Oxygen Please

[Guest FourAces]

While I am deciding on my next city to move to a friend and I have rented a condo near Denver. As you guys know I am very overweight ... I am wondering, if you know or have experience, do you think I will have health issues with the lack of oxygen?

[Guest zipperzone]

While I am deciding on my next city to move to a friend and I have rented a condo near Denver. As you guys know I am very overweight ... I am wondering, if you know or have experience, do you think I will have health issues with the lack of oxygen?

Shouldn't you have asked this BEFORE you rented the condo?

[RA1]

_{Everyone has issues with the lack of oxygen but likely you will acclimatize in a few days. Not one or two, but in a few.}

_{I have a relative who lives "up the mountain" from COS which is Colorado Springs. COS is at 6,000 feet and my relative likely lives at over 7,000 feet. When visiting I usually had a headache for a few days. This is when I used to smoke. Regardless, expect to feel a little "weak" or the like + maybe have a slight headache for a little while but soon you will get over it.}

_{Best regards,}

_RA1

[Guest FourAces]

Shouldn't you have asked this BEFORE you rented the condo?

I did check around first it did not seem like a big deal but then a friend who is a md mentioned it might be too much for me after we rented the condo already. The current plan is to spend a month there ... not sure now might have to take the cash hit.

[RA1]

5,000 feet in the Denver area will be easier to get used to than 6 or 7,000 feet. That was one of my points.

Unless you have some other health issues other than being overweight I would give it a try were I you.

Best regards,

RA1

[Guest CharliePS]

It is hard to predict. My partner has asthma, and sometimes he is affected by altitude, at other times not. He had no problem in Denver, but in Cheyenne (800 ft higher), he could barely breathe. Yet in Santa Fe, which is 1200 ft higher than Cheyenne, he had no problem. In Leadville (10,000 ft), neither of us could walk very far without gasping for breath. I think that the variables of humidity and pollution may have more effect than the differences in height. Also, if you change quickly from one height to another, like going from Palm Springs by tramway to the top of of Mt. San Jacinto, a distance of 8000 ft in less than a half hour, it is likely to hit you noticeably as soon as you get there. I'm told that most people adjust to the thinner air after several days.

[wayout]

If you do go there perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to get and keep on hand a small oxygen tank, just in case. Perhaps a bit much but just something to consider.

[RA1]

Charlie PS-

You are correct in that a rapid change in atmospheric pressure will cause noticeable effects than the same change over a longer period of time. Also, no doubt pollutants can cause problems. Anything that displaces or replaces the oxygen can make breathing more difficult but more likely what was eaten, how soon after eating, exercise (walking) and how rapid the change had more effect than pollution.

A sudden so called explosive decompression in an aircraft is something one wishes to avoid. This could be caused by such as a window blowing out (very unlikely). However, it is very "confusing". First there is usually noise, then all the accumulated dust in the aircraft starts flying around, gases in the human body may cause pain as they try to equalize the internal pressure with the "new" outside pressure (in other words you may burp or fart) and, of course, depending upon the ambient altitude you may only have seconds of "useful" consciousness to remedy the problem. On an airliner or bizjet, oxygen masks will deploy and each passenger should grab one and, as they say, pull it to the full extent of the tubing, otherwise no oxygen will flow to that mask. The pilots had what is known as quick donning masks that allow one to use one hand, grab the mask and put it on quickly. It also has a built in microphone to continue contact with ATC.

The airport serving La Paz is over 13,000 feet above sea level and offers vending machine shots of oxygen in the terminal.

12,000 feet is the usual demarcation point for pilots using oxygen at all times. 15,000 feet for passengers. Of course, that is ambient altitude, not cabin altitude. And, it isn't disregard for passengers but the necessity for pilots to be able to perform their duties is the reasoning behind the difference in altitudes.

wayout-

A small, portable aviation oxygen bottle is available from several sources but not cheap (several hundred dollars). Probably a supply of medical oxygen can be had but it might require a prescription from your doc which should be fairly easy to get.

I still think it likely that adjusting to 5,000 feet will take 2-3 days and not be a problem.

Best regards,

RA1

[Guest FourAces]

Well after lots more research oh and talking with my doctor and the comments here as well I am gonna spend the time with my bud way up in Denver for a month. The lack of air will probably be good for me