RBC blood test results - need some input

[Stagman]

Hi.

Currently on 100mg (50mg E3.5D) per week of Sustanon 250. Been on it for approx 1 yr.

Just had some bloods done to check the RBC, and it's come back as high:

Red blood cell count 5.58 10*12/L [4.5 - 5.5]

The rest are here if you're interested:



Full blood count
Total white blood count 6.1 10*9/L [4.0 - 10.0]
Red blood cell count 5.58 10*12/L [4.5 - 5.5]
Above high reference limit
Haemoglobin concentration 161 g/L [130.0 - 170.0]
Haematocrit 0.472 [0.4 - 0.5]
Mean cell volume 85 fL [83.0 - 101.0]
Mean cell haemoglobin level 28.9 pg [27.0 - 32.0]
Platelet count - observation 220 10*9/L [150.0 - 410.0]
Neutrophil count 3.23 10*9/L [2.0 - 7.0]
Lymphocyte count 2.14 10*9/L [1.0 - 3.0]
Monocyte count - observation 0.41 10*9/L [0.2 - 1.0]
Eosinophil count - observation 0.22 10*9/L [0.02 - 0.5]
Basophil count 0.09 10*9/L [0.0 - 0.1]
Nucleated red blood cell count 0.00 10*9/L



I'm concerned re possible Polycythemia, so would like some input. Btw, I've donated blood several times over the year and it seems to stay high. I also don't want to keep donating as my ferritin levels are low (donating blood does this).

Thanks!

 

[IMT staff]

Your RBC is barely over the range and your HCT is fine. You def do not have polycythemia. Be careful donating too much, you will get an iron deficiency.

Hope this helps.

 

[Entourage_Doc]

Agreed once again with IMT, no polycythemia my friend. You are considered stable.

Dr. B

 

[Stagman]

That's a relief! Thanks for taking a look and replying.

 

[Stagman]

Your RBC is barely over the range and your HCT is fine. You def do not have polycythemia. Be careful donating too much, you will get an iron deficiency.

Hope this helps.

Does the risk of iron def also apply to the plasma only donations, where they just take out the platelets?

 

[IMT staff]

Does the risk of iron def also apply to the plasma only donations, where they just take out the platelets?

Well the studies are mixed on it, one study shows an increase in HB, HCT and WBC after plateletapheresis. But other studies including the 2009 study here showed them all going down.

So my point is its up in the air if platelet will reduce HCT for you, but if it does then yes it allows you to donate more often. Red Cross says if you donate platelets 10 times a year you are a frequent donor as opposed to 4 times per year with whole blood.

So yes there is less risk of iron deficiency with platelet only donation but it may not lower your HCT which is usually the goal.

But...... unless you are getting over 51 or 52 regularly I would not donate just because.

Hope this helps.

 

[daleb]

Good stuff IMT.

Plateletaphresis only works when the aphresis machine is old, and your HCT is 51 or lower. Why? Because the old machines arent very good at spinning out the platelets and consequently damage the RBC's causing them to die prematurely. Almost all of the regional blood banks have newer machines which are much more efficient. So plateletaphresis wont always work. Secondly, HCT has to be under 51 because the older machines are just not efficient enough to spin out the platelets so it kinda gums the machine up, and the platelets come out of the machine red. I have bloodwork to prove both of these if anyone is interested. I found a donation center at a cancer hospital with an older machine and was able to donate doubles which caused a 5-6% drop in hematocrit.

Lastly, Polycythemia Vera is a rare disorder where the bone marrow makes inappropriate amounts of RBCs. In these people, serum erythropoiten will be below labrange. The prescence of a Jak2v617f or Jak2 exon12 genetic mution. High hematocrit and hemoglobin are not really enough to base a diagnosis on unless hemoglobin gets to 18.5 and hematocrit gets to 55.5. Now, if you decide to get a referral to a hemotologist based on ur current labs insurance will not pay for it, and you will be stuck with a 500-700 dollar bill, and will probably be talked into unnecessary testing(jak2 mution or bone marrow biopsy). There is nothing in your labwork that screams polycythemia, just androgen induced erythrocytosis. Sleep apnea needs to be ruled out, and sleep oxygen desaturation needs to be ruled out. Clinically hypoxia is when o2 saturation goes below 88% for a significant period of time, what i can tell you from personal experience that an AVERAGE o2 for the entire night of less than 95% will stimulate red blood cell production even if o2 saturatione does not fall below 88%.

 

[AverageMan]

Hi.

Currently on 100mg (50mg E3.5D) per week of Sustanon 250. Been on it for approx 1 yr.

Just had some bloods done to check the RBC, and it's come back as high:

Red blood cell count 5.58 10*12/L [4.5 - 5.5]

The rest are here if you're interested:



Full blood count
Total white blood count 6.1 10*9/L [4.0 - 10.0]
Red blood cell count 5.58 10*12/L [4.5 - 5.5]
Above high reference limit
Haemoglobin concentration 161 g/L [130.0 - 170.0]
Haematocrit 0.472 [0.4 - 0.5]
Mean cell volume 85 fL [83.0 - 101.0]
Mean cell haemoglobin level 28.9 pg [27.0 - 32.0]
Platelet count - observation 220 10*9/L [150.0 - 410.0]
Neutrophil count 3.23 10*9/L [2.0 - 7.0]
Lymphocyte count 2.14 10*9/L [1.0 - 3.0]
Monocyte count - observation 0.41 10*9/L [0.2 - 1.0]
Eosinophil count - observation 0.22 10*9/L [0.02 - 0.5]
Basophil count 0.09 10*9/L [0.0 - 0.1]
Nucleated red blood cell count 0.00 10*9/L



I'm concerned re possible Polycythemia, so would like some input. Btw, I've donated blood several times over the year and it seems to stay high. I also don't want to keep donating as my ferritin levels are low (donating blood does this).

Thanks!

I've been on trt for a few years now and my blood work looks identical to yours. RBC is always slightly over range donating whole blood 4-5 times a year

My TRT doc says the danger zone is over 6 for RBC. 5.58 is perfectly fine.

 

[Entourage_Doc]

yes, 5.58 is fine. We make sure to keep under 6.5 on the highest end.

Dr. B