High Elevation

[Niceguy]

Hello All

Could you help me out with some information?

I just got back from a three day trip to a place about 2000 ft higher above sea level than where I live now
Here are some things I noticed

I was very tired up there
My heart rate stayed high the whole time
I could not sleep

When I got back down closer to Sea Level I felt much better and slept very well

Here are my questions ?

Does this have anything to do with Red Blood Cells ?

Do PWCs have a lower RBC than normal people?

Do PWCs compensate slower than normal to higher elevations?

Could this have something to do with air pressure?

Do any of you have this problem when you go to the mountains?

Do any of you notice you feel different when you change elevations?


Thanks

Steve

 

[alex3619]

Hi Steve,

CFS and possibly ME appear to be linked to poor oxygenation. We are likely to be more sensitive to oxygen pressure than most, but also less likely to easily die because we are preadapted to low oxygen. Even a short stay should start to improve blood cells numbers, so we could feel better. Please understand that this is just speculation, but it fits with what we know.

As to lower RBCs than the norm, the answer appears to be no and yes. No, because we have the same RBC concentration (but with higher numbers of young or deformed RBCs); and yes because we appear to have decreased blood volume. Same concentration with lower volume equals lower total numbers.

Bye
Alex