Stopping all TRT for awhile

**GFA** · 07-28-2012, 02:28 AM

Lately I have been feeling worse, lethargic and low energy. Thought it was sleep apnea but made no difference after using a CPAP for a month.

Yesterday I had a scare, was really dizzy and felt like I was intoxicated.

Long story short, I have been trying to get my hematocrit and hemoglobin under control (was slightly elevated pre TRT) by donating blood as often as possible.

So I went to doc yesterday and he told me to go to the ER.

At the ER i specially told the docs that it might be my blood levels. After a bunch of tests, IV, Cat scan they said, your BW came back fine and go home. I still felt a little dizzy but a little better than arriving.

The doc called me today and told me he got the results from the ER, my hematocrit was > 53 and hemoglobin over 18. It was amazing to me that after I specially told the ER docs my RBC might be elevated and I have been seeing a hematologist about it, they did nothing or said nothing.

Anyways his recommendation, stop all test injections and get BW in order. I agreed.

Ironically today I was scheduled to donate blood. Going to call hematologist on tuesday when he is back in office to get a script for therapeutic phlebotomy then get my BW in order.

Once my BW is acceptable, Ill consider my TRT options again...

The journey continues.

**Brazensol** · 07-28-2012, 07:48 AM

Have your checked your thyroid and adrenals? You should also get a sleep study.

**fit2bOld** · 07-28-2012, 10:34 AM

Good luck on getting this straightened out GFA. Keep us posted on the outcome.

**GFA** · 07-28-2012, 10:36 AM

Yes did the sleep study already.

Went to donate blood today, the first place rejected me because my hemoglobin was 19.1 and they have a limit of 18.5. I drove 20 miles to another location, picked up a big bottle of water, chugged it, hoping it might bring it down a bit but when I arrived luckily this place didnt have an upper limit and my hemoglobin was 20!

Monday going to see if I can get an appt with the hematologist to get a script for blood letting. Get my levels down to normal.

All my other levels are fine, my RBCs kept creeping up since starting TRT. I finally felt the effects of elevated RBCs this past week. 56 day RBC donations didnt do enough to keep levels in check. Will see what doc recommends after talking to him.

An interesting finding though, the blood clinics in the area are not affiliated with each other so I might try to donate at one location one month and another the next.

**GFA** · 07-31-2012, 01:33 PM

Just got back from hematologist.

Hemoglobin 18.6 and hematocrit 55.1.

Scheduled for my first blood letting on friday. Will have to do 1x a week for the next month then will retest. No test injections till levels are normal

**chuckt12345** · 07-31-2012, 02:25 PM

what is your TRT,, are you actually doing a proper dose.

**bass** · 07-31-2012, 03:17 PM

same problem here GFA. my hemoglobin doesn't get as elevated as yours but RBCs do, donating double reds can cure that, but hemoglobin is another story. my platelets are naturally low, and donating whole blood takes away platelets, but it also lowers your hemoglobin. it sucks, either way you do it something gets out of balance! i thought of stopping TRT for a month just for that purpose but scared what might do to me. please keep us updated, and good luck.

**xtitan1** · 07-31-2012, 07:29 PM

May I ask what the sleep study said your AHI was? I hear you with you saying a month of CPAP therapy had no noticeable difference for you, but it may be that some other issue is so bad that it covers up the benefit of CPAP therapy.

**GFA** · 08-01-2012, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by chuckt12345

what is your TRT,, are you actually doing a proper dose.

100mg a week. Nothing crazy. Hemoglobin/hematocrit kept creeping up even with 56 day donations. I even stopped HCG and adex over a month ago.

@bass, going to stop for at least a month thing might try 50mg a week test once BW is normal.

@xtitan1, I am stopping the CPAP and returning the machine, I hated it. My incidents per hour was originally calculated at @13.9 but then when I asked some questions about the incidents per hour, I did the math for them and it was 8. They fail at simple math. Maybe they were trying to get me to use the machine to collect insurance, dunno but seriously how do you mess up basic math.

Normal is 5 or lower. According to the doc, the american sleep organization doesn't recommend CPAP unless its over 15 and above 5 but less than 15 is optional if its to address a particular issue. For me it was to hopefully reduce my RBCs. Now I just use breathe right strips and stopped snoring completely.

Going in friday for my next blood letting. Will do 4 more 1x a week then redo my RBC count.

On a positive I did 55 pushups in a ROW! New max

**xtitan1** · 08-01-2012, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by GFA

@xtitan1, I am stopping the CPAP and returning the machine, I hated it. My incidents per hour was originally calculated at @13.9 but then when I asked some questions about the incidents per hour, I did the math for them and it was 8. They fail at simple math. Maybe they were trying to get me to use the machine to collect insurance, dunno but seriously how do you mess up basic math.

Normal is 5 or lower. According to the doc, the american sleep organization doesn't recommend CPAP unless its over 15 and above 5 but less than 15 is optional if its to address a particular issue. For me it was to hopefully reduce my RBCs. Now I just use breathe right strips and stopped snoring completely.

Yeah I agree with this. I'm not sure what went on with the screwing up of the AHI numbers, but @13.9 that's pretty damn close to mandatory CPAP usage so I wouldn't be TOO cynical especially since its the medical supplies company you use that gets the money for the CPAP not the Doc.

Probably a moot point now, but if you say you hate the CPAP machine, that says to me you had a mask that wasn't right for you. I know that many CPAP users have to try several masks before they find one they are okay with using. There are a lot of options out there and people new to CPAP therapy don't realize it's normal to change around masks constantly.

**GFA** · 08-05-2012, 06:13 AM

My actual number was 8, not 13.9. It wasnt until I aksed the doc to explain the events that he noticed the numbers looked off. I got the machine through them so thats why I think it was a little shady.

I tried the breathe right strips and they stop my snoring. Id much rather use the strip than the machine.

Did my first blood letting at the hospital. Its pretty funny how "low tech" it is.

They stick a 20g needle into my arm, took the stopper off, blood started pouring out of arm. They had one of those pee pads under my arm. The nurse then took another tube that had a needle on it, attached it to the needle in my arm, then put it into a glass jar (like a PB jar). Took around 5 mins to fill up.

I asked why the nurse didnt put the tube into the needle first before taking the stopper off so the blood wouldnt go everywhere. Couldnt understand her response but she had some non sensical response as to why. (had an accent).

Next appointment is on wed.