Sudden major jump in hematocrit/hemoglobin. Causes and how to mitigate best?

[NEMSZ]

So I know this has been a touched subject on here quite a bit but here’s my particular situation.

Got bloods done 3 months ago on TRT (I thought I was on a higher dose but it was underdosed gear and gave me same levels as my TRT 200mg) and my numbers were

RBC - 5.92
Hemoglobin - 17.2
Hematocrit - 53

But I’m always at the higher range, even when I wasn’t on anything for the year I tried to get my natural Test back so nothing new..

In the past 6-7 weeks I jumped to 350-400mg per week Test (actually this time) and I was a bit annoyed from pinning each day so I started doing bigger injections 3x per week.

New Bloods from Tuesday;

RBC - 6.2
Hematocrit - 56.9
Hemoglobin - 18.2

Went today to a blood donation place my mom works with just to double check my numbers again in case I wasn’t as hydrated for the bloods, drank 2.5 liters of water in the 3-4 hours before going and this time:

Hemoglobin - 19.2
Hematocrit - 58

So I sat down immediately and donated 500ml’s of blood..

I’ve never in my life had numbers that high, even when I was younger in my early 20’s and took higher Test and Tren etc cycles…

What could be causing this?? How can I best mitigate this and keep it under control??

Per my other thread I have a goal I want to get to and don’t want to compromise health so I’m definitely not abusing anything or willing to, but with gear being so minimal and my numbers jumping this high??

 

[bbxtreme]

So I know this has been a touched subject on here quite a bit but here’s my particular situation.

Got bloods done 3 months ago on TRT (I thought I was on a higher dose but it was underdosed gear and gave me same levels as my TRT 200mg) and my numbers were

RBC - 5.92
Hemoglobin - 17.2
Hematocrit - 53

But I’m always at the higher range, even when I wasn’t on anything for the year I tried to get my natural Test back so nothing new..

In the past 6-7 weeks I jumped to 350-400mg per week Test (actually this time) and I was a bit annoyed from pinning each day so I started doing bigger injections 3x per week.

New Bloods from Tuesday;

RBC - 6.2
Hematocrit - 56.9
Hemoglobin - 18.2

Went today to a blood donation place my mom works with just to double check my numbers again in case I wasn’t as hydrated for the bloods, drank 2.5 liters of water in the 3-4 hours before going and this time:

Hemoglobin - 19.2
Hematocrit - 58

So I sat down immediately and donated 500ml’s of blood..

I’ve never in my life had numbers that high, even when I was younger in my early 20’s and took higher Test and Tren etc cycles…

What could be causing this?? How can I best mitigate this and keep it under control??

Per my other thread I have a goal I want to get to and don’t want to compromise health so I’m definitely not abusing anything or willing to, but with gear being so minimal and my numbers jumping this high??

What’s your iron panel look like- iron, TIBC and % saturation. Ferritin as well if you can run it.

Also want to check inflammatory markers.

Breathing and sleep apnea could be at the root of it as well.

 

[SABAGOY]

What’s your iron panel look like- iron, TIBC and % saturation. Ferritin as well if you can run it.

Also want to check inflammatory markers.

Breathing and sleep apnea could be at the root of it as well.

This is the right response but also I have found the machines they use for pre donation checks to not be the most accurate, or should I say differs greatly from my blood work.

 

[NEMSZ]

What’s your iron panel look like- iron, TIBC and % saturation. Ferritin as well if you can run it.

Also want to check inflammatory markers.

Breathing and sleep apnea could be at the root of it as well.

Last time I checked iron it was 120 (ref range 50-180) and it’s never really deviated from that..

Haven’t checked saturation or Ferratin, would have to get those checked..

Inflammation markers like CRP? Mine has always been <0.3

 

[Mufasa123]

This is the right response but also I have found the machines they use for pre donation checks to not be the most accurate, or should I say differs greatly from my blood work.

This is absolutely true. I was always dependably several pts higher even after "calibration" than my blood work often a day or so before.

 

[Mufasa123]

When I check hgb and crit I now do it late in the day or at least afternoon. Hydration is so huge and you can't fully hydrate the same after losing water to sleep even waking early and drinking water for a few hours. Example and how I know this and I only realized this recently after a shit ton of blood work over many years:

Crit was 47.8 and we'll within range late pm draw and same quest lab and same test literally 3 days later at 10ish am drinking water since 5am when I woke Crit was 50.1 and just out of range by 0.1.
This is how much that shit moves. I don't put nearly the stock I used to in it. Want a real reading do real bloods late in day.

