Hematocrit off the charts! Please read...

[TorontoTRT]

Hi guys, I posted this on another forum, hoping to get as much advice as possible. I’m panicking a little with my off the charts hematocrit. At what point is it an urgent life threatening situation? Also does hematocrit, rbc, and hemoglobin go up and down on the same curve as testosterone entering your system? Like would they be highest 2 days post injection and a little lower on day 8 right before next injection on once weekly injections?
100 mg TE once weekly Wednesdays 3 months into TRT
Wednesday right before injection, (day 8)
Hematocrit 54 (40-50)
RBC 6.75 (4.50-6.00)
Hemoglobin 18.1 (13.5-17.5)
Ferritin 23 (22-275)
Saturday 3 days post injection
Hematocrit 58.4 (38-48)
RBC 7.02 (4.30-5.60)
Hemoglobin 18.9 (13.0-17.0)
Blood pressure excellent 109/74
All other CBC values look great.

 

[Airborne Warrior]

It's high but not life threatening. Into the sixties and you're looking at serious issues. I found taking a smaller dose twice weekly (60mg) lowered my hematocrit, as the spike wasn't so high. To that end, I'd say yes, hematocrit does spike when test is higher.

 

[TorontoTRT]

So maybe 40 mg 2x a week for me could work? 100 mg once weekly brought my total t to 1233 on day 2 and 704 on day 8. Free t was above range everyday.

 

[Airborne Warrior]

I'd try twice weekly and get hematocrit and all other labs re-tested after 6 weeks.

 

[mooseman109]

Mine went to 62.3 and i was definitely symptomatic. Short of breath at any excertion. While hct can go up with trt increase, it does not go down so quickly. Those red blood cells love like 180 days. You dont say what your total and free t values are. Do you feel ok on that dose? How long have you been at this? Folks will want to see shbg and sensitive E2.
I went to a more frequent lower dose. It did help, not solve my hct issues. I still have to donate3-4 times a year. Part of the price of entry into the trt world i guess. I try to keep my hct levels 52, if they go 54i do not freak out. But my platlets, wbc, rdw.... are all good as well.

 

[TorontoTRT]

Been trt 3 months. I don’t have SHGB or E2 tests. But on peak values were:
TT 42.8 (8.4-28.8 nmol/L range)
FT 1019 (196-646 pmol/L range)
Trough values (day 8)
TT 24.4 (8.4-28.8 nmol/L range)
Bio Avaulabke T 12.5 (3.6-11.2 nmol/L range)
Prolactin 10 (4-19 ug/L range)
PSA 0.77 (<4.00 ug/L)
PSA FREE 35%
PSA FREE TOTAL 45%

 

[mooseman109]

So three months is still very new. Your body is still figuring out the process. I would for sure say your total and free is too high. If you reduced about of T taken and increase frequency you may see a drop in HCT. When Test dosage goes up HCT follows and the inverse. I would look to join 3x a week and trying 20 mg per dose. Since I went down the road of following my dr and got crazy high, I have developed a start low and go slow mentality. I cam e off everything for 3 months while detecting from high hct.
Just my 2 cents

 

[TorontoTRT]

So three months is still very new. Your body is still figuring out the process. I would for sure say your total and free is too high. If you reduced about of T taken and increase frequency you may see a drop in HCT. When Test dosage goes up HCT follows and the inverse. I would look to join 3x a week and trying 20 mg per dose. Since I went down the road of following my dr and got crazy high, I have developed a start low and go slow mentality. I cam e off everything for 3 months while detecting from high hct.
Just my 2 cents

How did you feel for those 3 months with no test in your system?

 

[mooseman109]

It sucked. Total t went down to 49. Very low energy and libido

 

[TorontoTRT]

Was the whole 3 months necessary though? Would 2-5 weeks be enough?

 

[mooseman109]

As red blood cells, the culprit in high hct, live for 180 days, 2-3 weeks may not be sufficient to drop your hct.
The time i wemt thru was nit hateful, but low energy and drive to do things after work. I am a lamdsxaper and this happened in spring when i work 11-13 hoir days. I made it thru. I was very glad to restsrt though for sure

 

[TorontoTRT]

As red blood cells, the culprit in high hct, live for 180 days, 2-3 weeks may not be sufficient to drop your hct.
The time i wemt thru was nit hateful, but low energy and drive to do things after work. I am a lamdsxaper and this happened in spring when i work 11-13 hoir days. I made it thru. I was very glad to restsrt though for sure

Did you try taking any natural supplenvts to try to kickstart it? Like d-aspartic acid?

 

[mooseman109]

No i did not. I ran a sesion of clomid at one point. It raised total t a bit but flet like poop

 

[maxadvance]

OP, at 54 you're just over the normal range I wouldn't freak out. Things that will lower it include cardio and grapefruit. Also, guys who live at high elevation are prone to high hematocrit like yours or above and are not more prone to coronary events. Dr. Rozier has a video out somewhere where he states high hematocrit specifically from trt does not put you at higher risk of a coronary event. I've had mine as high as 57 and ironically my lipids were the best they've been in 30 years and I felt good. Find that video by Dr rozier

 

[TorontoTRT]

Here are the labs I just took today.

 

[mooseman109]

I woild not stress about those labs. Your platlets, rdw are mid range so blood is not thick. Ferretin is low so frequent donating might create a problem for you.