# Reverse Altitude Sickness?



## FloridaFish (Mar 29, 2004)

Here's my big question: Can a person feel "altitude sickness" going from high altitude to sea level?

I just got back to florida last night from a week long skiing/snowboarding vacation out at Heavenly in Tahoe, where we stayed in a place pretty high up the mountain (around 7500-8000 ft). Today I decided to go for an easy ride on a fun local trail, but felt as if I couldn't breath and had no blood pressure. I was completely out of breath on the "climbs" and had no energy at all and ended up bailing out to a road and just getting back to my car. I've been off my bike for a little over a week so I knew I wasn't gonna ride great, but I've had times when I couldn't ride for several weeks and still felt good on the next ride. 

I'm not in great shape, but the trail I rode is very tame and I usually blast through it with no problems. I drank a red bull before the ride and then ate a clif bar on the trail when I started to feel sluggish, but it didn't seem to help at all. The rest of my family has come down with some cold/flu symptoms and feels like crap, which is probably from the plane rides or the wet weather we had the last few days of the trip, but everyone seems to think that the change in altitude is the major problem. I've got my doubts


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## skiahh (Dec 26, 2003)

I'd say you're getting a cold.

Going from high to low altitude you have more pressure so you get more O2 into your blood stream. At 7-8K, the effects on your body are minimal, even after a week.


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## West Side Rider (Nov 20, 2005)

My parents split time between Colorado (8500 ft) and Florida. They've never told me anything like what you're saying.

You got sick on the plane.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

The effects of being at high altitude (body releasing more red blood cells) drops off pretty quickly, but not that quickly. There is obviously no lack of oxygen at low altitude, but lots of humidity can also displace oxygen and create a similer percentage of oxygen like at higher altitude, but of course it won't be as extensive.
I'm a flight instructor. If we suspect lack of oxygen, we go lower and get back to where there's more oxygen. We've never been told or trained about some sort of "reverse altitude sickness".

There's some other reason.


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## dogonfr (Jan 6, 2005)

Your sick, caught a local flu


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## FloridaFish (Mar 29, 2004)

Ugh, I kinda wish I was sick. Now I gotta face the thought that I'm in much, much worse shape than I thought. 

My only other possible explanation is a growing red spot on my arm that my folks think is either a spider bite or infected mosquito bite, and that really freaks me out.


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## Crusty Oldman (Mar 11, 2004)

*Today I decided to go for an easy ride on a fun local trail, but felt as if I couldn't breath and had no blood pressure.*

Come on dude. Do we have to spell it out for you? You dead!


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## no_skillz (Sep 5, 2005)

FloridaFish said:


> Here's my big question: Can a person feel "altitude sickness" going from high altitude to sea level?
> The rest of my family has come down with some cold/flu symptoms and feels like crap, which is probably from the plane rides or the wet weather we had the last few days of the trip, but everyone seems to think that the change in altitude is the major problem. I've got my doubts


Dude you got a cold, or that spider bite is making sick.
No such thing as reverse altitude sickness. Altitude sickness stems from hyperventilation when the oxygen gets too low. Doesn't really happen, even on the highest Floridian peaks.


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## dan0 (Oct 12, 2005)

could be a Deer tick bite also, which could be Lime disease CHECK IT OUT


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## hurtman (May 26, 2005)

dan0 said:


> could be a Deer tick bite also, which could be Lime disease CHECK IT OUT


Hey FloridaFish, don't let this freak you out. From 1994 through 2003 there were only 505 cases of Lyme Disease reported in the entire state of Florida. On a second note, I doubt if you came into contact with a Deer Tick in Tahoe, they are not active in winter.

Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, objective physical findings (such as erythema migrans, facial palsy, or arthritis), and a history of possible exposure to infected ticks. Validated laboratory tests can be very helpful but are not generally recommended when a patient has erythema migrans, better known as a Bullseye Rash.

I think you probably became the victim of a virus. Get lots of rest and increase your fluid intake. No, beer doesn't count


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## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

*Used to happen to me..*

in all its residual altitude sickness. i ewas told it has something to do with the inner ear..


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## FloridaFish (Mar 29, 2004)

FloridaFish said:


> *Ugh, I kinda wish I was sick.* Now I gotta face the thought that I'm in much, much worse shape than I thought.
> 
> My only other possible explanation is a growing red spot on my arm that my folks think is either a spider bite or infected mosquito bite, and that really freaks me out.


Wow, what a stupid thing for me to say. 

Now that I am actually sick I feel like giving myself a good slap in the face, if I had the energy. I won't gross you out with details but I currently have: A strange red spot on my arm that is spawning other little spots; a fever since last night; a nasty cough; and a freakin ******* sunburn on my face and neck. I have a feeling that a doctor would take one look at me and laugh.


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## FloridaFish (Mar 29, 2004)

hurtman said:


> Hey FloridaFish, don't let this freak you out. From 1994 through 2003 there were only 505 cases of Lyme Disease reported in the entire state of Florida. On a second note, I doubt if you came into contact with a Deer Tick in Tahoe, they are not active in winter.
> 
> Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, objective physical findings (such as erythema migrans, facial palsy, or arthritis), and a history of possible exposure to infected ticks. Validated laboratory tests can be very helpful but are not generally recommended when a patient has erythema migrans, better known as a Bullseye Rash.
> 
> I think you probably became the victim of a virus. Get lots of rest and increase your fluid intake. No, beer doesn't count


yeah, it probably wasn't a good idea to take a road trip to the Outback bowl yesterday. Started drinking at 9:30 in the morning and was finally able to continue drinking in the stadium (at UF that's a serious no-no).

I still think it was worth it.


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