 

[NEMSZ]

When I check hgb and crit I now do it late in the day or at least afternoon. Hydration is so huge and you can't fully hydrate the same after losing water to sleep even waking early and drinking water for a few hours. Example and how I know this and I only realized this recently after a shit ton of blood work over many years:

Crit was 47.8 and we'll within range late pm draw and same quest lab and same test literally 3 days later at 10ish am drinking water since 5am when I woke Crit was 50.1 and just out of range by 0.1.
This is how much that shit moves. I don't put nearly the stock I used to in it. Want a real reading do real bloods late in day.

Granted, but my blood work from 3 days ago was 18.2/56.9 at a 10am draw after hydrating for only 2-3 hours (I put electrolytes in my 64oz jug of water)..

Today, I went in after hydrating all day yesterday intentionally, having 3 big soups as some meals (extra water and electrolytes), I drank water the 2x I woke up to pee and since early this morning until 3pm I drank about 90oz of water with electrolytes and when they tested me it came back at 19.2/58, I know those tests can be a little off, but they’re not going to be 3-4 points off..

Either way I donated because I shit my pants

But curious how you guys who run higher doses keep your Hemoglobin/Crit in check??

I know the numbers aren’t alarming people as they used to, people don’t freak out over a 17/53 anymore, but damn a 19/58 is pretty up there, and I’ve never been that high..

I wouldn’t worry at all if I was at a 17/54 as I’ve been in the past with only a few hours of hydration, but after hydrating for like 36 hours and that reading later in the day?

 

[Mufasa123]

Granted, but my blood work from 3 days ago was 18.2/56.9 at a 10am draw after hydrating for only 2-3 hours (I put electrolytes in my 64oz jug of water)..

Today, I went in after hydrating all day yesterday intentionally, having 3 big soups as some meals (extra water and electrolytes), I drank water the 2x I woke up to pee and since early this morning until 3pm I drank about 90oz of water with electrolytes and when they tested me it came back at 19.2/58, I know those tests can be a little off, but they’re not going to be 3-4 points off..

Either way I donated because I shit my pants

But curious how you guys who run higher doses keep your Hemoglobin/Crit in check??

I know the numbers aren’t alarming people as they used to, people don’t freak out over a 17/53 anymore, but damn a 19/58 is pretty up there, and I’ve never been that high..

I wouldn’t worry at all if I was at a 17/54 as I’ve been in the past with only a few hours of hydration, but after hydrating for like 36 hours and that reading later in the day?

Wasn't telling you to dismiss but merely how this stuff moves so any single number can be odd. Your trend is up on multiple readings.

I don't mind mine drifting up some (lowest I ever get is 47/48) but if it gets upper 50s I use Phlebotomy. Doesn't cause me any iron or ferritin issues or symptoms. I've had a script for it in past but for years I've just done it myself if needed and as needed. You'll likely need multiples in close timing to lower 8-10pts.

 

[danieltx]

But curious how you guys who run higher doses keep your Hemoglobin/Crit in check??

I'm banging my head against my table because I've said this over and over and over and over. And still nobody listens.

High hematocrit is irrelevant unless you have a genetic clotting disorder or your platelet count is high - platelets are what cause clotting. You didn't include platelet count so I'm guessing it's fine.

Donating blood for no reason like you did is how guys hurt themselves by eventually tanking their iron or creating a feedback loop where the body seems hematocrit drop suddenly, elevates it for homeostasis, you donate again, etc.

If high hematocrit was an issue we'd have tons of dead bodybuilders in Colorado. Sherpas would have very short lifespans. But those things aren't happening because high hematocrit / hemoglobin on its own isn't a problem.

How do guys running high doses keep it in line? Most of us don't even think about it. The most important things you can do are stay well hydrated and treat your sleep apnea - that will keep it in range for most guys.

 

[whoremoan]

When I check hgb and crit I now do it late in the day or at least afternoon. Hydration is so huge and you can't fully hydrate the same after losing water to sleep even waking early and drinking water for a few hours. Example and how I know this and I only realized this recently after a shit ton of blood work over many years:

Crit was 47.8 and we'll within range late pm draw and same quest lab and same test literally 3 days later at 10ish am drinking water since 5am when I woke Crit was 50.1 and just out of range by 0.1.
This is how much that shit moves. I don't put nearly the stock I used to in it. Want a real reading do real bloods late in day.

i have noticed that also

 

[nothuman]

Granted, but my blood work from 3 days ago was 18.2/56.9 at a 10am draw after hydrating for only 2-3 hours (I put electrolytes in my 64oz jug of water)..

Today, I went in after hydrating all day yesterday intentionally, having 3 big soups as some meals (extra water and electrolytes), I drank water the 2x I woke up to pee and since early this morning until 3pm I drank about 90oz of water with electrolytes and when they tested me it came back at 19.2/58, I know those tests can be a little off, but they’re not going to be 3-4 points off..

Either way I donated because I shit my pants

But curious how you guys who run higher doses keep your Hemoglobin/Crit in check??

