Testosterone injection frequency and it’s effect on hematocrit

[Gman86]

Ok I was really concerned as my endocrinologist was worried. What’s crazy is that my ferritin went from 68-100 between the two blood works I posted, despite being less than 4 weeks apart. What do you think could be causing my high BP?

Here’s a list from a ******** group I’m a part of, it’s called the magnesium advocacy group. It’s just a fb group using a protocol started my a doctor named Morley Robbins. He knows his stuff when it comes to magnesium. I personally use a product called ReMag. It’s just liquid magnesium chloride. I take a low dose of around 300mg/ day, mostly due to cost reasons. But you can take more. You’ll know when you’re taking too much. You’ll get a laxative effect. When that happens, just back down the dosage a bit, and settle on a dose that doesn’t cause any loose bowels.

 

[Systemlord]

My HCT has gone as high as 53 Hemoglobin as high as 19 and RBC 6.3. That was on 250mg of testosterone per week. On 200mg HCT stays around 52.3, Hemoglobin 18.2, RBC 6.1.

I don’t think it’s due to E2 as my E2 stays in the 30-40 range (sensitive) without and AI.bp.

I would expect Free E2 to be very high, a high normal estrogen on a lower SHBG guys will cause side effects, high blood pressure being one of them. My SHBG is 22 and I have the same problem as you do when estrogen is high normal.

 

[liftingheavy220]

Here’s a list from a ******** group I’m a part of, it’s called the magnesium advocacy group. It’s just a fb group using a protocol started my a doctor named Morley Robbins. He knows his stuff when it comes to magnesium. I personally use a product called ReMag. It’s just liquid magnesium chloride. I take a low dose of around 300mg/ day, mostly due to cost reasons. But you can take more. You’ll know when you’re taking too much. You’ll get a laxative effect. When that happens, just back down the dosage a bit, and settle on a dose that doesn’t cause any loose bowels.

Awesome, I’ll buy some tonight! Thanks a lot Gman!

 

[liftingheavy220]

I would expect Free E2 to be very high, a high normal estrogen on a lower SHBG guys will cause side effects, high blood pressure being one of them. My SHBG is 22 and I have the same problem as you do when estrogen is high normal.

I would expect Free E2 to be very high, a high normal estrogen on a lower SHBG guys will cause side effects, high blood pressure being one of them. My SHBG is 22 and I have the same problem as you do when estrogen is high normal.

So I actually looked over the last results and yes, my E2 was higher than usual. My endow doesn’t believe in doing sensitive E2 tests so I had the regular test done and my E2 was 52.8 range 7.6-42.6. Total t was 1003.

 

[madman]

Interesting, I had no idea free T was so important. I’ve looked over my two labs. Most recent was at 200mg a week divided into 28mg ED dosing 1/31/2019

Total T: 1003 ng/dL
Free test: 32.8pg/mL ref range 9.6-26.5
Platelets 185 ref range 150-379x10E3/uL

HCT: 52.3 range 37-51
RBC: 6.11 range 4.14-5.8
Hemoglobin: 18.4 range 13-17.7


Blood work before that when I was on 150mg a week 1/08/2019 :

Total T: 784 range 264-916
Free T: 23.2 range 9.3-26.5
Platelets: 179 range 150-379

HCT: 48.9 range 37-51
RBC: 5.8 range 4.14-5.8
Hemoglobin: 17.4 range 13-17.7.

28 mg daily is a whopping dose for one with low SHBG.

Where are you e2 (sensitive assay) levels at on both protocols.....better yet have you ever had your free e2 tested?

 

[liftingheavy220]

28 mg daily is a whopping dose for one with low SHBG.

Where are you e2 (sensitive assay) levels at on both protocols.....better yet have you ever had your free e2 tested?

I only have one test at 200mg split into two shots with .25mg of anastrozole that checked for sensitive E2. I never had my sensitive E2 tested when I was 28mg daily.

200mg of test (100mg Mon/Thr), .25mg of anastrozole MWF, and 500ius sun and wed.

Total T: 1065 range 264-916
Free T: 37.7 range 9.3-26.5
Estradiol sensitive: 32.6 range 8.0-35

 

[liftingheavy220]

28 mg daily is a whopping dose for one with low SHBG.

Where are you e2 (sensitive assay) levels at on both protocols.....better yet have you ever had your free e2 tested?

