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Crag & Route Beta

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Advice for preparation to Everest B.C... 15-Jan-2010 At 3:02:47 PM dhunchak

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Hope this helps...

Diamox (aka acetazolamide) is a diuretic that works by inhibiting cabonic anhydrase. In short, it
prevents your kidneys from reabsorbing bicarbonate which makes your blood more acidic. This assists
your breathing centre to keep you breathing while you are asleep by compensating for respiratory
alkalosis, and helps prevent cheyne-stokes respirations - thought to be the cause of pulmonary and
cerebral oedema. If this is true and I believe it is, you would want to take it as prophylaxis to prevent
AMS. It is also used as a treatment for AMS says the internet, but I don't know anything about that;
seems like you can use it pre and post.

I would also like to recommend that the only reliable treatment for AMS is to descend in elevation and
acclimatize. Fit young males are MOST susceptible to AMS, so don't let ego get in the way, take lots
of time and don't spend your trip puking and not eating like I did. An Aussie recently died of cerebral
oedema 2wks after descending, so don't push it too hard, you may not be able to recover.

Now that all that negative nancy bullshit is out of the way, have a great trip! The Himalayas are
arguably the most beautiful mountain range in the world (my opinion). Very jealous...