I know the numbers aren’t alarming people as they used to, people don’t freak out over a 17/53 anymore, but damn a 19/58 is pretty up there, and I’ve never been that high..

I wouldn’t worry at all if I was at a 17/54 as I’ve been in the past with only a few hours of hydration, but after hydrating for like 36 hours and that reading later in the day?

I haven’t seen a hematocrit under 58% in years, other than a donation that got it under for only like two weeks. It’s not like there’s much I can do about it besides give myself a testosterone deficiency.

The only issue I have with it is that it makes me want to avoid doctors in case they want to pull bloods, because I know they will freak out about it.

I can visit the doctor say I have a broken arm or something, and instead of focusing on that, they’ll link everything I complain about to the hematocrit. It’s been a real problem to deal with.

 

[pickapeck]

This is something that worsens with age. Sorry to say but the only thing that works for me, beyond donation to the point where my iron goes in the dirt, is to go off for 4-8 weeks when hct hits 56%. My pattern the past 6-8 years has been off 8 weeks--->on TRT 8 weeks--->cycle 8-12 weeks--->off 4 weeks--->on 8-12 weeks--->off 6-8 weeks---> back to TRT or short cycle. doing this my Hct ranges over the cycle from 46 - 56%. If i just blast away it will go into the 60s, which is where I think the danger multiplies.

 

[Brazzilian]

Nandrolone is more "eritrogenic" than test ,eq and drol.

 

[SouthernMuscle]

Nandrolone is more "eritrogenic" than test ,eq and drol.

Gotta watch those eritrogens

 

[aHarness]

Gotta watch those eritrogens

Saying it raises RBC more is too basic these days bro

Also, my anecdote is that nandrolone doesn’t touch my RBC

 

[NEMSZ]

I'm banging my head against my table because I've said this over and over and over and over. And still nobody listens.

High hematocrit is irrelevant unless you have a genetic clotting disorder or your platelet count is high - platelets are what cause clotting. You didn't include platelet count so I'm guessing it's fine.

Donating blood for no reason like you did is how guys hurt themselves by eventually tanking their iron or creating a feedback loop where the body seems hematocrit drop suddenly, elevates it for homeostasis, you donate again, etc.

If high hematocrit was an issue we'd have tons of dead bodybuilders in Colorado. Sherpas would have very short lifespans. But those things aren't happening because high hematocrit / hemoglobin on its own isn't a problem.

How do guys running high doses keep it in line? Most of us don't even think about it. The most important things you can do are stay well hydrated and treat your sleep apnea - that will keep it in range for most guys.

I’ve seen Dante say the same things and went back to some of his IG posts to refresh and relearn some things..

I don’t plan to keep donating, just got full CBC done a few days ago with Iron, Saturation and Ferritin etc and everything is in range..

And you’re right, platelets were 220, well below the top of the range and I’ve been tested for clotting factors and tested negative for those as well..

I don’t have sleep apnea but yea will be on top of my supps as I always am and hydration.. Thank you

 

[NEMSZ]

I haven’t seen a hematocrit under 58% in years, other than a donation that got it under for only like two weeks. It’s not like there’s much I can do about it besides give myself a testosterone deficiency.

The only issue I have with it is that it makes me want to avoid doctors in case they want to pull bloods, because I know they will freak out about it.

I can visit the doctor say I have a broken arm or something, and instead of focusing on that, they’ll link everything I complain about to the hematocrit. It’s been a real problem to deal with.

I was hoping you would post as I know you’ve struggled with this in the past, so not much to worry about then

I’ll keep on doing my thing then and not even worry about it, my doc is pretty cool and doesn’t freak out on higher than normal numbers but at 19.2 she was like eeeehhhh you might want to think about donating..

Just tested again and I’m at

16.5 Hemoglobin
51 Hematocrit

So I lowered the Test dosage a little bit and will continue from there to see how it goes, will be adding GH and some Primo here soon and will keep monitoring..

 

[nothuman]

I was hoping you would post as I know you’ve struggled with this in the past, so not much to worry about then

I’ll keep on doing my thing then and not even worry about it, my doc is pretty cool and doesn’t freak out on higher than normal numbers but at 19.2 she was like eeeehhhh you might want to think about donating..

Just tested again and I’m at

16.5 Hemoglobin
51 Hematocrit

So I lowered the Test dosage a little bit and will continue from there to see how it goes, will be adding GH and some Primo here soon and will keep monitoring..

with those numbers, you should go out and celebrate

 

[Mufasa123]

My platelet count is always fine (mid-range). My issues with having and managing higher hgb and crit are insurance related and their views in it. No bad symptoms ever. Fucked but I'm forced to play according to their rules.

 

[NEMSZ]

with those numbers, you should go out and celebrate

I did by injecting 50mg of Test and doing 10 sets of Squats