3 ms·

This really opens my eyes. My wife flies frequently, usually on AA but sometimes on others. For years, really for as long as I remember she would spend the firs

This really opens my eyes. My wife flies frequently, usually on AA but sometimes on others. For years, really for as long as I remember she would spend the first day or so fighting stomach problems, headache, etc. and after the return flight she would inevitably have similar symptoms that she always attributed to food eaten while on the road. I finally just warned her to avoid the shrimp or seafood since we rarely eat it when at home but it seemed like every time she traveled she ended up at a restaurant and had some kind of sea food. It didn't help because just last week she returned home, again with headache, nausea, sinus problems, etc. that kept her sidelined for part of the weekend. I am going to look into test strips to detect these substances that she could carry on the plane with her to see whether any correlates. Her assignments see her needing to fly as it is too far to drive in a realistic time frame to most of the meetings but maybe a career change might solve this if it is the cause of her post-flight issues. Anyone else have similar observations or observations that would indicate this is likely not an issue? I'm open for any discussions.

jowiar 9y ago
Those symptoms strike me as altitude sickness-esque -- they're what a friend of mine experienced when we went to Bogota. A quick google seems to indicate that altitude sickness from flying is a thing for some people. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/really-flying-can-cause-mountain-sickness/ https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/really-flying-can-...
- ghaff 9y ago
  It wouldn't shock me. Cabin pressurization depends on the plane--maybe the airline(?)--but my understanding is that it's to about 6K to 8K feet. In other words, higher than Denver but lower than Quito or many US West ski areas. Serious altitude sickness does happen in Colorado. I've heard of it happening in Denver itself but it's at least rare. I'm not sure it's a likely explanation but it's at least possible.
  - tpkj 9y ago
    From the World Health Organization: > "Although aircraft cabins are pressurized, cabin air pressure at cruising altitude is lower than air pressure at sea level. At typical cruising altitudes in the range 11 000–12 200 m (36 000–40 000 feet), air pressure in the cabin is equivalent to the outside air pressure at 1800–2400 m (6000–8000 feet) above sea level. As a consequence, less oxygen is taken up by the blood (hypoxia) and gases within the body expand. The effects of reduced cabin air pressure are usually well tolerated by healthy passengers." http://www.who.int/ith/mode_of_travel/cab/en/ http://www.who.int/ith/mode_of_travel/cab/en/ While the NY Times blog link earlier in this chain of comments had a recommendation about reducing cabin air pressure to 6,000 ft, I question how useful that is, since for those susceptible to altitude sickness, 6,000 feet is going to be enough to trigger symptoms for many. These next two articles are not devoted to airline travel per se, but about high altitude related sickness. From "Preparing for Safe Travel to High Altitude", by Paul Anderson, M.D. > "High Altitude Illnesses (HAI) include Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), and High-Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). The symptoms of AMS are typically felt by most people when they arrive at a new altitude, but the symptoms are usually self limiting (e.g. 1st 3-5 days at high altitude). The exact mechanisms of AMS remain unclear, however symptoms tend to be the most prevalent 1-2 days after arrival at elevation. The most common symptoms include a headache, gastrointestinal upset, feelings of fatigue, dizziness, and sleep disruption. ..." http://www.mayo.edu/research/documents/preparing-for-safe-travelpdf/doc-10026905 http://www.mayo.edu/research/documents/preparing-for-safe-tr... From "Altitude-Related Illnesses", Mayo Clinic Preceedings: > "... An estimated 30 million people are at risk for altitude related illnesses in the western United States annually. Many cases are unrecognized by the victims and by their physicians who may attribute symptoms to viral illness, “hangover,” or fatigue. In addition, commercial airline travel exposes passengers to a cabin pressure equivalent of 2,500 m and allows them to travel rapidly to high altitude destinations such as Aspen or Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where they may be exposed to even greater altitudes. ... The rate of ascent and a prior history of altitude illness are the major determinants of a person's susceptibility to altitude illness. Aerobic fitness does not correlate with the likelihood of acquiring AMS." (See especially the symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness in this article.) http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)63396-X/fulltext http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)6...

jowiar 9y ago

Those symptoms strike me as altitude sickness-esque -- they're what a friend of mine experienced when we went to Bogota. A quick google seems to indicate that altitude sickness from flying is a thing for some people. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/really-flying-can-cause-mountain-sickness/ https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/really-flying-can-...

ghaff 9y ago
It wouldn't shock me. Cabin pressurization depends on the plane--maybe the airline(?)--but my understanding is that it's to about 6K to 8K feet. In other words, higher than Denver but lower than Quito or many US West ski areas. Serious altitude sickness does happen in Colorado. I've heard of it happening in Denver itself but it's at least rare. I'm not sure it's a likely explanation but it's at least possible.
- tpkj 9y ago
  From the World Health Organization: > "Although aircraft cabins are pressurized, cabin air pressure at cruising altitude is lower than air pressure at sea level. At typical cruising altitudes in the range 11 000–12 200 m (36 000–40 000 feet), air pressure in the cabin is equivalent to the outside air pressure at 1800–2400 m (6000–8000 feet) above sea level. As a consequence, less oxygen is taken up by the blood (hypoxia) and gases within the body expand. The effects of reduced cabin air pressure are usually well tolerated by healthy passengers." http://www.who.int/ith/mode_of_travel/cab/en/ http://www.who.int/ith/mode_of_travel/cab/en/ While the NY Times blog link earlier in this chain of comments had a recommendation about reducing cabin air pressure to 6,000 ft, I question how useful that is, since for those susceptible to altitude sickness, 6,000 feet is going to be enough to trigger symptoms for many. These next two articles are not devoted to airline travel per se, but about high altitude related sickness. From "Preparing for Safe Travel to High Altitude", by Paul Anderson, M.D. > "High Altitude Illnesses (HAI) include Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), and High-Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). The symptoms of AMS are typically felt by most people when they arrive at a new altitude, but the symptoms are usually self limiting (e.g. 1st 3-5 days at high altitude). The exact mechanisms of AMS remain unclear, however symptoms tend to be the most prevalent 1-2 days after arrival at elevation. The most common symptoms include a headache, gastrointestinal upset, feelings of fatigue, dizziness, and sleep disruption. ..." http://www.mayo.edu/research/documents/preparing-for-safe-travelpdf/doc-10026905 http://www.mayo.edu/research/documents/preparing-for-safe-tr... From "Altitude-Related Illnesses", Mayo Clinic Preceedings: > "... An estimated 30 million people are at risk for altitude related illnesses in the western United States annually. Many cases are unrecognized by the victims and by their physicians who may attribute symptoms to viral illness, “hangover,” or fatigue. In addition, commercial airline travel exposes passengers to a cabin pressure equivalent of 2,500 m and allows them to travel rapidly to high altitude destinations such as Aspen or Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where they may be exposed to even greater altitudes. ... The rate of ascent and a prior history of altitude illness are the major determinants of a person's susceptibility to altitude illness. Aerobic fitness does not correlate with the likelihood of acquiring AMS." (See especially the symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness in this article.) http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)63396-X/fulltext http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)6...