Need a quick question answered on Hematocrit ASAP.

[CSI007]

I have a blood letting scheduled for tomorrow morning. I just got my most recent blood work back and it looks like the grapefruit is making a difference!

It's down from 53.9 in August.

With these values do you think I should still get the blood drawn?

 

[FeelingLost]

IMO yes. I'm 50.5 when I donate which gets me down to 47 and I feel great for the next 3 days. I have no idea why I guess my body just doesn't like extra thick blood.

 

[CSI007]

That's kind of the direction I am leaning. Before TRT I was in the mid 40s. Recently I have been having more numbness then usual in my fingers/toes and other "extremities" Wondering if it's the hematocrit.

Down about 3 points though with the inclusion of a half of grapefruit just about every day in my diet.

 

[FeelingLost]

That's kind of the direction I am leaning. Before TRT I was in the mid 40s. Recently I have been having more numbness then usual in my fingers/toes and other "extremities" Wondering if it's the hematocrit.

Down about 3 points though with the inclusion of a half of grapefruit just about every day in my diet.

I eat 3 pink grapefruits a week I am not sure if that help my Hemo/Hema

 

[user_joe]

I would just because it's relatively high. Results can vary a few points based on hydration, lab, etc.

 

[ratbag]

I guess the real question here is do you know if you have polycemia? Just because your Hemotacrit is above range does not mean you have polycemia. I know some here do not want to know this but it's the reality. Thick blood is polycemia and high hemotacrit can mean other things.

 

[CSI007]

That's a good question. How does one tell?

 

[buggies100]

You go see a heamtologist and they run a buttloas of tests. I did it and i a glad

 

[ratbag]

I know platelets are part of it but I don't know how they ascertain the differences.

 

[Mountain Man]

That's a good question. How does one tell?

Good question. I take 250 mg grapefruit seed extract per day and my hematocrit has stabilized at 49.before TRT it was 45 and iI have been told that these two numbers are essentially the same, as the difference is not that great. Not sure if I believe that, and not sure if the grapefruit seed helps, but I will continue it. Als take 2400 mg fish oil per day and have a huge piece of salmon every week. Hydration on is also a factor.

Dr John Crisler says in is 55 before he's concerned, and Dr Abraham Morgantaler say the same thing. If you feel ok, I wouldn't give blood. I'd keep doing what you're doing.

 

[Tommy Wall]

For me it´s out of question to eat or drink grapefruits far too many meds that interacts. https://www.rxlist.com/grapefruit-page3/supplements.htm

 

[CSI007]

Thanks guys.

I did give the blood today. When the checked the hematocrit it was at 51.7 So a little higher then the other day. No real issues with the procedure. Just the cost. $135. The tech said the cutoff was 40 and that's were I should be at. Maybe they use a difference scale then labcorp. Not sure. He said he would see me in a month.

My Doctor said he is not concerned until it reaches 55 or so. But I wanted to see if some of this numbness is affected by a blood draw. If it's not then I probably wont bother with another blood draw unless it gets out of control.

The grapefruit - I know it interacts with lots of meds including Cialis which is the only drug I take occasionally but it does not seem to have affected it, at least not yet.

Been about an hour since the draw and I feel no different. :-/

 

[FeelingLost]

Did they test your Hemacrit lvl post the procedure? Did they drop you to 40?
Maybe you are still high. Sorry to hear you don't feel any different.

From my little research grapefruit increases Cialis's adsorbtion. So what? a 5mg feels like a 7 or8 mg?
I take 5 mg morning and 5mg evening I also eat/drink grapefruit most morning for breakfast and I am not walking around all day doing my impression of a hand towel rack.

 

[CSI007]

No post procedure blood test. I was going to ask then decided not to.

 

[maxadvance]

Hematocrit won't drop 10 points after a draw. 4-5 points is my max.

 

[CSI007]

Just got my "yearly" blood work (lots of tests drawn - wil update my main thread later) done and after 46 days from my blood donation my hematicrit is back up to 51.9 Actually a little higher then right before I donated. So I guess I will be donating again soon.

Would like to note that about 3 or 4 days after the donation my possible elevated hematicrit symptoms diminished and I am now just started to feel some headache issues coming back the past couple of days.