Hematocrit (HCT) and time taken to reduce it

[Reverso007]

Hey guys.

Bloods came back 2 weeks ago. Was extremely hydrated prior to testing. Drink about 3.5L of water a day.
HCT: 57%
RBC: 6.5
Hb: 17
MCHC: Lower than reference range
Mean cell HB: lower than reference range
RDW: Higher than reference range

Took a pint of blood the week after
and 300mL this week.

On average, how many points do you guys go down when you donate a pint of blood?
And when do you guys get bloods done to check progress after donating?

 

[grey]

On average, how many points do you guys go down when you donate a pint of blood?

It is going to vary a ton by individual.

And when do you guys get bloods done to check progress after donating?

Waiting more than a week or two is going to be a bit pointless.

 

[Reverso007]

It is going to vary a ton by individual.


Waiting more than a week or two is going to be a bit pointless.

Ah so better get it this week is what you're saying right?

As well as that, do you yourself use any supplementation to prevent it from increasing rapidly while on cycle?

 

[grey]

Ah so better get it this week is what you're saying right?

That is my preference but as long as you keep the delay in testing consistent with your therapeutic phlebotomy you should able to judge effectiveness over time pretty well.

As well as that, do you yourself use any supplementation to prevent it from increasing rapidly while on cycle?

I do not, but again the effects of AAS on HCT/RBC seem to vary dramatically from person to person.

Were mine to get any higher than yours are right now (and if phlebotomy failed to help significantly) my course of treatment would be to lower my AAS dosing to the bare maintenance minimums for a few months.

This isn't a deal breaker for me because neither BB nor PL are my living and I don't compete. For those making their living this way it is a much more difficult decision.

 

[Iron_Yuppie]

On average, how many points do you guys go down when you donate a pint of blood?

That’s not the question you want answered. What you want to know is how durable the drop is two weeks after donation. If you went from 57–>53 from one donation but were back at 56 two weeks later then that brief dip was meaningless. How quickly you go back up after a donation is the sticky problem, and that will be dictated by what drugs you’re taking.

 

[grey]

If you went from 57–>53 from one donation but were back at 56 two weeks later then that brief dip was meaningless

A very solid point.

 

[Reverso007]

That’s not the question you want answered. What you want to know is how durable the drop is two weeks after donation. If you went from 57–>53 from one donation but were back at 56 two weeks later then that brief dip was meaningless. How quickly you go back up after a donation is the sticky problem, and that will be dictated by what drugs you’re taking.

Great point.

Have come off cold turkey for 2 weeks now. Nothing injected. Blast was test 500 for 30 weeks.

hopefully cruise dose of test 150ish would not spike the values for a while.

Thinking I'll test HCT tomorrow and then retest in 2 weeks.

 

[Bumpygooch]

I’m at the point where I donate every 4 weeks. HGB shoots up quickly. This protocol was approved by my hematologist. Take that as you will.

 

[Reverso007]

I’m at the point where I donate every 4 weeks. HGB shoots up quickly. This protocol was approved by my hematologist. Take that as you will.

Oh I see, yeah I might need to be doing that depending on what my labs come back as. Surprised my haematocrit shot so high up in such a small time frame.

What do you do to prevent lowering your ferritin, or does this not happen for you?

Do you supplement with iron?

 

[guyfawkes1010]

Oh I see, yeah I might need to be doing that depending on what my labs come back as. Surprised my haematocrit shot so high up in such a small time frame.

What do you do to prevent lowering your ferritin, or does this not happen for you?

Do you supplement with iron?

30 weeks is quick to you? Unless I've misunderstood this situation?

For instance my hct went from about 45-48 to 52 in just 8 weeks of 100mg/week trt. That's quick to me lol.

 

[Reverso007]

30 weeks is quick to you? Unless I've misunderstood this situation?

For instance my hct went from about 45-48 to 52 in just 8 weeks of 100mg/week trt. That's quick to me lol.

Oh damn now that’s even more quick.

How often do you donate?

 

[guyfawkes1010]

Oh damn now that’s even more quick.

How often do you donate?

So far once after that latest blood draw that showed 52%. Will know if it's effective probably within a few weeks. Have my first follow up with urologist soon.

Since I just started trt back up it may be a transient elevation but it was a side effect I had first time on trt too.

RBC is slightly elevated as well. Platelets are fine so not worried about stroking out.

 

[grey]

Blast was test 500 for 30 weeks.

lol wut?

Serious dude. 7 months is not a short cycle or even a long cycle.

That is way WAAAY long for a blast.

No wonder you ended up that high on the scale.

Give your body some breaks in between blasts and don't go that long on a blast without expecting ever increasing health issues.

 

[OnTRT]

Even with my test levels on TRT as low as mid 500's, my hct climbs to 59. It's 57 as of two days ago and that's less than 12 weeks after donating. Doesn't matter if t level is 500's, 800's, 1100's, 1800's. Same HCT

The other mystery is why my t levels have been cut in half on TRT.

 

[guyfawkes1010]

Even with my test levels on TRT as low as mid 500's, my hct climbs to 59. It's 57 as of two days ago and that's less than 12 weeks after donating. Doesn't matter if t level is 500's, 800's, 1100's, 1800's. Same HCT

The other mystery is why my t levels have been cut in half on TRT.

Damn that sucks have you tried double red donations?

 

[OnTRT]

Damn that sucks have you tried double red donations?

Nah, just donating a pint crashes my ferritin. My hct had gotten to 52 before I went on TRT.

 

[Bumpygooch]

Oh I see, yeah I might need to be doing that depending on what my labs come back as. Surprised my haematocrit shot so high up in such a small time frame.

What do you do to prevent lowering your ferritin, or does this not happen for you?

Do you supplement with iron?

No issues with ferritin/iron

 

[Monkipalo]

Oh I see, yeah I might need to be doing that depending on what my labs come back as. Surprised my haematocrit shot so high up in such a small time frame.

What do you do to prevent lowering your ferritin, or does this not happen for you?

Do you supplement with iron?

Do not supplement w iron, it will be even worse. Btw a way to control RBC count is avoiding red meats, it shoots up hematocrit when combined w androgens.

 

[juicebro]

I never donate. Telmisartan keeps my hct low. One of the lesser known effects of ARBs.

 

[Bumpygooch]

I never donate. Telmisartan keeps my hct low. One of the lesser known effects of ARBs.

Anecdotal….I run 80mg/day on blasts(light), does C-O-C-K, makes zero difference. Still donate every 4 weeks. In controlled trials, those results were observed in like 1.2% of patients….insignificant. Your results are correlative. Enjoy it.