First bloodwork after 4 years of gear...

[VNV]

I'm so excited I just have to tell someone, but everyone I know is partying on a Friday night while I eat tuna and steel-cut oats.

Just got all my bloodwork done (didn't fast) on Monday for the first time ever. I visited a new doctor, told him I was on 600 mg/wk test at that very moment and had been taking a-bombs for four weeks, and probably drank six beers once a week. On top of that, I take a lot of pills: everyday, two to keep me happy (Effexor XR), two to keep me from being manic (Risperdal), a few to help me sleep (e.g. Melatonin), and a couple orals before workouts a few times a weeks. He freaked out and wanted to find out how my liver and kidneys were.

Got the results today and am shocked. All my values were within normal range!

I was so worried about drinking some beers with friends for Happy Hour almost every week and taking all these pills daily. BUT NO--CLEAN AS A WHISTLE!

EDIT:

I guess I really just wanted to share this to say that it's okay guys--you can be a bodybuilder and a human. So many of us worry about such stupid shit, and strive to be such perfectionists with our bodies. I went to college to party and drank every weekend because I was a computer nerd and needed a social life, and I popped dbos and drol, and took tren, and ate Taco Bell when I wanted, all while busting my ass off otherwise for bodybuilding. And guess what? I'm fine. And I've got 40 extra lbs of lean muscle since I started getting into bodybuilding 4 years ago. AND I always considered myself a hard-gainer (started lifting at 140 lbs and 5'11", started gear two years later at 165 lbs, 215 now, still 10%ish).

Most of you guys (those without genetic predispositions to serious disorders), can relax and live a normal life, and still be competitive in the gym.

The other day I saw threads about the dangers of microwaving your food, how to manipulate your water for optimal PH levels, and the possibilities of PCBs in fish oil. Really guys? Really? That kind of crap doesn't have any bearing on your life, fitness, or health. If you were born to bodybuild, none of that crap matters and your superior genetics will carry you. If you weren't born with the genes of an elite athlete, you'll start thinking about all this kind of crap--what type of water you drink, whether you should bake or microwave food, whether you can attend Happy Hour with your friends on Friday and have a few drinks--when it's not going to make any difference in the scheme of things. You're not going to gain 10 lbs over the next 10 YEARS by cottage cheese ONLY before bed, getting 2 g instead of 1 g of protein/lb of lean mass per day, or not eating that slice of pizza with a beer and your friends on the weekend.

 

[maldorf]

So I guess your hematocrit and hemoglobin were ok? Thats part of the CBC. I would have thought those levels would be high considering the use of testosterone and anadrol. Anadrol is used in medicine to treat anemia. Just curious to know what those values were for you.

My doctor when I turned 30 used to run an EKG once a year for me, did you have one? Knowing what i do now, id have a yearly echocardiogram and ekg run.

 

[VNV]

Those are good questions. The doctor called me and told me that he was very surprised to find out all the values of my blood profile were normal with the exception of free testosterone and estradiol is what I think he called them. But we already knew those were going to be high because of the 600/wk sust.

Should I have the actual lab report he interpreted for me sent to me? Should I examine his judgement?

 

[calfmaster]

So I guess your hematocrit and hemoglobin were ok? Thats part of the CBC. I would have thought those levels would be high considering the use of testosterone and anadrol. Anadrol is used in medicine to treat anemia. Just curious to know what those values were for you.

My doctor when I turned 30 used to run an EKG once a year for me, did you have one? Knowing what i do now, id have a yearly echocardiogram and ekg run.

x2, it's more then if your just in the normal range - you could still have damage to the heart/blood thickness level issues that could in the future cause blood clots/ stroke/ etc.

But... looks good bro! And if you ever get worried about your health and want to play it safe though drop the orals, but everything else I agree with!

 

[J.Blaze]

From what Ive read, it seems that blood clots are the silent killer and a simple blood test cant show if you have one.

 

[maldorf]

From what Ive read, it seems that blood clots are the silent killer and a simple blood test cant show if you have one.

