High hematocrit

[bedada]

I've had high hematocrit at least for the last 12 years. It has ranged from 50-54 before I went on TRT. Now I donate every two months and it ranges from 51-55. Went to a hematologist. He thought it may be polycythemia vera. I think it's naturally high and made higher from trt and not drinking enough water. Either way I'd like to get it down in the mid 40's. I heard a rx for drawing blood will do it. Does anyone have experience with getting draws more than once every two months? I'm thinking if I take 4 pints in the next two months it will lower to the mid 40's and not go over 50 as long as I donate once every two months after that. Thought and opinions?

Thank you,

Tony

[APIs]

I range from 48-52 if I donate regularly. My Doc doesnt blink an eye as long as I dont touch 55 which I never have. Some folks have low iron from donating regularly, so I guess that's something to keep an eye on...

[Mr.BB]

You cant donate too often or you will end with bigger problems from low iron and ferritin.

Cardio tends to regulate mine between 48 and 50%.

Also stopped b12 supps, and reduced vit C.

Edit: smoking or low O2 environments are the worse for this

[almostgone]

^^^ The low O2 environment Mr.BB posted. Sleep apnea can contribute to this.

[AR's King Silabolin]

You cant donate too often or you will end with bigger problems from low iron and ferritin.

Cardio tends to regulate mine between 48 and 50%.

Also stopped b12 supps, and reduced vit C.

Edit: smoking or low O2 environments are the worse for this

Low iron AND ferritin. Its the same thing.

[Mr.BB]

Low iron AND ferritin. Its the same thing.

No. Its different bloodwork tests, ferritin is the iron "storage" of our body.

[kelkel]

As we speak i have high hermocrit.I have had way to many draws in the last year .now i have low iron i fighting..High rbc with low iron..Supp iron plugs me up..You just chase your tail in circles

The older you get the more common it is for those that donate to drive themselves into anemia. Are you able to reduce your dose?

[Mr.BB]

Yes i am all the way down to 30 mgs e4d of test. Also on 50 mgs clomid e2d. I do about 20 mgs iron everyday. Between draws and surgery last year i lost 5-6 pts.The first sign i just was not recovering from my back surgery.i am feeling much better everyday .Its been 3 weeks sense i started supps...I get B/W next month.

The clomid is useless while on trt

[kelkel]

The clomid is useless while on trt

This ^^^. Is it doctor prescribed?

[Youthful55guy]

This is a topic of interest to me as I too walk the fine line of T dose vs. high Hematocrit vs. low iron/ferritin.

I've had pretty good luck keeping it under 52 (where my doc starts to comment on it) by regular donations. However, you are limited to 6 per rolling calendar year (works out to about every 8 or 9 weeks). About half that if you do double red. I don't do double red anymore because they messed up the return once and had to stop half way through but their system counted it as a full donation and it really messed up my hematocrit because I had to miss a donation. So now I stick to single-pint whole blood donations.

The FDA recently (about a year ago) changed the rules to allow guys on TRT to donate more frequently with a Doc Rx. That is why they ask the new question about a Doc telling you need to donate. I always answer no because my doc has not "told" me I need to do it (she is supportive of me doing it) and I have not yet found it necessary to donate more frequently. I don't trust the Red Cross or other agencies with my medication information, so I will continue to answer no. However, if you need to dump more blood than the regulations allow, this may be your best option.

Like a lot of guys, I found myself getting low on iron (as measured by both ferritin and iron tests). About a year+ ago, I started iron supplements and that fixed the problem. In fact after my last labs (about 14 months after starting supplements), my labs showed my iron was a bit high and my doc advised me to reduce my dose, so now I cut the pills in half and take 1/2 pill daily. I'll retest in a year and see where I am. I don't have constipation issues like some guys have. I think it has a lot to o with the type of iron supplement you are using.

Regarding Clomid on TRT, I have a differing opinion on whether o not it works, but that's the topic of another thread and don't wish to argue it anymore. Bottom line though is you are right, the stuff sucks and I don't like the side-effects, so I don't take it anymore.

[kelkel]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3078561/

Y55G I remember the conversaton regarding clomid. It was quite interesting!

[Lockout888]

Like a lot of guys, I found myself getting low on iron (as measured by both ferritin and iron tests). About a year+ ago, I started iron supplements and that fixed the problem. In fact after my last labs (about 14 months after starting supplements), my labs showed my iron was a bit high and my doc advised me to reduce my dose, so now I cut the pills in half and take 1/2 pill daily. I'll retest in a year and see where I am. I don't have constipation issues like some guys have. I think it has a lot to o with the type of iron supplement you are using.

Yes, there are different forms of iron supplements. Some absorb better than others. Some give you constipation.

Blood Builder works great in both areas. Check out all the good reviews on Amazon.

[hammerheart]

Sometimes I feel lucky not to develop hematocrit issues from TRT despite ultra-physiological levels. Still, I don't like to see my serum Iron at 60 mcg/dl, which is borderline. It used to be double that count. I use Iron bisglycinate 25mg from Solgar.

[Youthful55guy]

Yes, there are different forms of iron supplements. Some absorb better than others. Some give you constipation.

Blood Builder works great in both areas. Check out all the good reviews on Amazon.

This is the one I use and it works well. Apparently too well for me and I needed to reduce the suggested one table daily to a half tablet.

[Youthful55guy]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3078561/

Y55G I remember the conversaton regarding clomid. It was quite interesting!

Yea, that got to be a back and forth ping pong conversation. I wish I had done some gonadotropin labs while on clomid. It would have answered the question definitively, but that's water under the bridge and I don't plan on using clomid again. HCG plays much nicer with my system.

[yettibecsuse]

I've had high hematocrit at least for the last 12 years. It has ranged from 50-54 before I went on TRT. Now I donate every two months and it ranges from 51-55. Went to a hematologist. He thought it may be polycythemia vera. I think it's naturally high and made higher from trt and not drinking enough water. Either way I'd like to get it down in the mid 40's. I heard a rx for drawing blood will do it. Does anyone have experience with getting draws more than once every two months? I'm thinking if I take 4 pints in the next two months it will lower to the mid 40's and not go over 50 as long as I donate once every two months after that. Thought and opinions?

Thank you,

Tony

I give at the red cross and then do it home. If you are not scared of needles it's really not that hard hold the bag low etc. You can buy the venesection kits that they use on line. Otherwise pay you can pay.
in terms of effectiveness; i feel tired each time the next day that's it.

About once every 3-4 weeks I take 500ml. If your ferritin and iron stores are good then it's all good. just check them once a month. I am on nebido that's it OP

[kelkel]

Yea, that got to be a back and forth ping pong conversation. I wish I had done some gonadotropin labs while on clomid. It would have answered the question definitively, but that's water under the bridge and I don't plan on using clomid again. HCG plays much nicer with my system.

I've done labs with running nolva while on TRT. Not a blip on the radar from it.