Actually I have another test with no AI, and when I was injecting 200mg of T once a week.

12/11/2017
Total T: 901 range 264-916
Free T: 32.6 range 9.3-26.5
Estradiol sensitive: 66.2 range 8.0-35

 

[Gman86]

Actually I have another test with no AI, and when I was injecting 200mg of T once a week.

12/11/2017
Total T: 901 range 264-916
Free T: 32.6 range 9.3-26.5
Estradiol sensitive: 66.2 range 8.0-35

What were the differences you felt, good or bad, while on 200mg/ week with an ai, compared to 200mg/ week without one?

 

[liftingheavy220]

What were the differences you felt, good or bad, while on 200mg/ week with an ai, compared to 200mg/ week without one?

So when I was 200mg once a week with out an AI some of the sides were: high libido but soft erections (70% rigidity) but with cialis or viagra I was at 100%. I would get crazy night sweats the night of the injection and the night after, I had moonface, I had trouble sleeping, I had brain fog, and I was more sleepy.

When I used an AI I also split the injections into 100mg twice a week.

The night sweats were gone, my erection quality was much better, my moonface was gone, and I didn’t as much brain fog. The only negative that I had with taking an AI was my performance in the gym went down, I would take longer in between sets and I also noticed I was breathing heavier.

 

[Gman86]

So when I was 200mg once a week with out an AI some of the sides were: high libido but soft erections (70% rigidity) but with cialis or viagra I was at 100%. I would get crazy night sweats the night of the injection and the night after, I had moonface, I had trouble sleeping, I had brain fog, and I was more sleepy.

When I used an AI I also split the injections into 100mg twice a week.

The night sweats were gone, my erection quality was much better, my moonface was gone, and I didn’t as much brain fog. The only negative that I had with taking an AI was my performance in the gym went down, I would take longer in between sets and I also noticed I was breathing heavier.

So how do you feel on your current protocol? You’re doing 28mg/ day right, no ai or HCG right? E2 at 52.8, correct? Do you have any of those high E2 symptoms that you had when your E2 was at 66?

 

[liftingheavy220]

So how do you feel on your current protocol? You’re doing 28mg/ day right, no ai or HCG right? E2 at 52.8, correct? Do you have any of those high E2 symptoms that you had when your E2 was at 66?

When I was doing 28mg everyday I didn’t notice any of the sides except for maybe a little more water retention.

So I didn’t notice much benefit going from 75mg twice a week vs going to 28mg everyday. My total T on 150mg was a bit over 780 and my non sensitive E2 was low 30s. I figured since I just got more sides going to everyday injections at 28mg I’m probably better off sticking to twice a week at 88mg per injection and hopefully getting into the 850-900 total to range.

My goal is to get as high total and free t as possible without having my HCT become and issue. So far I’m still figuring it out.

 

[madman]

When I was doing 28mg everyday I didn’t notice any of the sides except for maybe a little more water retention.

So I didn’t notice much benefit going from 75mg twice a week vs going to 28mg everyday. My total T on 150mg was a bit over 780 and my non sensitive E2 was low 30s. I figured since I just got more sides going to everyday injections at 28mg I’m probably better off sticking to twice a week at 88mg per injection and hopefully getting into the 850-900 total to range.

My goal is to get as high total and free t as possible without having my HCT become and issue. So far I’m still figuring it out.

What is the purpose when you may very well feel better overall running a descent FT level due to your low SHBG as oppose to having it as high as possible?

Again you stated in your previous post that you did not feel as good with your TT in the 700s and although your FT levels were still descent.....as I said it may very well have to do with having too high e2/free e2 levels but unfortunately you never tested your e2/free e2 during your 28 mg/day protocol.

 

[liftingheavy220]

What is the purpose when you may very well feel better overall running a descent FT level due to your low SHBG as oppose to having it as high as possible?

Again you stated in your previous post that you did not feel as good with your TT in the 700s and although your FT levels were still descent.....as I said it may very well have to do with having too high e2/free e2 levels but unfortunately you never tested your e2/free e2 during your 28 mg/day protocol.

It’s pretty difficult to get my doctor to test for sensitive E2 let alone free E2. The best I can do for the time being is try different injection frequencies and dosages up to 200mg.

