Trip to Ladakh, Please Supervise my Packing List

lehlover

3 Pairs of Jeans & 4-5 T-Shirts / Belts / Socks (Woollen and Nylon/Cotton) / Boxers / Toothbrush / Tongue Cleaner / Googles / Cap / Leather Glooves very IMP if we go by bike / Bath Towel and 2 Small Towels / One bed linen / 1 warm chaddar / Body Warmer Like Amul or others (Top & Bottom) / Good Jacket / Preferably Anklets. Good Grip Necessary. Prefer Branded shoes like Woodland only, as Ladakh is rough terrain if shoes are damaged it will be very troublesome to find good ones there / Take Rainproof Top & Bottom as we may cross rain in Manali. Also few low areas may be filled with water in Ladakh / MP3 Player / Comb / Tooth Paste / Shampoo / Swiss Army Knife / Thread and Needle / Toilet Paper / Soap / Hair Oil / Sun screen lotion with SPF-40 or higher / Torch and extra battery / Candle / Match Stick / Locks / Duct Tape / Lip Balm / Moisturizer / Metacin / Crosin / Eno / Diagine / Laxative / Band Aid / Diamox / Glucon D / Dettol or Savlon / Disprin / Soframicyn / Burnol / Cotton Roll / Cotton Gauze / Roll to tie wounds / Rope to tie bag or something else / Spanner Set / Biscuits / Chocolates / Toffees / Ready to Eat Soup and other food items / Digital Camera


Anything left out. Please let me know ?

Bhaswaran

Take also the homeopathic Coca 6x. It is effective in high altitudes. It is better about side effects, at least better than the Diamox. Start taking two globules two times daily two days before starting your journey.

Wish you happy journey and do share the pics after your journey

lehlover

Thank you for your suggestion.

1) What are the side effects of Diamox?

2) What are side effects of Coca 6x?

3) Where can I find Coca 6x? Is it available in Manali/Leh? Do you know the complete scientific name of it or is it complete name?

I know a wholeseller of a homeopathic drugs. Should I ask for coca 6x or something else. What is dosage (I couldn't understand globules)?

Bhaswaran

You will find this useful. I found it on net. ALthough you are not a trekker, you are more prone to Altitude Sickness and you will be gaining height quickly by motorcycle and will have less time to acclimitize.


Altitude Sickness and Side Effects of Diamox

Travelers who take on popular treks like the Annapurna Circuit, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Machu Picchu/Inca Trail should be well versed in altitude sickness before their trip. Altitude sickness, also called mountain sickness, is the name given to the negative effects of altitude experienced by those at high elevation. Anyone can get altitude sickness, no matter the age or level of fitness. Trekkers should be on the lookout for symptoms anywhere above 8,000 feet. They can show up 8-36 hours after ascent and include:


Headache
Nausea or vomiting
Insomnia
Lack of appetite

At its mildest form, altitude sickness is referred to as acute altitude sickness. Symptoms of illness usually disappear after descending around 3000 feet. People who show signs of altitude sickness should NOT continue to climb. Further ascent can lead to HAPE (High Altitude Pulmonary Edema) or HACE (High Altitude Cerebral Edema), both of which have been known to result in death.

Symptoms of HAPE and HACE include:


Difficulty breathing
Lethargy
Confusion
Unsteady gait

The best way to avoid altitude sickness is to take as much time as possible to allow yourself to acclimatize. According to this excellent article, when you climb above 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), your sleeping elevation should not increase any more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) per night. For every 3000 feet (1000 meters), spend a second night at the same elevation.

There are a few other things you can do to help your body cope with the lower levels of oxygen - avoid alcohol, drink plenty of water and make sure you are keeping your body properly fueled with light meals. Many trekkers also give themselves a boost with prescriptions such as Diamox.

Traditionally, Diamox has been prescribed to treat glaucoma, epilepsy, and fluid retention. However, researchers also discovered that it can be used to treat the symptoms of mountain sickness, especially for those with a rapid ascent. Because many climbers who attempt to summit Kili are doing so in as little time as possible, it is a common prescription on the mountain.

The medicine is usually taken twice a day, 12 hours apart. Prescribed treatment should start 24 to 48 hours before ascent, however, many people in my group did not start taking the medicine until they started to feel ill. If you decide to hold off on treatment, know that it requires time to get into your bloodstream, so you are taking a chance of not feeling well soon enough. I began taking Diamox 24 hours before the start of my climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro. My dosage was 500 mg. twice a day, although others were as low as 175 mg. Medical websites suggest 500-1,000 mg. a day when used for altitude sickness.

Please note that you cannot take high doses of aspirin with Diamox, and that you must descend if you experience symptoms of acute altitude sickness. Diamox does not ensure that you will be able to appropriately adjust to altitude - it is only an aid that allows your body to acclimatize faster.

Diamox has a number of side effects, the most common of which are listed below. Most issues occur within the first few days of taking the drug. I experienced most of them.

Diamox Side Effects


Frequent Urination: Like coffee, Diamox is a diuretic. As it is prescribed for those with fluid retention, it's no wonder that you have to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes.

Tingly hands/feet (parethesias): Occasionally, my hands would get the 'pins and needles' feeling. Even more disquieting were the 'hot spots' that I felt on my feet.

Loss of Appetite: I was always hungry, but others had an strong disinterest in food.

Taste Alteration: Sodas and other foods can taste differently due to Diamox. I did not experience this.

Internal Distress: This includes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. These are also side effects of altitude sickness, so it can be difficult to pinpoint the culprit.

Drowsiness and Confusion: Perhaps the oddest side affect I experienced - on the first day of the climb, I felt, at points, as if I was hiking after having a few drinks. Things seemed out of place and it would have been very difficult to continue climbing had this side effect endured.

When climbing to high altitudes, the most important thing to remember is that no climb is worth compromising your life. Watch for signs of altitude sickness, ascend slowly and enjoy the trek!




On the other hand, like other homeopathic medicines, Coca 6x have almost no side effects or even if, they are of no significance.

Coca is probably a derivative of cocaine but do not panic. This is not cocaine or neither it will have such effect on you. Many homeopathic drugs are derivative of such things and believe me, they are pretty effective.

Coca is the name of the medicine and 6x is the strength.

I think you will not get the globules from the wholesaler. generally, the liquid drug is poured in a specific amount in a bottle of globules, and it is done by the local homeopathic medicine shop or the practitioner himself. You can also use the liquid form if you get it in a small bottle from the wholesaler, and take 2-3 drops two times daily.

regards,

Bhaswaran

lehlover

Thanks for everything. It was great.

I shall contact homeo doctor itself for the medicine.

Now anything else the you find missing in my list?

Mickey S

Nothing major missing, but too many pairs of jeans, too many t-shirts and too many towels!

You probably won't need your MP3 player, either - I always pack mine and it always remains untouched.

What about chargers - for your camera, MP3 player, toothbrush, etc? And a plug adapter.

A Pritt stick to stick stamps on postcards.

Map.

Oh... and some industrial-strength antibiotics, just in case. My travel clinic gave (sold) me two huge tabs of ciprofloxacin, and I'm glad they did. I felt like crap for two days in Kaza last week and those tablets sorted me out overnight.

Aditya59

lots of things are missng in medicnes
rallispray
crape band
paracitamol
voveron SR
rentidine
Small LED head-torch with flashing indication
Either keep two mobiles with diffrent service providers or at least keep a dummy SIM card with all important numbers stored on it

Mickey S

All you need is a sonic screwdriver. They're brill.

lehlover

Paracetamonl = Metacin

Rest is great. Thank you.

lehlover

What is it?