Epilepsy at altitude

Hi

i have epilepsy and have been seizure free for a few years, there were all at night. I plan on climbing Kilimanjaro, wear altitude sickness will be a factor.  Is it a definite that i will get High altitude cerebral edema as i am epileptic, or does it effect non-epileptics too?

Thanks

[caregiver222]

It is inadviseable for you to go to a high altitude environment. Hypoxia is an established trigger for an epileptic seizure and many normal individuals will seize when in such an environment. It is not certain you will have a seizure, however the threshold of sensitivity will be affected.

If you want to test the theory get permission from the FAA to attend a course in which you sit in their high altitude chamber with reduced oxygen content and see if you have a seizure.

[andrewm84]

Thankyou very much for your responce. Its given me a lot to think about.
Is it common for people to use FAA equipment to test such theories? Do you know of any contacts within the FAA that i could liase with regarding a possible test?

Andrew

[caregiver222]

The access to the high-altitude chamber was at one time simply a matter of waiting for an open slot. Contact the FAA aeromedical certification offie at Oklahoma city by e-mail.

When I went through the chamber they have you write the answers to simple questions. Everything seems normal. Then afterwards you see your handwriting deteriorates significantly with the hypoxia, which you don't realize at the time.

[caregiver222]

Another possibility is to hire a pilot with an unpressurized four-place twin engine aircraft with a service ceiling equivelant to the mountains you anticipate climbing.  The wears a mask and you don't. With this option you could stay aloft for at least three to four hours, depending on fuel onboard, which is more time then they schedule in the FAA program.

In the United States you could accomplish this by simply showing up at an small airport. There are no special requirements for such a flight except the pilot must hold an instrument rating and obtain a routine clearance from air traffic control. You can notify the FAA general aviatioon district office before hand and they will reserve airspace in a race-track pattern, if you prefer not to go cross-country.