Red Blood count
- Thread starter willie2
- Start date
Kristofer68ss
Squats and Deads S&M
who is "they"
many people including myself on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) do it regularly every 3-4 months.
Kristofer68ss
Squats and Deads S&M
who is "many people"
anyone from the scientific community lumped in there?
any blood panels to post up?
anyone from the scientific community lumped in there?
any blood panels to post up?
Where in my question does it say I'm worried about the blood draw....I asked about controlling the increase in RBC...always got to be someone making a smart ass comment....
Many people on trt. Trt patients. Google it, giving blood lowers your rbc thats why we all do it. You don't need scientific stuides for it, all you have to do is look at your rbc on your blood test before and after giving blood to see it's lowered. Plus, some doctors tell patients with high rbc to donate blood and write them scripts to get it done to lower it. What exactly are you asking? Do you not believe this? You need scientists to prove this to you?
why wouldn't you just ask your dr. if there's any other way? you thought it would be a better idea to go to the internet and ask a bunch of random people on a forum instead of a qualified professional such as your dr. ???
Kristofer68ss
Squats and Deads S&M
i have blood panels done twice a year and doc never once stated a word about my RBC, nor about giving blood, and my values are high.
she only mentions my creatinine and lipids.
i suggest OP ask doctor as well.
not the internet gurus up in here.
she only mentions my creatinine and lipids.
i suggest OP ask doctor as well.
not the internet gurus up in here.
not sure why i'm even doing this as it's common knowledge around these parts (unless you're living under a rock) giving blood lowers hematocrit. here's a screeenshot of my blood test on 4-13 and the second blood test in june. I donated blood after the first test and then couple months later took another blood test, and you can see it lowered.
blood test - 4-13
View attachment 546125
blood test - 6-18
View attachment 546124
blood test - 4-13
View attachment 546125
blood test - 6-18
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This is a great question. I want to know the answer. My best guess is - no. I'm on TRT. I have to give blood every 2 months. My RBC/hemoglobin/hemocrit is high again after one month ... not ideal. I can't realistically donate a pint of blood every month (I mean, I could do it, but I just don't want to donate blood every single month). I'm reducing my test dosage to see if I can spread things out. I would love to know whether there is alternative way to lower the RBC/hemoglobin/hemocrit.
Moppy1
New member
I am in the same boat. I donate blood every 10 weeks, which is the maximum my local blood center allows. My Hematocrit is always around 50, which is definitely high and potentially dangerous for risk of stroke. Lowering your testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) regimen might lower your hemotocrit over time, but it could take 6 months plus and you will then possibly suffer from low T again.
P.S. Hematocrit is basically showing RBC content, though a few other things factor into total hematocrit.
P.S.S. There is a common drug that can lower RBC content, such as used in Polycythemia patients, called hydroxyurea, but its a rather unpleasant drug.
P.S.S.S. You can also take a baby aspirin a day to lower blood clot risk with high hematocrit (lowers stroke risk)
P.S. Hematocrit is basically showing RBC content, though a few other things factor into total hematocrit.
P.S.S. There is a common drug that can lower RBC content, such as used in Polycythemia patients, called hydroxyurea, but its a rather unpleasant drug.
P.S.S.S. You can also take a baby aspirin a day to lower blood clot risk with high hematocrit (lowers stroke risk)
Agreed, its a balance and I'm still trying to find that sweet spot. Enough test to feel good but not so much that the RBC/hemoglobin/hemocrit gets too far out of range. I'm OK with donating blood every 2 months. It's more complicated if I have to do it monthly ... since no single place will let you donate more than once every 56 days (112 days if you do a double red blood cell donation).
If there was a medication to address RBC/hemoglobin/hemocrit levels it would help - a whole bunch. I mean we have AI's to control estrogen ...
If there was a medication to address RBC/hemoglobin/hemocrit levels it would help - a whole bunch. I mean we have AI's to control estrogen ...
Thanks, that is good to know. Hydroxyurea does not seem to be discussed here at all. The Wikipedia entry looks - daunting. Seems like there may not be a practical way to control RBC/hemoglobin/hemocrit with medication. I'll just do the donation thing. My hemo levels get elevated but never get out of control (because I donate) so it's OK. It would be nice if I could keep the test levels up a bit and still be in the 15-16 range for hemo ... but so far I'm not able to do this.
Moppy1
New member
I had a buddy that was getting hematocrit readings of 60-63, and his doctor was freaking out......my buddy never told him he was on AAS. They were checking him for cancer, etc. But they did 2 consecutive donations 1 week apart, which only got his crit down to 48 (borderline high). They have a script for him to donate every 8 weeks now, and that seems to work. He takes crazy high levels of test, etc. Competitive body builder. Blood donation is also still used for polycythemia. JAK2 inhibitors were recently shown to work in human clinical trials for polycythemia, and they are supposedly safe, so maybe in a few years that will be an alternative drug to bypass blood donation.