Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and high hematocrit

[wtgrantham]

TRT and high hematocrit

Just wondering if anyone else has as much problem controlling red blood cell count when on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as I do. After about 1 year I was finding a blood bank to donate every 4 weeks and still was not able to keep it down. My last donation Hemoglobin was over 19.0. Am I just destined to be without testosterone, or is there something different I should look into?

 

[Megatron28]

Just wondering if anyone else has as much problem controlling red blood cell count when on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as I do. After about 1 year I was finding a blood bank to donate every 4 weeks and still was not able to keep it down. My last donation Hemoglobin was over 19.0. Am I just destined to be without testosterone, or is there something different I should look into?

What is your testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) protocol? And what are your complete lab results? Maybe there are some adjustments that you can make that would help.

 

[wtgrantham]

What is your testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) protocol? And what are your complete lab results? Maybe there are some adjustments that you can make that would help.

Started at 100 mg once per week then Doc switched me to 60 mg twice per week SQ
Got worse after the switch, I know it is more test but doesn't seem like that much more to cause RBC to accelerate like they did.

 

[LittleJohnny]

If you're like me, your RBC, Hematocrit, Hemoglobin, and Bilirubin all get too high. Giving blood once every 4 weeks is closer to a maintenance schedule than a lowering schedule. If your levels are above normal, every 4 weeks won't cut it. You need to get your levels well down into the normal range first.

I started out going 4 times, once every 2 weeks. This brought all my levels back to the normal range, but they were still at the top end of normal. Then 2 months later all my numbers were back up where I started.

I switched to going once a week for 4 weeks to get my levels down around the middle of the normal ranges. Now I go once a month for maintenance.

Obviously once a week is too often for blood donation. I got a prescription for a phlebotomy that allows me to go anytime.

 

[wtgrantham]

If you're like me, your RBC, Hematocrit, Hemoglobin, and Bilirubin all get too high. Giving blood once every 4 weeks is closer to a maintenance schedule than a lowering schedule. If your levels are above normal, every 4 weeks won't cut it. You need to get your levels well down into the normal range first.

I started out going 4 times, once every 2 weeks. This brought all my levels back to the normal range, but they were still at the top end of normal. Then 2 months later all my numbers were back up where I started.

I switched to going once a week for 4 weeks to get my levels down around the middle of the normal ranges. Now I go once a month for maintenance.

Obviously once a week is too often for blood donation. I got a prescription for a phlebotomy that allows me to go anytime.

Man I don't like giving blood that often specially if needed for the rest of my life!

 

[Megatron28]

So you have a choice. Feel great and donate blood once a month or feel like shit and don't donate blood. Maybe with time your body will get used to the Test and you won't have the hematocrit problems. Good luck!

 

[wtgrantham]

So you have a choice. Feel great and donate blood once a month or feel like shit and don't donate blood. Maybe with time your body will get used to the Test and you won't have the hematocrit problems. Good luck!

Hahahahahahahahaha guess you are right! Wonder if that is a possibility my body getting used to it. Just sucks because one of the places I go to donate blood is an hour drive one way. Could b worse I guess

 

[lucius11]

Feel great and donate blood once a month or feel like shit and don't donate blood

Yep, this is pretty much where I'm at. Not quite as severe as the OP. My Hemoglobin goes from 15.5 to 17.5 in two months. Hematocrit stays towards the higher end as well. You just have to find a balance between your testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) dose and blood donation frequency that works for you.

 

[wtgrantham]

Yep, this is pretty much where I'm at. Not quite as severe as the OP. My Hemoglobin goes from 15.5 to 17.5 in two months. Hematocrit stays towards the higher end as well. You just have to find a balance between your testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) dose and blood donation frequency that works for you.

Certainly nice to hear from some guys that have my same problem, I thought I was the only one whose blood thickens incredibly fast

 

[halfwit]

Certainly nice to hear from some guys that have my same problem, I thought I was the only one whose blood thickens incredibly fast

I'm actually signing up for the RBC donations program through the Red Cross. This can be done every seven days, takes an hour (going to do it on Sundays) and you can earn gift cards after like 15 donations. Seems pretty win/win to me on top of regular whole blood donations! Apparently they had been wanting to ask me to donate RBC's for some time now but didn't know how to approach me about it lol.

 

[Daniel_IMT_Staff]

There are a lot of little tips and tricks you can do to avoid RBC. Simplifying hematocrit down to testosterone being the only factor isn't the best way to look at it. Start by lowering your zinc intake, among other things. Or work with your doctor to identify other factors you can look at to lower your hematocrit.

 

[wtgrantham]

There are a lot of little tips and tricks you can do to avoid RBC. Simplifying hematocrit down to testosterone being the only factor isn't the best way to look at it. Start by lowering your zinc intake, among other things. Or work with your doctor to identify other factors you can look at to lower your hematocrit.

Zinc? Now there is an idea, my Doc has me taking 50 mg per day plus what I consume in food. I will try reducing that to see if it helps. Thanks for the great idea. Do you have any other tips or tricks to try?

 

[methos]

Do you stay hydrated?

 

[wtgrantham]

Do you stay hydrated?

Yes I think, I drink a lot of water but also I pee constantly

 

[bigben34]

Have any of you guys tried drinking grapefruit juice to help control hematocrit? There are plently of clinical studies backing up the fact that naringin (found in grapefruits), can normalize hematocrit.
"Research studies done with naringin indicated that eating 1/2 to 1 grapefruit per day lowered high hematocrat levels but had no effect on normal hematocrit levels. Amazingly, the grapefruit actually increased low hematocrit levels."

 

[wtgrantham]

Have any of you guys tried drinking grapefruit juice to help control hematocrit? There are plently of clinical studies backing up the fact that naringin (found in grapefruits), can normalize hematocrit.
"Research studies done with naringin indicated that eating 1/2 to 1 grapefruit per day lowered high hematocrat levels but had no effect on normal hematocrit levels. Amazingly, the grapefruit actually increased low hematocrit levels."

Yep, I tried it, didn't seem to slow down the process at all

 

[James David Manning]

Zinc? Now there is an idea, my Doc has me taking 50 mg per day plus what I consume in food. I will try reducing that to see if it helps. Thanks for the great idea. Do you have any other tips or tricks to try?

If you take a multi-vitamin, make sure it doesn't have iron in it. Turns out my old one did, and since I've switched to one without it, mine's gone from 18.3 to 17.6 to 15.3 at my last draw the other day.

 

[hogwild]

Wow, mine was extremely high over 55, I'm 26 and after donating blood he put me on asprin regime daily. Do you see that helping any?

 

[wtgrantham]

Wow, mine was extremely high over 55, I'm 26 and after donating blood he put me on asprin regime daily. Do you see that helping any?

Won't help lowering your count but aspirin and fish oil can help you from having clots as it makes the cells more "slippery"

 

[Austinite]

Zinc is crucial. 30% of everyone on earth have a deficiency. Something is wrong with OP's protocol to require monthly donations. Your doctor needs to help you get this under control. Not sure why he would let this go on this long. I never have issues on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) doses, when I cycle it shoots through the roof and I just drain myself. Aspirin does nothing to hematocrit levels.