Hct going up quick and ferritin tanked

mathews67

New Member
So I've been a cycle and watching labs closely because I feel im a high responder to hct rise from testosterone. Im currently on 350 test a week. 3iu gh daily. Now I know the correlation between ferritin and hct. I donated blood right twice right before I started blast which got hct down to 45 and ferritin in the 50 range. However rechecked 2 weeks later after noticing some face flushing and its cheap enough I figured why not. Now my hct is already at 50 and iron is down at 12. I dont think I have symptoms of low iron but not sure. I was very well hydrated before both of these tests. Do I need to stop blast or do you guys think it will be alright and recheck again in a couple weeks. Beginning to think it's not even worth it anymore because of how much much of a pain managing hct is while on test.
 

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If you are spooked by a 50 HCT, yeah. i personally dont care until it hits 57, at which point i would consider adding enalapril (decreases RBC production).

get yourself some if you plan on upping your Test dose, you wont have to deplete ferritin and it keeps HCT (and BP) down pretty well
 
lol I was thrilled when my hct dropped to 51 recently. 50 is fine but this is exactly why we should not donate too often and not use that to manage hct. Iron deficiency is a shit thing to deal with.
 
Im not so much concerned with the hct im a bit more concerned with my ferretin being bottomed out. I dont really have any symptoms yet but im worried if I keep up the blast I will tank my ferretin even more
 
Im not so much concerned with the hct im a bit more concerned with my ferretin being bottomed out. I dont really have any symptoms yet but im worried if I keep up the blast I will tank my ferretin even more
The blast didn't tank your ferritin. Donating did.
 
The blast didn't tank your ferritin. Donating did.
To be honest, both would. For Iron deficiency anemia patients taking oral iron, it takes a while for iron stores(ferritin) to actually rise(unless they get an iron infusion).

This is because the building blocks are being used to create red blood.

For someone on gear, I would expect for ferritin to be low if they bounce between donations and the body using the "building blocks"
 
The blast didn't tank your ferritin. Donating did.

To be honest, both would. For Iron deficiency anemia patients taking oral iron, it takes a while for iron stores(ferritin) to actually rise(unless they get an iron infusion).

This is because the building blocks are being used to create red blood.

For someone on gear, I would expect for ferritin to be low if they bounce between donations and the body using the "building blocks"
This was my thoughts after some more research. I didnt donate again after my ferritin was at 50. Sucks im such a high responder to this. I dont see anything I can do to get through a full cycle. I thought about keeping going because without iron I figure I cant make any more blood but also dont want to become anemic at the same time.
 
That's my problem too.
I supplement with Ferrochel and lactoferrin for months now, and ferritin is going up (it was at 6..)
RBC and HTC is up, but RDW is almost 20%.
It takes time..
 
To be honest, both would.
True, but one doing greater damage than the other. Plus, OP donated twice right before blast. Donation as a solution to fix marginally "high" hematocrit shouldn't be the recommendation anymore, rethinking the danger zone should. Mine's been solid so far (knock on wood) but i wouldnt even blink until it hit 56.
 
True, but one doing greater damage than the other. Plus, OP donated twice right before blast. Donation as a solution to fix marginally "high" hematocrit shouldn't be the recommendation anymore, rethinking the danger zone should. Mine's been solid so far (knock on wood) but i wouldnt even blink until it hit 56.
Next time I will try this and not donate prior to blast and see how it goes. I wasn't necessarily worried about the hct yet at all. Ive been much higher just on trt doses just figured since my hct is always on the higher side starting lower might be better. Probably have to wait a decent bit for everything to bounce back now
 
True, but one doing greater damage than the other. Plus, OP donated twice right before blast. Donation as a solution to fix marginally "high" hematocrit shouldn't be the recommendation anymore, rethinking the danger zone should. Mine's been solid so far (knock on wood) but i wouldnt even blink until it hit 56.
Agreed with that. I doubt flushing would be seen at 51 when upper limit is 50(on his reference range)
 
Agreed with that. I doubt flushing would be seen at 51 when upper limit is 50(on his reference range)
I dont think it was related just probably my anxiety and made me get labs done. I was in the 60s hct last year and that was my main symptom. That was also on only 100mg a week trt dose. Must just be sensitive to them
 
I dont think it was related just probably my anxiety and made me get labs done. I was in the 60s hct last year and that was my main symptom. That was also on only 100mg a week trt dose. Must just be sensitive to them
That's completely possible. Glad you are open to different views.
 
I dont think it was related just probably my anxiety and made me get labs done. I was in the 60s hct last year and that was my main symptom. That was also on only 100mg a week trt dose. Must just be sensitive to them
60s hct on 100mg trt is pretty crazy. Goes to show you always need to get your bloodwork done. Are you an older guy if you don’t mind me asking? What did you say were your main symptoms?
 
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60s hct on 100mg trt is pretty crazy. Goes to show you always need to get your bloodwork done. Are you an older guy if you don’t mind me asking? What did you say were your main symptoms?
Yea that was after about 9 months without labs doing trt. I would get winded easily and face would flush pretty bad
 
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