mix it with other blood thinners.

 

I did once get a scrip for Diamox, easy to do in Seattle, but never took it cuz I think it has too many side effects.

 

For a while there I was getting kidney stones and carried a stone dissolver scrip, those things can stop you in your tracks for days at a time.

 

On extended trips I also take high doses of C, like 7000mg, and occasionally a high potency multi B.

 

I would NEVER go to Canada or any other foreign country with scrips not in my name. Been searched too many times, including by US DHS while leaving the US. They put sniffer dogs in the car.

 

A potent pain killer might be called for in some instances like long trips in backcountry, pain can be debilitating. However these cases are rare.

 

For something like the greater ranges, Himalaya, Karakorum etc I would want a comprehensive med kit, and designate a "doctor" in the group. You are too far out and extreme elevation can have fatal consequences.

 

At one time I was in a planned month long expedition to an Alaska range and was designated "doctor". "Medicine for Mountaineering" is a good resource to study the topic.

[Marmot Prince]

I've changed the wording. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Edited February 27, 2012 by Marmot Prince

[G-spotter]

Oxycontin and morphine, dude

 

Get your ox quick. They are stopping making and distributing it this week, too addictive. Rush is going to go through withdrawal.

[Marmot Prince]

There are just very few doctors who mountaineer

Not sure about that.

 

Yep, among the mountaineers you see alot of engineers, doctors, etc. But among the doctors you see alot less % of mountaineers.

[DPS]

There are just very few doctors who mountaineer

Not sure about that.

 

Yep, among the mountaineers you see alot of engineers, doctors, etc. But among the doctors you see alot less % of mountaineers.

Any mountain guide will tell you doctors make up an unusally large percentage of their guests.

Edited February 27, 2012 by DPS

[iluka]

To answer your question though I use Ginkgo for altitude, even relatively low altitude, like 7000'. you have to take it for a few weeks straight to get the full effect, but it does work from the start. A blood thinner, it really helps with extremity circulation and cognitive function. Side effects are nil, the only caution is not to mix it with other blood thinners.

 

I did once get a scrip for Diamox, easy to do in Seattle, but never took it cuz I think it has too many side effects.

 

There isn't very good evidence in the literature that Ginkgo does anything for altitude illness prevention. A few positive studies showing benefit but an equal number of studies showing it's no more effective a sugar pill. The reason for the conflicting data is likely due to variability in the gingko preparations used in the studies. Being an herbal supplement, it's regulated differently than a medication like acetazolamide (Diamox). As a result, manufacturers do not have to adhere to certain production standards so when you buy the stuff at GNC or wherever, who knows what you're getting. Extremity circulation and inadequately thin blood are not really the key physiologic issues at work in AMS, although the truth is, no one really has a good bead on what causes AMS.

 

Diamox is actually pretty well tolerated by most people, particularly at the lower dose that is now more commonly recommended (125 mg twice a day) which fewer side effects than the higher doses