 

[SkyWarn]

Honestly the answer is simple, just stop donating for a while. Your HCT is absolutely fine at 50, 52, 53, or even slightly higher. I promise you, the answer is just don’t donate for a while. A slightly higher HCT level will not effect your health negatively in anyway, especially considering your platelets are perfectly in range.

Last year when I didnt donate for 10months my HCT creeped up to 56. My fear is the doc will cut me off from T

 

[fifty]

High hct is cool? I don’t buy it. Seems like neo hype train bs used for marketing. Ever dr saya said you wouldn’t catch him walking around with an hct of 53 without some intervention.

 

[Gianluca]

Hello everyone,

I’ve been on TRT for over a year now and I’ve had some trouble with my hematocrit and RBCs getting too high. I’ve had to donate blood about 3 times and every time I do my ferritin drops pretty dramatically. I’d like to avoid donating blood so frequently or at least because I have to.

I have been on testosterone dosages as high as 250mg and as low as 150mg a week. 250mg was too much and I would have trouble sleeping and my hematocrit would get high fast. At 150mg my hematocrit would be at a healthy range but my testosterone would be in the 700s and I wouldn’t feel as great.

I’ve tried daily dosing but found that it raised my hematocrit even higher than twice weekly. Is there any way that I can keep my testosterone in the 900-1100 range without raising my hematocrit? Since I’ve started testosterone I’ve been doing a minimum of two shots a week. Would going to once a week lower my hematocrit?

If anyone has had success with being able to lower their hematocrit while keeping their total T in a high normal range please share how you did it.

I'm also noticing my RBC increased with more frequent injections, especially everyday injection protocol. Despite my SHBG is low, i will go back actually to 2 x week injections protocol

 

[Belekas]

8 weeks on 80mg e3.5d IM and doing some bloods EOM. Will update how my HCT and Hgb looks including pre treatment levels as well.

 

[JimGainz]

I'm also noticing my RBC increased with more frequent injections, especially everyday injection protocol. Despite my SHBG is low, i will go back actually to 2 x week injections protocol

I had the same results. despite lowering my testosterone dose to accommodate the higher frequency, my E2 and HCT were always high. I felt worse on EOD and ED injections too. I went back to pinning E6D and I’ll get labs to check - but from my logs, when I was on Weekly injections it seems things were high normal and I didn’t have to give blood. I feel great on this protocol.

 

[Belekas]

8 weeks on 80mg e3.5d IM and doing some bloods EOM. Will update how my HCT and Hgb looks including pre treatment levels as well.

My proper labs are end of next month so be around 100 day starting at 80mg E3.5D but recently I bumped the dose to 100mg as it's easier to inject 0.2ml vs 0.16ml of Sustanon fwiw. So ruffly 7 weeks on 80mg and last 8 weeks will be on 100mg/week. I suspect I'm peaking way above range and already thinking about going lower once labs are done and confirmed and then going to 1 weekly injection if that doesn't work out. I always feel best right before my shot. Nosal congestion clears, breathing gets better and once I take the shot say in the morning, nosal congestion gets worse and worse throughout the day and finally in the evening I can't breath through it at all. I still haven't tried a really tiny dose AI to see if it helps and will only have access to it once I get labs done next month. I'm suspecting that 2 weekly shots might be not for me but till labs are done and trying lower dose like say 60mg/week I can't really judge so looking forward and will update.

 

[Gman86]

My proper labs are end of next month so be around 100 day starting at 80mg E3.5D but recently I bumped the dose to 100mg as it's easier to inject 0.2ml vs 0.16ml of Sustanon fwiw. So ruffly 7 weeks on 80mg and last 8 weeks will be on 100mg/week. I suspect I'm peaking way above range and already thinking about going lower once labs are done and confirmed and then going to 1 weekly injection if that doesn't work out. I always feel best right before my shot. Nosal congestion clears, breathing gets better and once I take the shot say in the morning, nosal congestion gets worse and worse throughout the day and finally in the evening I can't breath through it at all. I still haven't tried a really tiny dose AI to see if it helps and will only have access to it once I get labs done next month. I'm suspecting that 2 weekly shots might be not for me but till labs are done and trying lower dose like say 60mg/week I can't really judge so looking forward and will update.

Any idea what could be causing the increased nasal congestion after u take a shot? Obv ur testosterone levels are gonna increase, but could testosterone really be causing nasal congestion?