What you have to watch is your hematocrit and hemoglobin mostly. Have those tested regularly. Almost all steroids, as far as I know, raise those levels. When you get too many rbcs you blood becomes thickened and can clot. You cannot feel it, so the only way to know is a CBC blood test that includes those things.

Other hereditary things like factor 2 and factor 5, there are a whole host of otheres, you might have and not even know it. The only way to know if you have any of those is to have your DNA tested. Emeric has factor 5 and I found out I have factor 2. It is more common than you think, epecially if youre white. from what ive read, youre kinda off the hook somewhat if your black.

 

[maldorf]

Those are good questions. The doctor called me and told me that he was very surprised to find out all the values of my blood profile were normal with the exception of free testosterone and estradiol is what I think he called them. But we already knew those were going to be high because of the 600/wk sust.

Should I have the actual lab report he interpreted for me sent to me? Should I examine his judgement?

Since he knows youre on steroids, ask him for a copy of the results so that you can keep track too. I would ask him directly about your hematocrit (HCT) and hemoglobin (HMG).

Like I said earlier, just because your blood test came back good doenst give you a free ticket of health. Damage can be done to your hearth that only shows up on an echocardiogram. You can have a perfectly normal EKG and have cardiomiopathy.

 

[ericraven2003]

I'm so excited I just have to tell someone, but everyone I know is partying on a Friday night while I eat tuna and steel-cut oats.

Just got all my bloodwork done (didn't fast) on Monday for the first time ever. I visited a new doctor, told him I was on 600 mg/wk test at that very moment and had been taking a-bombs for four weeks, and probably drank six beers once a week. On top of that, I take a lot of pills: everyday, two to keep me happy (Effexor XR), two to keep me from being manic (Risperdal), a few to help me sleep (e.g. Melatonin), and a couple orals before workouts a few times a weeks. He freaked out and wanted to find out how my liver and kidneys were.

Got the results today and am shocked. All my values were within normal range!

I was so worried about drinking some beers with friends for Happy Hour almost every week and taking all these pills daily. BUT NO--CLEAN AS A WHISTLE!

EDIT:

I guess I really just wanted to share this to say that it's okay guys--you can be a bodybuilder and a human. So many of us worry about such stupid shit, and strive to be such perfectionists with our bodies. I went to college to party and drank every weekend because I was a computer nerd and needed a social life, and I popped dbos and drol, and took tren, and ate Taco Bell when I wanted, all while busting my ass off otherwise for bodybuilding. And guess what? I'm fine. And I've got 40 extra lbs of lean muscle since I started getting into bodybuilding 4 years ago. AND I always considered myself a hard-gainer (started lifting at 140 lbs and 5'11", started gear two years later at 165 lbs, 215 now, still 10%ish).

Most of you guys (those without genetic predispositions to serious disorders), can relax and live a normal life, and still be competitive in the gym.

The other day I saw threads about the dangers of microwaving your food, how to manipulate your water for optimal PH levels, and the possibilities of PCBs in fish oil. Really guys? Really? That kind of crap doesn't have any bearing on your life, fitness, or health. If you were born to bodybuild, none of that crap matters and your superior genetics will carry you. If you weren't born with the genes of an elite athlete, you'll start thinking about all this kind of crap--what type of water you drink, whether you should bake or microwave food, whether you can attend Happy Hour with your friends on Friday and have a few drinks--when it's not going to make any difference in the scheme of things. You're not going to gain 10 lbs over the next 10 YEARS by cottage cheese ONLY before bed, getting 2 g instead of 1 g of protein/lb of lean mass per day, or not eating that slice of pizza with a beer and your friends on the weekend.

Just becuause you are alright doesn't mean other people will be. It is reckless to say pop adrol and dbol and drink all the alcohol you want and your liver will be just fine is just BS.

 

[maldorf]

Just becuause you are alright doesn't mean other people will be. It is reckless to say pop adrol and dbol and drink all the alcohol you want and your liver will be just fine is just BS.

Good point to make. One of my best friends smokes 4 packs a day, been doing that now for 23 years and appears to be very healthy. I still wouldnt reccomend it to anyone.