Altitude sickness + cough = kick my butt

Since returning to Cuenca on Sunday night I suffered from altitude sickness (AMS). When I thought about going to Montanita I didn’t consider the return elevation change from sea level to 8,400 feet. I didn’t consider it as I didn’t have AMS when I came here the first time. Well…. Turns out I didn’t have it because I had come from Quito (9,350) and prior to my arrival in Quito I took the proper AMS medication. Lesson 1.
Lesson 2. If you get AMS things are a little wobbly. Like when you get a sinus infection and then you stand up and there is a moment of dizzy? So that’s what I noticed first and I was really short of breath.
Woke up Monday morning and started a cough. Runny nose, headache, cough, sneeze, dizzy and tired from the AMS, cough, sleep, runny nose. Basically Monday was a blur. Tuesday, the cough remained, as did the AMS. I tried to eat meat and veggies (the food that increases red blood cells) but after a couple of bites it hit hard in my tummy.
It’s Wednesday the 29th, I leave for Panama City tomorrow at 5:45 am. Nothing is packed, and the apartment is a mess. Baby steps to get it done!Read more