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[mountainguy]

The past three our four times I've flown, I have had what I believe to have been significant altitude sickness after the fact, mainly severe headaches and nausea. I'm fine on the plane itself, but once I'm on the ground, BOOM! It usually takes me 8-10 hours to recover. "Sleeping it off" will take care of it, but it isn't always convenient to sleep right afterward if I have a morning flight.

Any advice about how to deal with this?? Coming back from a conference this weekend, I read a website which suggested taking sinus medication beforehand and drinking plenty of water. It helped somewhat, but I still felt terrible after the flight. I plan to talk to my physician about this the next time I go in for an appointment, but I wanted to see if anyone else has suggestions/ideas/experiences for things to consider.

[melba_frilkins]

I've heard oxygen helps. It's now near impossible to bring it on the plane with you, but if you could get yourself a dose soon after landing, that could help. You could arrange to have your own oxygen at home, or seek out an oxygen bar. Are those still popular?

Also, I've heard that two short flights are better than one long non-stop flight, the longer the break in between the better--and double bonus if there's an oxygen bar in the airport.

[madhatter]

Hydration and a good night's sleep. This is also necessary if you're going from a low-altitude environment to, say, Denver.

And if you happen to be going to an interview at a college in Denver, and they keep you talking and talking and talking for eight hours and only mention at the end of the day that you should be staying hydrated to avoid altitude sickness, and you then spend the next three weeks coughing, and you don't even get the goddamn job, well ... feel free to vent about it.

[frogfactory]

That's not altitude sickness.  The treatment for altitude sickness is to return to a lower elevation, and it works quickly.  More likely the problem is related to the extremely poor air quality in planes.  In that case, oxygen may help, or you may consider wearing a face mask on the plane.

[inthelab]

That's not altitude sickness.  The treatment for altitude sickness is to return to a lower elevation, and it works quickly.  More likely the problem is related to the extremely poor air quality in planes.  In that case, oxygen may help, or you may consider wearing a face mask on the plane.

I concur.
I don't think you can get altitude sickness on a plane.  Likely you are dehydrated from the flight.

[prytania3]

Dramamine.

[wegie]

I don't think you can get altitude sickness on a plane.

Boeing disagree.

But here's a chime on sinus meds, lots of water and making sure that the air vent above you is on maximum.

[frogfactory]

I don't think you can get altitude sickness on a plane.

Boeing disagree.

But here's a chime on sinus meds, lots of water and making sure that the air vent above you is on maximum.

Boeing would.  Far cheaper to blame altitude sickness than to fix the horrible air quality on the planes (a known health risk to flight attendants and frequent flyers).  It's even alleged that the air quality on planes has decreased since smoking has been banned on all flights, since the filters/scrubbers needed to get rid of the very obvious smell of tobacco smoke are no longer installed.

[inthelab]

I don't think you can get altitude sickness on a plane.

Boeing disagree.

But here's a chime on sinus meds, lots of water and making sure that the air vent above you is on maximum.

What's Boeing doing with doctors, I have to ask??
And that would imply that pressurization on Boeing aircraft is not what it ought to be.
Plus I think it takes longer than the duration of even the longest flight to develop altitude sickness, the kind that kills unacclimated people who climb Mt. Everest.

ITL, who gets altitude sickness at 7,000 ft and above .

[frogfactory]

I got (very) mild altitude sickness very quickly on arriving in Quito, which went away immediately on returning to sea level.  I think that puts me in the class of 'slightly susceptible' to altitude sickness.  I've taken many intercontinental (>8 h) flights, and never experienced ill effects that were at all similar to what MG describes or to altitude sickness.  I still blame the air quality.

[mountainguy]

Thanks for the clarification about it being air quality. That makes sense, I'm one of those people who turns the vent above all the way up to maximum as soon as I get on the plane. I've considered wearing a face mask before, but I'm afraid of looking like a paranoid freak. I'm curious about (1) whether it would make much of a difference, and (2) whether other people have done it.

As for meds, I'm not sure how much dramamine would help. The problem is not motion sickness on the plane itself as much as it is what happens to me after I reach my destination.

[inthelab]

As for meds, I'm not sure how much dramamine would help. The problem is not motion sickness on the plane itself as much as it is what happens to me after I reach my destination.

Try a pediatric dose (25 mg).  Though I do not think Dramamine will help you, since it is for motion sickness.
And seriously, drink a lot on the plane (no caffeine, no alcohol).   Headache and nausea are symptoms of dehydration too, among other disorders.  Water would be best.

[bluezebracat]

As a happy mountaineering person, no, it's not altitude sickness, trust me. But--I find drinks with ginger with a bit of fizzy and sweet --aka ginger beer (not really beer) or sweet ginger tea cuts nausea right away.  And prevacid is a godsend.

[zuzu_]

You know, I wish I could find the source (I can't), but I too read an article hypothesizing about some people being susceptible mild altitude sickness on airplanes. I've long suspected the same of myself.

I too feel miserable for sometimes DAYS after flying, like you describe, but I also feel miserable during flight--I get severe motion sickness, unless I use medication (Transderm Scop), and then I feel only mild/moderate motion sickness, and still feel like crap for at least 24 hours. Plus, I live in teeny-tiny TT-ville, where the only plane out-of-town is a 16-seater that goes to (you guessed it) Denver. I've actually made the decision to never take that plane again, so now every instance of air travel starts with a long drive uphill to Denver. It's starting to interfere with my life.

And while I don't really have plane crash anxiety, every travel event brings on the pre-puke anxiety.

[littlefred]

Anyone ever think to try one of  these: http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Personal-Travel-Purifier-AS150MM/dp/B000O1YOKC?

I don't fly often, but I have thought about them none-the-less. I usually have the same complaints mentioned here...


PS: how do I a word to be the link?