High Hemoglobin

[Benchpress9]

Need some help. Had bloods drawn 2 weeks after normal Red Cross a donation. Results:
RBC: 5.97
HGB: 18.4
HCT: 55.7
All else seem to be within range.
Concerned since my pulse seems to be more pronounced. Slight headache when I take a nice cup of Starbucks. Also dip and that is affecting my heart rate.
Nothing has changed in the last 3 years with the exception of more Kratom usage and a 100mg script of sertaline. Starting to get worried, anyone seen these issues?
Been on 200mg test for 2.5 years, rarely take anything else. Stumped.

 

[Tweeter2oo7]

Need some help. Had bloods drawn 2 weeks after normal Red Cross a donation. Results:
RBC: 5.97
HGB: 18.4
HCT: 55.7
All else seem to be within range.
Concerned since my pulse seems to be more pronounced. Slight headache when I take a nice cup of Starbucks. Also dip and that is affecting my heart rate.
Nothing has changed in the last 3 years with the exception of more Kratom usage and a 100mg script of sertaline. Starting to get worried, anyone seen these issues?
Been on 200mg test for 2.5 years, rarely take anything else. Stumped.

Kratom used to cause me to get headaches super easy but that’s just me. I don’t fool with it anymore


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[theMightyQuinn]

Need some help. Had bloods drawn 2 weeks after normal Red Cross a donation. Results:
RBC: 5.97
HGB: 18.4
HCT: 55.7
All else seem to be within range.
Concerned since my pulse seems to be more pronounced. Slight headache when I take a nice cup of Starbucks. Also dip and that is affecting my heart rate.
Nothing has changed in the last 3 years with the exception of more Kratom usage and a 100mg script of sertaline. Starting to get worried, anyone seen these issues?
Been on 200mg test for 2.5 years, rarely take anything else. Stumped.

So I'm reading this as your elevated numbers were noted 2 weeks after the Red Cross donation? If so, that is an issue, because that would imply your numbers were up to 10% higher pre-donation. This can be caused by certain medical disorders but in your case it would be considered secondary polycythaemia almost certainly caused by testosterone supplementation. Secondary meaning it is being caused by an outside source (smoking, living in high altitude, AAS, etc). I had the same issue, for years no problems even on blast cycles as long as I had routine blood donations. As I got older this became harder to control. If you see a doctor you would need to tell him about your testosterone usage, but all they are going to tell you to do is cease the testosterone until your hemoglobin, and hematocrit return to normal levels (16 g/dl and 47% respectively). That is what I would do if I were you. Cease the testosterone for at least 8 weeks, it may take longer, before retesting. Before the blood draw make sure you are fully hydrated. Dehydration can cause falsely high numbers as well. If the numbers are still very elevated after that your doctor may prescribe a therapeutic phlebotomy where they draw a pint of blood a day or every other until your levels are normalized. But that is a worst case scenario. Let us know how you make out.

 

[Multislacking]

^ Pretty much everything Quinn just said. You can search the forum for the IP6 protocol, but it will only slightly reduce rbc/hematocrit. How's your sleep? Do you snore a lot? You might want to seriously consider a sleep study (usually done at home with a small monitor). If you're older and have some body mass, chances are you have at least mild sleep apnea. Maybe severe. Sleep apnea has a significant impact on rbc/hematocrit numbers.

All of this assumes you were properly hydrated, etc for the blood draw.

 

[Benchpress9]

So I'm reading this as your elevated numbers were noted 2 weeks after the Red Cross donation? If so, that is an issue, because that would imply your numbers were up to 10% higher pre-donation. This can be caused by certain medical disorders but in your case it would be considered secondary polycythaemia almost certainly caused by testosterone supplementation. Secondary meaning it is being caused by an outside source (smoking, living in high altitude, AAS, etc). I had the same issue, for years no problems even on blast cycles as long as I had routine blood donations. As I got older this became harder to control. If you see a doctor you would need to tell him about your testosterone usage, but all they are going to tell you to do is cease the testosterone until your hemoglobin, and hematocrit return to normal levels (16 g/dl and 47% respectively). That is what I would do if I were you. Cease the testosterone for at least 8 weeks, it may take longer, before retesting. Before the blood draw make sure you are fully hydrated. Dehydration can cause falsely high numbers as well. If the numbers are still very elevated after that your doctor may prescribe a therapeutic phlebotomy where they draw a pint of blood a day or every other until your levels are normalized. But that is a worst case scenario. Let us know how you make out.

First off thanks guys for your input.
Yes I do snore badly, more pronounced on days a drink.
I had taken bloods at 7:30am with just a cup of black coffee that morning so it had been about 10-12 hours since I had any water(that's all I drink besides coffee).
The test results was actually the second test I had in a 3 week period. Like stated 2 weeks after my donation on the second. The previous came in at 18.6 on hemo.
Would taking my test down to 100mg. A week be helpful or will I need a bigger change to straighten out the situation?
Have been thinking about coming clean with my doctor in hopes I can get on prescribed TRT. Would this situation kill my chances of ever getting a TRT script in the future?
Thanks again guys!

 

[Benchpress9]

^ Pretty much everything Quinn just said. You can search the forum for the IP6 protocol, but it will only slightly reduce rbc/hematocrit. How's your sleep? Do you snore a lot? You might want to seriously consider a sleep study (usually done at home with a small monitor). If you're older and have some body mass, chances are you have at least mild sleep apnea. Maybe severe. Sleep apnea has a significant impact on rbc/hematocrit numbers.

All of this assumes you were properly hydrated, etc for the blood draw.

8 honest hours of sleep a night.
44 years old, 5'10 170lbs. I don't consider
Myself to be muscle bound by any means.

