A partnership with Ifremmont, a training and research institute in mountain medicine
I attach great importance to health and the smooth running of a trip. This is why trips to high altitudes are organised in partnership
with a tour operator based in Nepal and managed by long-time Tibetan friends,
with doctors specialised in altitude and isolated environments from Ifremmont, the institute for training and research in mountain medicine.
Although on each of these high altitude trips a local guide is in charge of the trip, I myself am present and will be trained in March 2018 as an "Ifremmont medical correspondent".
Safety services and equipment during the trip
The safety services and equipment that accompany us during the trip consist of
24/7 contact by telephone with a specialised Ifremmont doctor for any health problems during the trip
a first-aid kit adapted to the altitude environment to treat most cases,
a hyperbaric chamber,
a satellite telephone.
Your membership to the SOS MAM service is included in these trips.
It is important to be ready to act during the trip, but it is also essential to prevent. To this end, each person participating in these trips above 3000 m of altitude will benefit from :
a preventive tele-consultation of about half an hour with an Ifremmont altitude specialist in order to take stock of your general condition and, if necessary, to organise your complementary assessment. You can take advantage of this time to ask any questions you may have. This preventive consultation is not compulsory but is strongly recommended. This is why VoyagesBienEtre.com will cover the costs.
registration on the Ifremmont servers in order to fill in an online medical file, strictly confidential and secure, thus allowing the Ifremont doctors to get to know you better in case of a problem. The completion of this file is imperative to ensure maximum safety during the trip.
Please note that this service is not a substitute for your assistance / health repatriation insurance.
Altitude
It is often said, but not true, that we go to the mountains to breathe in air! While it is true that the air is less polluted, the oxygen pressure in the ambient air decreases as the altitude rises (by a third at 3500 metres, by half at 5500 metres, and by two-thirds at the summit of Everest).
It is this reduction in the amount of oxygen available that can cause discomfort at first, then minor accidents (acute mountain sickness), and finally serious accidents (pulmonary oedema and high altitude cerebral oedema).
AMS can occur during an ascent, but also on arrival at an airport or city located at more than 3500 metres (La Paz in Bolivia, Cuzco in Peru or Lhasa in Tibet for example).
Who should attend the mountain medicine consultation?
Any person preparing for a stay at an altitude of more than 3,000 metres for the first time.
Any person suffering from a chronic illness likely to be decompensated by altitude.
Any person following a particular medical treatment.
Anyone who has suffered from a medical problem linked to altitude.
Anyone who works at altitude on a regular basis.
Any person in charge of a trekking group or expedition at altitude, who is able to become a medical interlocutor.
Anyone who is eager to learn and wants to give themselves the maximum chance of a successful stay.
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