dumb question for smokers about altitude.

laladypoet

I am going to colorado Nov. 1 and our cabin is at 9200 feet above sea level. my H and I have been smokers for years, although in the last few months it's tapered down to just social smoking (twice a week or so). but it's still a lot of smoking.
we decided to not smoke between now and our vacation. will that even help? or are the years of smoking going to make for a shiitty vacation?
I tried google, but could only pull up stuff about smoking weed in the mountains and how great it is. meh.

laladypoet

and I see now that we're in the middle of FFF. carry on.

louisvillebride21

Smoking weed in the mts? Huh.

ohwhynot

I don't think it'll make much difference one way or another.   I've been to Colorado as a smoker and I wasn't noticeably more out of breath than anyone else.  I didn't notice any difficulty breathing at all, actually. 

laladypoet

THAT'S NOT HELPING MEEEE!!!one!!

laladypoet

ahem, that outburst wasn't to you OWN

kikibaby

I don't know anything about smoking, but where in CO are you going? 

akhensley81

I've never really noticed a difference at high altitudes... I'm a smoker. I've spent time in a couple of different high altitude places for vacations and such. I did notice I would get short of breath a little easier, but not a huge difference. My skin getting superdry was the bigger problem for me.

SEWF

When I went to Colorado with a friend who smokes, he didn't have any problems. Granted, was raised in Denver, but hadn't been there for a long time. He seemed fine the entire time.

sarah0725

FI and I aren't smokers, but he has to travel a couple of times a year to Salt Lake City for skating and sometimes I go with him, and we've both had some altitude sickness: dizziness, nausea, etc. It generally shows up around the fourth or fifth day and hangs around for a day or so, but we've found that drinking lots of fluids and such helps.

laladypoet

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dumb-question-smokers-altitude?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8cf10975-d044-4fe3-b4c5-10db52305236Post:8f8db541-0012-439f-b655-ea9aa7f4cfac">Re: dumb question for smokers about altitude.</a>:
[QUOTE]I don't know anything about smoking, but where in CO are you going? 
Posted by kikibaby[/QUOTE]
copied from the website:
<font size="2" color="#330099">46 Miles West of Colorado Springs 5 Miles North of Cripple Creek

and now my font is blue. dang.
</font>

laladypoet

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dumb-question-smokers-altitude?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8cf10975-d044-4fe3-b4c5-10db52305236Post:0d702706-763d-457b-af92-f20b86cf54e5">Re: dumb question for smokers about altitude.</a>:
[QUOTE]FI and I aren't smokers, but he has to travel a couple of times a year to Salt Lake City for skating and sometimes I go with him, and we've both had some altitude sickness: dizziness, nausea, etc. It generally shows up around the fourth or fifth day and hangs around for a day or so, but we've found that drinking lots of fluids and such helps.
Posted by sarah0725[/QUOTE]
oy. well, we'll only be there for three nights, so hopefully we can skip out before it hits!

sarah0725

Sounds like a good plan. When we went last Christmas, I was just starting to get it when we left, so I think I dodged a bullet.

kikibaby

Word, sounds like around... Manitou Springs or something?  Very pretty up there, but it's probably gonna be cold!  If you like gambling, that's what they do in Cripple Creek. 

laladypoet

I've never gambled. true story. I may have to try it.
I'm most looking forward to the hot tub with the view.

LesPaul

Manitou is next to Colorado Springs. 
You will probably feel the elevation whether you smoke or not - it takes several months to completely acclimate.  Shortness of breath, maybe a little lightheaded.  Headaches are very common and cured with drinking lots of water.  It's also very dry here, so you will definitely feel the difference in the humidity.

laladypoet

so, chances are my vacation won't suck balls?

LesPaul

Nope - you'll be fine.  Enjoy!

Wrkn925

We went to Gatlinburg.  It's in the Smokey Mountains, and I smoked.  I didn't notice any difference.

Of course, besides walking around to the shops, we spent most of the time drunk in the cabin, so I didn't get too out of breath.

ohwhynot

I think your vacation sounds great.  And I also say smoke 'em if you got 'em.  I mean, if you want to quit and are ready to quit, great, but if not, why make yourself miserable for a negligible benefit on your vacation?

