HCT down from 63.7-49 in a month

timt53 · Jan 7, 2019

Went in for a CBC a month after a cycle and my hemoglobin was 21 and my Hematocrit was 63.7. My Dr. had a cow. Sent me to a hematologist and after 2 phlebotomies and drinking over a gallon of 9.5 alkaline water a day I am now back to good numbers. 49 HCT and 16 hemoglobin.
I am 65 and my Dr. told me to stop all test, he was very upset. I think most docs are uninformed about aas and over react. I think a big problem for me was I was dehydrated. I know drinking a lot more water really helped. A wake up call for sure so time to slow down maybe only one 8 week cycle every 6 months.
I know there is a lot of threads about donating blood on here because inevitably with age and use high HCT is a side affect. I can't donate because I had hep-c and have been cured but still. Hopefully with good hydration and plenty of time off between cycles I can keep it under control. Would hate see what the doc has to say if I get high numbers again.

maldorf · Jan 7, 2019

timt53 said:
Went in for a CBC a month after a cycle and my hemoglobin was 21 and my Hematocrit was 63.7. My Dr. had a cow. Sent me to a hematologist and after 2 phlebotomies and drinking over a gallon of 9.5 alkaline water a day I am now back to good numbers. 49 HCT and 16 hemoglobin.
I am 65 and my Dr. told me to stop all test, he was very upset. I think most docs are uninformed about aas and over react. I think a big problem for me was I was dehydrated. I know drinking a lot more water really helped. A wake up call for sure so time to slow down maybe only one 8 week cycle every 6 months.
I know there is a lot of threads about donating blood on here because inevitably with age and use high HCT is a side affect. I can't donate because I had hep-c and have been cured but still. Hopefully with good hydration and plenty of time off between cycles I can keep it under control. Would hate see what the doc has to say if I get high numbers again.

Well, are you only taking testosterone? If you are, what is the weekly dose? I can take just 100 mg/wk and my hemoglobin still climbs slowly. I think it is going to happen with most guys, especially with higher doses. I get a phlebotomy once every 3 months with my hematologist after I had my heart attack.

I really recommend that if you are going to continue your testosterone usage that you lower the dose to a true HRT dose, 100 to maybe 150mg/wk and continue seeing the hematologist. You should have your hemoglobin checked periodically. What did he suggest? Since I have mine under control now I only go in once every 3 months. He wants my hemoglobin down around 15. If it is more then he will do a phlebotomy. I would suggest something similar to you. If you don't do these things then your numbers will end up right back where they were. Risk of blood clot then of course. Heart attack, stroke, etc. Im only 49 yrs old now too, had my clot at age 38.

Delt123 · Jan 7, 2019

How are you even getting 63? Cant imagine you doing big cycles at your age (no offence). Dehydration has a serious impact apperently

69cyclerider · Jan 7, 2019

Your blood must have been thick as syrup with your crit level at 63. Lucky your heart was even moving it.

thethinker48 · Jan 7, 2019

Your doc will probably agree to prescribe you quarterly phlebotomies; you really should put hydration on top of your priority list now.

maldorf · Jan 7, 2019

Delt123 said:
How are you even getting 63? Cant imagine you doing big cycles at your age (no offence). Dehydration has a serious impact apperently

Im pretty sure that high hematocrit is more common for men the older they get when they supplement with testosterone. I think whenever you start getting blood levels higher than natural you increase the risk, and the older men get the lower their natural levels get so the problem gets worse.

timt53 · Jan 7, 2019

I was running 300mg test and 300mg deca /week for 8 weeks. With 25mg winnie a day for the first 4 weeks and 20 mg var a day for the last 4. I know the hydration and my age has a lot to do with it. I am sure if it is back up the hamatologist will do more plebotomies.
My blood was thicdk, even the lab draws were tough and it took a long time to drain 500ml.
I will be seeing the hemotoligist for follow ups and take his advice. I have been doing this for over 30 years and it is so hard to just quit everything but I sure don't need a stroke or heart attack. My platelets are only 200 so they are low. They are what cause the clots.

aphextwin · Jan 8, 2019

Just keep juicing.....you're good.....LOL. I'm messing with ya. Nah....listen to these guys. Put more emphasis on your health. Are you doing any cardio?

maldorf · Jan 8, 2019

timt53 said:
I was running 300mg test and 300mg deca /week for 8 weeks. With 25mg winnie a day for the first 4 weeks and 20 mg var a day for the last 4. I know the hydration and my age has a lot to do with it. I am sure if it is back up the hamatologist will do more plebotomies.
My blood was thicdk, even the lab draws were tough and it took a long time to drain 500ml.
I will be seeing the hemotoligist for follow ups and take his advice. I have been doing this for over 30 years and it is so hard to just quit everything but I sure don't need a stroke or heart attack. My platelets are only 200 so they are low. They are what cause the clots.

Your cycle wasn't real high dose and respectable. My next question would be, what do you do in between cylces? Do you get off completely or do you cruise on test, say 200 mg/wk? Wondering about that.

If you are cruising on more than about 100 mg/wk then you need to drop down to that. If you aren't cruising but are getting off and going clean for several months then you are going to need to lower the dose of your cycles. Somewhere you need to lower dose some and then keep up with seeing the doc so he can do the therapeutic phlebotomies. Sounds like you are in good hands.

