Travel to high altitude with lung condition: Need to take precautions?

@sistertwo- Good morning and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. What a great question. My problem is lung cancer and loss of lung tissue and COPD. A few years back I visited my son in Portland, OR and we drove up to Mt Hood. My O2 levels were ok but boy did I feel the altitude! I felt ill and my legs could barely climb the stairs. I did however acclimate and was able to walk around and look up at the top.

My suggestion is to talk with his Pulmonologist and see if additional O2 might help or be recommended. 91-92 is on the low side but still considered good. Are you flying or driving?

When I traveled to south america I too had a shortness of breath carrying my bags up 2 floors in hotel. I also noticed it when we were sightseeing and had to climb multiple flights of stairs in some churches or lookouts. So I did 3 things there was a leaf that I chewed on the locals swear by it but I'm dont remember what it was 2 you can buy bottled oxygen which I did and the most important and let me say this the most important was to listen to my body when I felt winded or starting to get shortness of breath I sat down and relaxed. my situation is a little different we went from minnesota altitude to 10000 feet over a month so I was able to acclimate myself but I still felt the effects. The people we meet FROM CA went from sea level to 8000 had a hard time also good luck relax and enjoy yourself and give your daughter plenty of hugs dave

Something else I should of mentioned in a post I just did was a finger o2 sensor the people from CA tried it when they were short of breath and o2 levels were in the dangerous levels that's when we used the bottled oxygen to get more o2 in their system good luck with Colorado you could drive back to lower altitudes in the Andes mtns that was a bit tougher dave

@davej- Your post is very much appreciated. The device, which I neglected to recommend, is called a pulse oximeter. I'm wondering if you have one @sistertwo?

We are driving. I wish he had a pulmonologists! I wish he could see a doctor. With the virus everything is being put off and since his procedure he has not had an actual heart or lung doctor (smaller community). If he can get in for an appointment before we go (in a month) I would feel so much better, but they quit taking non-emergency patients last March and currently the numbers of COVID have greatly increased in our area. I don't know what is the lessor of the two evils. Were we are traveling the rate is much lower, so that is comforting.
Anyway, yes we have a couple pulse oximeters and we check the levels daily, especially when we travel. When it is low I check mine, too, so I know if it is the environment of just him. At night his O2 goes quite low (concerning to me, brushed off by him).
Those O2 meters are awesome! He could never tell when his heart was beating really fast so if we would have had one when his heart rate was going crazy, he could have been treated before he got so bad. I since have sent several to family members when they or their spouse has had issues. They are a greatly appreciative gift.
Thank you for the link and your responds. Greatly appreciated.

@sistertwo- Ok, you are driving. I assume that your elevation is lower than CO's. So what I'm thinking is that as the elevation rises he'll have a chance to acclimate more. This might just help him. If you can't get in to see a pulmonologist before your trip then maybe if there's a problem you can see one in CO?

Thank you! We decided to make a loop trip and go down to TX to see our other daughter, too. Her work has a Ribbon Cutting ceremony for the hotel she manages so the timing works to see both of them.
I hadn't realized South Africa was a higher altitude, but an African Safari is on our bucket list. I don't suppose there is a leaf like that around here.
I have heard of even healthy people using O2 on their first night of being in the Vail/Avon area, but I don't know how it works. Does it require a mask? Is it something we should get here in Minnesota before we leave or wait until we get into CO? Do you return the bottles? Sorry for my ignorance on these things. We do use a finger monitor and he always stops when out of breath (which is often). He doesn't get any exercise, especially now when he doesn't even go into stores with me. His intentions are good, but......
Thank you!

@sistertwo- No apologies ever needed. Most people who carry oxygen with them have small tubes that fit into the nose and a long tube that connects to a small container. But there are now all sorts of different kinds of masks for sale. Perhaps a surgical supply store could help? You also will need to find out how much oxygen he will need- the saturation level, that is.

Yes I do have one I bought it at either walgreens or cvs for like 30 bucks well with it to just keep tabs on your body dave

My freinds with heart issues also have a watch that takes heart beat like an ekg he can send his results to the doctor from his watch he sent the heart issues he was having in mexico doctor here in minneapolis told him to see a doctor and what drugs to take to get him back to mn in a couple of days