So I been on TRT for about a year now I am secondary from using anabolics since 18. My latest labs showed RBC: 6.30 Hemaglobin: 17.0 HCT: 50. So my RBC is way more elevated then hemaglobin and hctim not sure why. I’m also being treated for adrenal fatigue and take 25-30mg of cortex and I was taking florinef
This blood thickening is more often seen with higher TRT doses. In your case, you probably triggered that with gear. Avoid iron fortified cereals, bread, pasta, rice and vitamins. HTC=50 is livable for now. Injecting twice a week and SC not IM will reduce effects of T peak levels.
Please provide protocol in detail and labs in list format with ranges.
Thyroid labs?
With adrenal fatigue, rT3 is often?typically elevated and that blocks fT3 at T3 receptors. Lower body temps are then expected. Long term low thyroid function can make outer eyebrows sparse. Hopefully you have always used iodized salt to support thyroid hormone production. Thyroid lab ranges are quite useless and then doctors think that everything is “normal”.
Please read the stickies found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman
- advice for new guys
- things that damage your hormones
- protocol for injections
- finding a TRT doc
- Thyroid basics
Evaluate your overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 is what gets the job done and it regulates mitochondrial activity, the source of ATP which is the universal currency of cellular energy. This is part of the body’s temperature control loop. This can get messed up if you are iodine deficient. In many countries, you need to be using iodized salt. Other countries add iodine to dairy or bread.
Hi thanks for the reply I was in the middle of typing the rest of my story but I accidentally posted without finishing. I’m currently on 20mg test cyp eod I inject lower doses more frequently because my shbg runs kind of low. My peak is usually around 750-800 with my current protocol but free t is already way over range. I do not need a ai as my e2 stays around 15 without it which is actually to low for me so I started taking 25mg dhea eod in hopes of raising my very low dhea-s and raising estrogen. Thyroid has always been all over the place. It ranges from tsh: 1.29 all the way up to 5.3 free t3 has always been on the low side free t4 has always been normal never had rt3 done because all these idiot doctors say it doesn’t matter. It’s very hard for me to know whether it’s the test that is raising my blood count or if it’s from dehydration since my aldosterone last time I had it done was 3.9 range was .0-30. And i discontinued the Florinef because my doc didn’t want me on it long. So is it TRT induce or is it dehydration? beats the hell out of me. And when it gets high I donate but since donating a few times it tanked my ferritin to 15 and I feel horrible, I can’t breathe well, can’t train, hell even walking up stairs I get winded. Mentioned it to my doctor and he didn’t think it’s a issue which I know 100% it is my hair is falling out and I have a hard time just holding my head up. I think when I was on florinef my rbc hemoglobin and hct were slightly elevated but not out of range and I’m assuming from being better hydrated it causes hemodilution which give a more accurate reading and while being dehydrated the blood is much more concentrated giving a higher reading. Do guys usually have a issue with elevated rbc while on such a low dose of test? What if rbc is elevated but everything else is in range? Is there cause for concern? I’m currently not running any aas and will not for a long time and possibly never again I’m trying to fix the damage I have caused to my body.
Why were you taking any corticosteroids? And for how long? They can cause serious problems with prolonged use.
TSH etc may be affected by changing iodine intake.
Low thyroid function can cause thinning hair and sparse outer eyebrows.
Why are you even needing to discuss extremes of hydration?
High T and lower E levels depress SHBG. If really low, we need to consider things like diabetes. But some guys simply have really low SHBG.
If E2 is low, FT–>E2 and E2 will be low.
Note my earlier comments re mitochondria. Big factor in your low energy. Try 50mg Ubiquinol form of CoQ10, do not confuse with Ubiquinone! If you feel better, you have a problem with CoQ10, mitochondria and ATP production.
If I don’t find your posts, ping in in the KSman is here thread with a link to your thread with pertinent post there.
I am taking them because I was diagnosed with such advanced adrenal fatigue to the point I dropped 60 pounds in two months puking non stop, would stand and faint. I was in the hospital for 4 days before they checked my morning cortisol and it came back at 3.1.
They did a stim test which brought my cortisol up to 23 are n hour. So they basically said I have such severe adrenal fatigue it’s pretty much considered addisons. They also checked my aldosterone and it came back undetectable. Now almost a year later it’s only around 3 which is still very low. My t dose isn’t high at all I take sea salt every day about two teaspoons in a Gatorade and sip on it through out the day. I’m mentioning hydration because with such low aldosterone my body isn’t holding onto salt like it is suppose to so I thought maybe that was affecting my blood readings.
Thyroid hormone fT3 controls your body temperature and energy levels from hour to hour. Cortisol controls energy levels from minute to minute. The two are coupled. Please do not ignore any points that I make re thyroid, dietary iodine and body temperature readings.
Evaluate your overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 is what gets the job done and it regulates mitochondrial activity, the source of ATP which is the universal currency of cellular energy. This is part of the body’s temperature control loop. This can get messed up if you are iodine deficient. In many countries, you need to be using iodized salt. Other countries add iodine to dairy or bread.
Anything re thyroid to add or ignoring?