Most docs wouldn’t even pull blood at that point. They would get you on an SSRI and fuck you up even worse. Kudos to whoever pushed for the blood work.
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It was me. I didnt waste any time asking what they thought. I demanded bloodwork. The doc I saw first was really cool about it. He asked why I wanted the bloodwork and I explained why. He pulled a very large panel. Didnt have a clue about hormones though. I asked for hcg monotherapy after the blood work and he told me he wasn’t willing to lose his license prescribing hgh. Hcg not hgh you idiot! Went through 3 doctors.
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AllDayEveryDay T.R.T makes you SuperHero! Haha just kidding not for me yet as i am only on TEST Cream, i think I may be building up tolerance unfortunately to the cream though already after just 3 weeks on it or maybe i am not in tune i don’t know but i am having Joint Pains still" as Estrogen isn’t balanced out yet. need to get on Sustanon injections probably soon though. as might be longer wait, getting any enanthate. waiting is bad too when your Joints hurt.
I dont know about “super hero”. That might be a slight exaggeration. Just slight. It’s been amazing. It’s been so profound especially for strength levels that I’m forced to believe that I have been low T my whole life. I’ve been lifting since I was 15 and I’ve tried everything. 100mg a week and I’m ridiculously stronger than ever before. Hit 275 lbs for 6 reps yesterday. That’s a personal best. I have hit 315 lbs twice now. Still getting stronger. 8 months of trt.
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Awesome Brother, just wondering if you had to Donate blood at all in the 8 Months of your T.R.T, since some guys do because of HCT/Hemoglobin count, just wondering if you did in your case? @alldayeveryday
I feel this dude. I have NEVER made real gains despite 15 years of lifting heavy and often. Even just getting my T to a moderate level of 600 everything has exploded. I feel like I have wasted so much time. If the US healthcare system was more preventative and proactive maybe I could have lived a better life.
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Totally get this.
I’ve been bodybuilding since 14 years old. Really dedicated. I’m now 40.
I’ve hit legs hard and heavy all those years. Nothing grew them. I have a great upper body.
NOW, since trt, I’m starting to get leg size and veins. I LOVE it. Finally after all these years.
Damn low T…
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I’m 46…we grew up with the plastic packaging boom and plastics weren’t particularly safe. LOTs of xenoestrogens keeping our test low and E high. I have to assume it at least has something to do with the obesity epidemic. And insurance companies keep having labs drop the ranges to adjust for “normal”.
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I’ve been reading more and more about “testosterone resistance” lately, in trying to understand why I don’t really feel trt in spite of levels in the upper ranges.
The theory is basically that some are more resistance to the effects of T, and therefore, need higher levels on TRT. Like levels into the 1500-2000 for TT. Of course, docs are afraid to hit these numbers due to the bs “normal” ranges of acceptable levels.
It’s all about treating symptoms and not the numbers. Many men, with good TRT numbers complain the don’t feel anything. Maybe what’s normal, really isn’t.
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Let your doc see what they need to see. A round-table of docs on the TOT podcast agreed that you treat the patient and if that means Test over 2000 then so be it.
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Those higher numbers aren’t a problem if hematocrit, hemoglobin and RBC are reasonable. Doctors are fearing a number, because that’s how they are trained. Dr Crisler once stated that if a man previously had a Total T of 1200 and now he has 600, he doesn’t have half of the testosterone he had previously.
The higher hematocrit isn’t the result of some disease when on TRT, TRT is a known cause and in the absence of another diagnosis a higher hematocrit is alright as long as there are no symptoms.
My hematocrit is 46% on 20mg EOD, however I was pushing 50% when on 50mg twice weekly.
I have never donated blood. I’m no expert on the subject but it’s my understanding that it’s only required if your hematocrit is elevated. This typically only happens at higher doses of test. Hopefully on my lil 100 mg a week it wont be an issue.
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Shit, my hematocrit is 56% right now.
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That’s usually a sign your protocol needs some fine tuning. Large weekly injections would drive my hematocrit into the stratosphere, even 50mg twice weekly would see a 4% increase (46-50%). Right now on 20mg EOD and hematocrit 46%.
I imagine if I went with an everyday protocol hematocrit would likely be even lower, pre-TRT I was 43%.
I’m loathe to change anything since it’s been working so well. But it’s either that or start doing a bloodletting every few months.
Or you could just have a stroke…
Look into Losartan if you are taking any BP meds.
“Losartan reduces hematocrit in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and secondary erythrocytosis.” - NCBI article.
Youll have to do a quick search to bring it up.
I’ve tried to donate blood twice and got turned away, so at some point I’ll need to do something. As far as meds go I don’t have high BP so it’s tough to justify the risk of adding more chemicals to my system. It would be nice to just be able to go donate and not have it be a problem, but that’s evidently too easy and thus is not in the script.
you having any symptoms man? SOB?
Stay hydrated. I have read that naringin, from grapefruit, can help lower it also. Baby Aspirin.
The idea of having to bloodlet sucks, but its better than not being able to use half your body.
No symptoms of BP, plus I’ve started checking it ever since I found out about the hematocrit issue. Before TRT it was 51%, so it was a little on the higher side to begin with.
I’ve been eating grapefruits every day too, as I had heard the same thing. Man, that is not a pleasant fruit at all. Couldn’t it have been oranges or bananas or something that worked? It had to be freaking grapefruit.
LMFAO, I HATE grapefruit as well. . I think you can get Naringin in pill form.