laladypoet

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dumb-question-smokers-altitude?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8cf10975-d044-4fe3-b4c5-10db52305236Post:407994be-010c-4b44-b05f-0cac8862ee57">Re: dumb question for smokers about altitude.</a>:
[QUOTE]We went to Gatlinburg.  It's in the Smokey Mountains, and I smoked.  I didn't notice any difference. Of course, besides walking around to the shops, we spent most of the time drunk in the cabin, so I didn't get too out of breath.
Posted by Wrkn925[/QUOTE]
that's what our plan is too. :D

laladypoet

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dumb-question-smokers-altitude?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8cf10975-d044-4fe3-b4c5-10db52305236Post:2e4685c9-4ad8-4324-a6e1-6de382cca134">Re: dumb question for smokers about altitude.</a>:
[QUOTE]I think your vacation sounds great.  And I also say smoke 'em if you got 'em.  I mean, if you want to quit and are ready to quit, great, but if not, why make yourself miserable for a negligible benefit on your vacation?
Posted by ohwhynot[/QUOTE]
awesome, thanks :)

Wrkn925

Off-topic

I went to see a Ear, Nose, Throat specialist. 
She found out I smoked, her response: "Well, let's try this antibiotic, it works better for smokers."

I wanted to kiss her.  Thank you for not talking to me like I'm a two-year old and handing me a pamphlet on quitting smoking.  I'm an adult, I can read the warnings, I know what I'm doing and I'll quit when I want to.
::crosses arms and stomps foot::

laladypoet

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dumb-question-smokers-altitude?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8cf10975-d044-4fe3-b4c5-10db52305236Post:44294a12-7376-4190-8b9a-fce789339714">Re: dumb question for smokers about altitude.</a>:
[QUOTE]Off-topic I went to see a Ear, Nose, Throat specialist.  She found out I smoked, her response: "Well, let's try this antibiotic, it works better for smokers." I wanted to kiss her.  Thank you for not talking to me like I'm a two-year old and handing me a pamphlet on quitting smoking.  I'm an adult, I can read the warnings, I know what I'm doing and I'll quit when I want to. ::crosses arms and stomps foot::
Posted by Wrkn925[/QUOTE]

no chit, man. I work at a university, so I'm about 10 years older than most of these people. I was taking a smoke break about a year ago, and this girl walks past me and asked me if I'd read the paper that day. I said "no," thinking she was going to tell me something interesting. she goes, "it has some really interesting things about smoking, you should check it out."
eat me, little one.

Wrkn925

Lala, I just looked at your mawwied.

You got mawwied on my burfday. :-) 

BTW, any plans for the anniversary?

Celles

I'll admit I give my birth mom a hard time about smoking.  I know she's an adult and I should just shut up about it, but I can't seem to censor myself when she lights up in front of me.  I think it bothers me in her case, especially, since both of her kids started smoking as teenagers, and her response at the time was "well, I do it, so I can't tell them not to."  Parenting fail. 

laladypoet

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dumb-question-smokers-altitude?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8cf10975-d044-4fe3-b4c5-10db52305236Post:de7ac165-6cf3-4e7b-8822-95b0d0d996cb">Re: dumb question for smokers about altitude.</a>:
[QUOTE]Lala, I just looked at your mawwied. You got mawwied on my burfday. :-)  BTW, any plans for the anniversary?
Posted by Wrkn925[/QUOTE]
aw! the colorado trip is basically for our anniversary. although we may go stay at the place where we got married on oct 25.

laladypoet

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dumb-question-smokers-altitude?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8cf10975-d044-4fe3-b4c5-10db52305236Post:518fc75f-4a27-449f-9265-3b246bacd481">Re: dumb question for smokers about altitude.</a>:
[QUOTE]I'll admit I give my birth mom a hard time about smoking.  I know she's an adult and I should just shut up about it, but I can't seem to censor myself when she lights up in front of me.  I think it bothers me in her case, especially, since both of her kids started smoking as teenagers, and her response at the time was "well, I do it, so I can't tell them not to."  Parenting fail. 
Posted by Celles[/QUOTE]
telling your parents that you're concerned about them smoking is different than going up to a total stranger, though.

Celles

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dumb-question-smokers-altitude?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:8cf10975-d044-4fe3-b4c5-10db52305236Post:7ea85f30-d8d1-4e51-b91c-09ea8020ec2f">Re: dumb question for smokers about altitude.</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: dumb question for smokers about altitude. : telling your parents that you're concerned about them smoking is different than going up to a total stranger, though.
Posted by laladypoet[/QUOTE]

True.  That was unbelievably rude of her. 

stillundecided4

If you're looking for more smoking advice, my husband is a heavy smoker. We live in PA and go out west every winter to ski. We stayed at 9,000+ft one year. He DID have a hard time breathing. He blames the smoking, I blame him being out of shape. So, I guess that really didn't help.

Have fun and smoke away! You'll adjust and if not, drink another beer.

MattsPenguin

I went snowshoe hiking in Yellowstone a few years ago, and I was dying hiking at that altitude  (I'm not a smoker).  But two of the guys are in the group, who were smokers, were just fine.

No personal experience, but probably no issues.