First time to the mts.

[tmo1620]

I have asthma, have had it my whole life and on a few seperate occasions I have been hospitalized for over a month at a time, (that was when I was younger). I take a daily inhaler twice everyday and also have a rescue inhaler. I have never had a problem sledding up in the mountains, the air is thin but not that thin. I have also been an avid snowboarder for 15 years( since I was 12 )and have snowboarded on peaks over 10,000' without a problem. The biggest thing I find about asthma is that its at least 50% mental. The human mind can actually trick you into thinking your gonna have an asthma attack even when your not. I usually bring my rescue inhaler with me in my backpack just in case but I have never had to use it. I go on 4-5 trips to the mountains sledding every year and usually a few snowboard trips as well so I get a fair bit of time at elevation in the winter and have yet to have a problem with it. So if your not on a daily asthma medication I wouldn't worry at all. Bring a rescue type inhaler like salbutamol ( the blue mist type one ) or something that compares to that, not sure what medication they have in the states. Itll give you the piece of mind that even if you have an attack you will be fine with a few blasts from your rescue inhaler. Other than that your asthma doesn't sound like it's that bad so just go and have fun, once you go once you'll be hooked

Ive always wanted to go to the mountains but i dont own a sled and dont find owning one worth it since we dont get much good snow here. However my uncle and his crew claim they booked enough room for me to go with to the big horns in montana in january.

One of my biggest concerns is that i have asthma (what i call pretty good) but not on an inhaler regularly, only when needed i take an over the counter inhaler. My question is how much will the thin mountain air effect me? If i was just standing up there i wouldnt even be concerned, but throwing a sled around all day will get the best of me im afraid. Also, is there anyway to "prepare" myself for this kind of strain on my respiratory system. I also wouldnt worry so much if we werent gonna be so far from a hospital (45 mins to a hour) should something happen. Plus any other advise would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[tmo1620]

You should get off that advair crap, thats probably one of your biggest problems right there. Advair has been proven to actually negatively effect you resparitory sysytem. You will develop a dependancy to it and it will actually hurt you more over time than it will help. The only reason alot of people take it and it's pushed so hard, ecspecially in the states, is that it's cheaper than other similar type meds. Id switch to symbicort if I were you, way more doctors will recommend symbicort over advair. Have been taken symbicort for over 15 years now and my asthma and lung capacity has never been better and Im not in that good of shape either.

Im a severe asthmatic i ride lots.... sled in the winter and dirt bike in the summer dont chance it buddy stress is a huge trigger for many people and if you get into a sticky situation you could be your own worst enemy. Your going to be to far away from help and if an attack does come on your going ruin your and everyone else's weekend. If i were you i would go to my Dr. before i went on the trip and get some form of medication (a inhaler or something thats fast acting for attacks). Personally Im on what's called advair 250-mg twice a day and with that i can manage my illness quite well but i will not go out on the hill or on the trail with out an inhaler its just not worth it ive been caught with out an emergency inhaler and have scared myself in the past so i wont even take the chance now even tho with my advair it is completely manageable. You cant plan for stress or something bad happening how ever you can plan for your medical needs and that way if something does happen within your group you will be a liability and help instead of the victim.

As far as training and getting some cardio in thats a good idea regardless of a health condition so do that to but dont rely on it. I am over cautious with my illness im a firefighter and that can get super physical, stressful and i have the possibility of breathing in smoke and have never had an attack while on my meds (the advair) but i still keep an emergency inhaler with me ...... Never know someone else might need it and you could of just saved there life by taking care of your own.