Blood work - Very low Ferritin, Low Iron, Hgh RBC

[thelazygent]

Hi all,

I have been on a self TRT dose for about 5 years. I also take trazodone (sleep aid/anxiety medication) at night, which can cause pseudoanemia . My Test Enan doseage is around 175 mg a week. I have been donating a double red blood cell donation about 2/3 times per year.

I had not given blood in probably 6 months and did a blood test. Things came back a little alarming. I saw the high RBC and donated a double red donation the next day after I saw the results. I got my follow appointment and told her I donated blood and she told me I should not have done that because the body is creating alot of RBCs because my iron and ferritin are low. She prescribed me an iron pill to take every other day. About a month later I did another blood test. Iron and Ferritin decreased even lower. RBC and Hematocrit decreased but is still high.The results are below.

I have lowered my Test dose to 100 mg a week since these blood tests are bad.

My doctor does not know I self dose TRT.

Im trying to retify this.

Any advice? Should I reduce the Trazodone (even though I need it for good sleep) ? Should I donate more blood to get my RBCs down? Should I continue to to iron pill, should I get off the test completely or keep at the 100 mg per week dose I lowered it to?




First Blood Test Results

Iron: 68 - Range: 50 - 180
Iron Binding Capacity: 425 - Range: 250-425
% Iron Saturation: 16 - Range: 20 - 48 (Low)
Ferritin: 10 - Range: 38 - 380 (Low)
RBC Count: 6.98 - Range: 4.2 - 5.8 (High)
Hemoglobin: 18.6 - Range: 13.2 - 17.1 (High)
Hematocrit: 60.2 - Range: 38.5 - 50 (High)
MCV: 86.2 - Range: 80 - 100
MCH: 26.6 - Range: 27 - 33 (Low - Just out of range)
MCHC: 30.9 - Range: 32 - 36 (Low - Just out of range)
RDW: 18.1 - Range: 11 - 15 (High)




Second Blood Test Results

Iron: 49 - Range: 50 - 180 (Low - Just out range)
Iron Binding Capacity: 407 - Range: 250-425 (In range)
% Iron Saturation: 12 - Range: 20 - 48 (Low)
Ferritin: 7 - Range: 38 - 380 (Low)
RBC Count: 6.29 - Range: 4.2 - 5.8 (High)
Hemoglobin: 16.6 - Range: 13.2 - 17.1
Hematocrit: 52.8 - Range: 38.5 - 50 (High)
MCV: 83.9 - Range: 80 - 100
MCH: 26.4 - Range: 27 - 33 (Low - Just out of range)
MCHC: 31.4 - Range: 32 - 36 (Low - Just out of range)
RDW: 15.6 - Range: 11 - 15 (High - Just out of range)

[Cuz]

Hematocrit at 60 is very alarming. Id much rather have low iron and ferritin (which i do have btw) than a 60 crit. I donated a few weeks ago with a globin of 16.8 and 52 ish crit afterwards done more bloodwork and got it down to 15.6 and 48.5. I feel no different tho.

All the doc is going to do for you is prescribe an iron pill, ive tried 3 btw. I just live with it. I personally would not quit trt bc of it but ive never had a 60 crit either. I think lowering to 100 pw is a good idea. You could try taking the iron longer and re test

[thelazygent]

Hematocrit at 60 is very alarming. Id much rather have low iron and ferritin (which i do have btw) than a 60 crit. I donated a few weeks ago with a globin of 16.8 and 52 ish crit afterwards done more bloodwork and got it down to 15.6 and 48.5. I feel no different tho.

All the doc is going to do for you is prescribe an iron pill, ive tried 3 btw. I just live with it. I personally would not quit trt bc of it but ive never had a 60 crit either. I think lowering to 100 pw is a good idea. You could try taking the iron longer and re test

You think I should do another double RBC donation or maybe whole blood donation?

[Cuz]

You think I should do another double RBC donation or maybe whole blood donation?

I would not at this time

[almostgone]

Hematocrit at 60 is very alarming. Id much rather have low iron and ferritin (which i do have btw) than a 60 crit. I donated a few weeks ago with a globin of 16.8 and 52 ish crit afterwards done more bloodwork and got it down to 15.6 and 48.5. I feel no different tho.

All the doc is going to do for you is prescribe an iron pill, ive tried 3 btw. I just live with it. I personally would not quit trt bc of it but ive never had a 60 crit either. I think lowering to 100 pw is a good idea. You could try taking the iron longer and re test

I think that's where I made my error this time when my blood was wonky. I had gotten ferritin back in range, so I dropped off of the elemental iron.

On 8/4 my labs were:
Ferritin 13ng/dL
Iron saturation 14%
Hgb 18.7
Hct 57.7

I got rid of 1.5 pints of blood Sunday and will pull CBC again Friday or so. I'm back on the elemental iron ( Vitron C) 3x/week and will ride it a little longer this time, but I will monitor it for longer before I consider dropping it.

Not all was terrible though:

My eGFR was 81. Best it has been in quite some time.

Total cholesterol was 102, so I grabbed some well marbled ribeyes at the store.
HDL was 48
Triglycerides 62
LDL 40.

[almostgone]

Hematocrit at 60 is very alarming. Id much rather have low iron and ferritin (which i do have btw) than a 60 crit. I donated a few weeks ago with a globin of 16.8 and 52 ish crit afterwards done more bloodwork and got it down to 15.6 and 48.5. I feel no different tho.

All the doc is going to do for you is prescribe an iron pill, ive tried 3 btw. I just live with it. I personally would not quit trt bc of it but ive never had a 60 crit either. I think lowering to 100 pw is a good idea. You could try taking the iron longer and re test

Was that a whole blood or a double red donation, Cuz?

[Cuz]

Was that a whole blood or a double red donation, Cuz?

Just the regular whole pint sir


Lipids are insanely good btw, mine are horrible. But tren , so I know im alright as soon as I come off

[almostgone]

Just the regular whole pint sir


Lipids are insanely good btw, mine are horrible. But tren, so I know im alright as soon as I come off

4% reduction in Hct is pretty good for a whole blood. I need to go pull a panel or two tomorrow and see where I'm at in the Hct and ferritin dept.