 

[Multislacking]

8 honest hours of sleep a night.
44 years old, 5'10 170lbs. I don't consider
Myself to be muscle bound by any means.

It's not quantity, it's quality when it comes to sleep. Talk to your spouse/gf about your sleep and ask them about your sleep. You already mentioned you're snoring...there's the biggest sign there. Extreme snoring, stopping breathing, labored breathing, etc while asleep are all signs. Older you get, worse it gets.

8 hours of slightly deprived oxygen is a sure fire way to make your rbc/crit go up. It's usually the last thing people look at too.

 

[theMightyQuinn]

First off thanks guys for your input.
Yes I do snore badly, more pronounced on days a drink.
I had taken bloods at 7:30am with just a cup of black coffee that morning so it had been about 10-12 hours since I had any water(that's all I drink besides coffee).
The test results was actually the second test I had in a 3 week period. Like stated 2 weeks after my donation on the second. The previous came in at 18.6 on hemo.
Would taking my test down to 100mg. A week be helpful or will I need a bigger change to straighten out the situation?
Have been thinking about coming clean with my doctor in hopes I can get on prescribed TRT. Would this situation kill my chances of ever getting a TRT script in the future?
Thanks again guys!

The most important thing is to get those numbers down to the normal range. Like Multi said sleep apnea could be the culprit, especially since you confirmed snoring. I'd rule that out first. If that's good I would drop the testosterone for a couple months, get retested and if the numbers look good then go back on 100 mg/wk. You might be able to work back up to 200 mg/wk eventually. Not to be an alarmist but what's happening is your red blood cells are too thick, and thick blood can clot and cause heart attack and stroke. Yours aren't crazy high, but you're getting there. As far as a doc they are only going to prescribe testosterone if you can demonstrate you have hypogonadism. So at some point you will have to test low without your HPTA being suppressed. The way I came clean with my doctors (GP and urologist) to let them know I was using testosterone was I told them I was using an online TRT clinic for my supply. Neither one even batted an eye because it's very common place nowadays. Now that may not work if you are 25 years old LOL

 

[reddog309]

I normally don't post outside the pit because of limited knowledge but are you on fish oil or any other sups, and if you do get off TRT make sure you do PCT, a while back I just stopped my TRT 200mg a week with out PCT and it fucked my system up for quite a while. Not recomennded.

 

[Benchpress9]

Update.
After feeling like I was having a heart attack I setup a doc. Appointment.
I have been starting a taper on my sertaline
From 100mg-75mg. I went back to my daily journal (documenting my anxiety, depression,stress levels) and found most of my issues started right as I started my taper.
When I started this post I was out of town and could not reference the journal.
My doc checked BP,110/78 ,and my pulse and o2 levels All checked great.
He said I was showing classic signs of a bad taper. He wrote my a script for Lorazepam .5mg and said use it as break glass incase of a emergency.
He wants me to continue my taper.
I am going off TRT, going to start PCT in 2 weeks, Nolva 40mg. first 2 weeks. Nolva 20mg. 3 weeks.

Any comments and suggestions are welcomed and thanks again for all your help.

 

[Benchpress9]

4/6 update.
Stopped Test when I originally made this post. Used PCT as most recommended. Had bloods pulled yesterday morning and came back at 14.8 on hemoglobin. RBC came back we'll within range too.
I am going to take 3 more weeks off to complete my PCT and let my body try to reset. When I go back on I am probably going to try 100mg. per week. Any ideas or thoughts? I really appreciate all of y'all's help.
Coming off of trt and a anti depressant at the same time has been very challenging to say the least.

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[Rot-Iron66]

Even a little Test raises my RBC/hematocrit, etc. I just went from 125 mg a week to 75 mg a week and will retest in June.
Hematocrit is only at 51, but I'd like it back to 45 or so (pre-TRT).

Good luck w/ your PCT and A.D. taper...

 

[christiantt]

4/6 update.
Stopped Test when I originally made this post. Used PCT as most recommended. Had bloods pulled yesterday morning and came back at 14.8 on hemoglobin. RBC came back we'll within range too.
I am going to take 3 more weeks off to complete my PCT and let my body try to reset. When I go back on I am probably going to try 100mg. per week. Any ideas or thoughts? I really appreciate all of y'all's help.
Coming off of trt and a anti depressant at the same time has been very challenging to say the least.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

I have read all of your posts as well as the posts of the others. All sound advice, especially the sleep part. How often do you, or did you, donate blood? You should make it a mandatory part of your life every 2-3 months if you want to run weekly test, especially since it appears you are sensitive to hgb increases.

I have found that consistently donating is the most complete way to keep hgb levels in check. If I don't donate, my hgb levels will rise up to between 17-18 and probably higher, especially if I am cycling various compounds. If I am on a basic regimen of 200mg/week of test, my my hgb levels will still rise, but not as dramatically as if I am on a cycle. Now, consistently donating every 2.5 months, my hgb levels stay between 14.5 - 15, even if I am running a cycle.

I have experienced high hgb levels before and I looked and felt like shit because in parallel my blood pressure was increasing to unhealthy levels. While there is still debate in the medical community of how direct a link there is between high hgb and high blood pressure, I can say from my own personal experience, high hgb levels do correlate to high blood pressure and all the negative side effects that come with it.

 

[mmdms13]

Just having high hemoglobin in itself should not be considered an emergency. In other words I wouldn't have used that as the sole reason to stop taking test. However if you're stopping with the intention to get on a legitimate trt prescription, that's another matter. All you have to do is donate blood on a regular basis, it's as simple as that. When you do donate blood regularly, you need more iron than average because you're removing it with each blood donation. It's pretty simple to supplement iron though.