I think that the best thing for your health would be to do HRT, 100 to 150 mg/wk test and then once in awhile if you just cant stand it any longer go on a 8 week cycle by adding in that deca you like.

I found that when I was doing cycles and getting off and going clean for an equal amount of time that my hematocrit never got that high. As soon as I started blasting and cruising my hematocrit jumped up to about 61 like yours. I was cruising on about 250 mg/wk and that was it. My cycles though were much higher dose than yours, but I was only 38 years old. I think that cruising is ok if the doses are more like HRT level, otherwise the hematocrit never has a chance to come back down and keeps building up. I bought myself a hemoglobin meter and measured my own at home. It is like a meter that you use for diabetes, finger prick and a drop of blood. I found that my hemoglobin was actually slowly rising during my cruise of 200 mg/wk! So during the cruise not only was my level not going back down but it was actually still climbing!

nothuman · Jan 8, 2019

That’s pretty incredible it went down that much after only two phlebotomies

maldorf · Jan 8, 2019

nothuman said:
That’s pretty incredible it went down that much after only two phlebotomies

Well, both were within 1 month so it must have been only 2 weeks between.

massmonster32 · Jan 8, 2019

What was you B/P like during this time. MM

timt53 · Jan 8, 2019

In answer to some questions, yes I do cardio, I go to the gym M-F for 2-1/2 hrs, 4 days weights and 35 minutes HIT cardio and Wed. 1-1/2 hour cardio.
My blood pressure is usually 130/70- 120 /70.
I never cruise, just cycle and completely off for 3 months with PCT. I think I am going to cycle and stay off for 6 months and see what happens. Maybe drop the dose too, but it is not high now, but the older we get!
I am scheduled for bloodwork CBC, every Friday for the rest of the month and go in and see the doc.
I also believe drinking a lot more water ( alkaline) helped the hematocrit to go down. I know I was not drinking enough and getting dehydrated.

maldorf · Jan 8, 2019

timt53 said:
In answer to some questions, yes I do cardio, I go to the gym M-F for 2-1/2 hrs, 4 days weights and 35 minutes HIT cardio and Wed. 1-1/2 hour cardio.
My blood pressure is usually 130/70- 120 /70.
I never cruise, just cycle and completely off for 3 months with PCT. I think I am going to cycle and stay off for 6 months and see what happens. Maybe drop the dose too, but it is not high now, but the older we get!
I am scheduled for bloodwork CBC, every Friday for the rest of the month and go in and see the doc.
I also believe drinking a lot more water ( alkaline) helped the hematocrit to go down. I know I was not drinking enough and getting dehydrated.

Good plan on not cruising! Good plan on staying off longer too. I would also try a bit lower dose too on the cycle and maybe not run it as long. Once you get the dosage lower and the cycle a bit shorter youll be able to make your breaks shorter too I bet. Hydration could not be responsible for that high of a hematocrit but it is certainly healthy to drink plenty of water.

So when you are off, you don't even take an HRT dose of 100 mg/wk test? Have you ever had your testosterone levels checked while you are off? How do you feel when you are off?

I hope that you stay with the hematologist after the month is over and get regular CBCs done to watch the hematocrit since youll be on cycle again. Like I said earlier, in my case a CBC once every 3 months works for me. If my hemoglobin is over 15 he will do a phlebotomy. you don't even need to see the doctor each time. Since you have never had a clot I think you could probably not worry about doing a phlebotomy unless your hemoglobin is a bit higher.

timt53 · Jan 8, 2019

Not even a HRT dose off 100mg, nothing. My testosterone levels are all over the place. 654 three weeks after a run of primo, 323 a month after this last run and 427 two months after. Never had it tested while on.

maldorf · Jan 8, 2019

timt53 said:
Not even a HRT dose off 100mg, nothing. My testosterone levels are all over the place. 654 three weeks after a run of primo, 323 a month after this last run and 427 two months after. Never had it tested while on.

Wow, 427 two months after being off is good! I wouldn't mess with that, especially at your age. I am surprised it is that high. I think for your age that is normal. Much more healthy what you are doing then, I think. You don't want it really low, but that is ok IMO.

When I got off for about 11 months after my heart attack my total test never got up over 35! I felt like complete shit. Made recovery after the heart attack even worse but I stayed the course and tried to see if my test level would ever recover.It never did.

So I think for you, lower your dose during cycle some and make it a bit shorter. See how hematocrit comes out after that.

timt53 · Jan 8, 2019

maldorf said:
Wow, 427 two months after being off is good! I wouldn't mess with that, especially at your age. I am surprised it is that high. I think for your age that is normal. Much more healthy what you are doing then, I think. You don't want it really low, but that is ok IMO.

When I got off for about 11 months after my heart attack my total test never got up over 35! I felt like complete shit. Made recovery after the heart attack even worse but I stayed the course and tried to see if my test level would ever recover.It never did.

So I think for you, lower your dose during cycle some and make it a bit shorter. See how hematocrit comes out after that.

Never over 35, got to be rough. I guess that is why there is TRT. The thing is when I am on it is crazy, I know my wife loves it. 5-6 times a week, I am not kidding. When I am off it drops to 2-3. I will lower my dose and work from there.