Donating blood for TRT

[bobbythebody]

I've been on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for about a year and a half and donate blood at the Red Cross regularly. I'm curious if its beneficial to donate double red instead of the single unit. I'm O+ and they are always pushing for me to give doubles 3x a year. When they do doubles they filter rbc's and put the plasma back. Does anyone do doubles? Is it more sensible to do singles every 2 months or doubles every four?

 

[Mr P]

I haven't done double reds but I hear it's better than doing a single unit, good luck

 

[bobbythebody]

Thanks P, I think I will try it. At the very least its less pokes with those 18 or 20 gage pins they use.

 

[Megatron28]

I think they use a 16 gauge needle. Ouch!

 

[methos]

I asked a similar question a couple weeks back. My concern was that by waiting 4 months instead of 2, I would have more tendency for hemocrit levels to go above normal? I am curious if donating double reds would bring hemocrit even lower?? Last time I donated I pulled bloodwork before and after. My hemocrit went from 53% to 49.5%. Not trying to hijack your thread, just curious.

 

[methos]

Yah it was 16 gauge. Talk about core sampling.

 

[bobbythebody]

Highjack away.....that's my biggest concern too. I guess I'll give it a try and I'll try running some labs before and after to see how they look. I'm not sure now what my HCT levels are when I go but hemoglobin is usual around 17 to 17.5 witch isn't to bad. I usually run test only buy recently started using deca as well and both can cause an elevation.

 

[Megatron28]

When you guys do regular donations what type of change do you typically see in you RBC/Hematocrit levels? Just curious how effective donation blood it at lowering them.