Increased BP and H + H from gels?

[Guest guest]

Just curious but have any of you using AndroGel or Testim noticed

increased blood pressure or have Hemoglobin and Hematocrit levels

increased?

Also how often do all the TRT patients here give blood in order to

avoid increased hematological parameters?

Also, one last question. I notice a lot of guys having tests done at

certain labs and that's cool but is this because they're having a

difficult time getting their docs to give them specific tests? The

reason I ask is because someone recently posted a thread about having

their DHT level tested and LEF charges $100 for this? That's insane.

My docs lab only charges $25 for that test including total and free T

for those with or without insurance.

[Guest guest]

All you need to do when you go for labs is to make sure you drink a lot of water

if your dehydrated your H/H can come back on the higher side. Only give blood

every 6 months if you try to keep this down giving blood you will end up with

low Ferritin and iron levels. Just take a heart aspirin everyday this keeps

your blood thinner. I am going through this right now but my H/H is high due to

having to take iron pills and I have been on them 10 month I got better 4 months

ago and my Dr. lowered my does from 200 mgs of Elemental Iron to 100 and my

levels fell bad. Then he put me back up and I got heartburn big time so bad I

thought it was my heart. Now I am on a diff. Iron pill and feeling better. You

don't want to give blood to offten and end up like me and Mike.

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: skywalker45_99 <skywalker45_99@...>

> Subject: Increased BP and H + H from gels?

>

> Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 1:08 PM

> Just curious but have any of you using AndroGel or Testim

> noticed

> increased blood pressure or have Hemoglobin and Hematocrit

> levels

> increased?

>

> Also how often do all the TRT patients here give blood in

> order to

> avoid increased hematological parameters?

>

> Also, one last question. I notice a lot of guys having

> tests done at

> certain labs and that's cool but is this because

> they're having a

> difficult time getting their docs to give them specific

> tests? The

> reason I ask is because someone recently posted a thread

> about having

> their DHT level tested and LEF charges $100 for this?

> That's insane.

> My docs lab only charges $25 for that test including total

> and free T

> for those with or without insurance.

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

ditto about the H & H, mine is borderline high if I don't drink water

before getting tested. I learned the hard way when my doc wanted me to

lower my dose, give blood or see a specialist. The specialist told me

to drink between 1 and 2 8oz glasses of water before the test.

As for BP, I have spent all my life with dangerously low BP, so I will

take any rise in BP testosterone gives me with thanks. Since being on

T I have had only a handful LOC episodes and now when it is low I just

fall instead of blacking out. In terms of low think 53 over 30.

trannyboy

[Guest guest]

skywalker45_99 for me, I control the HH by giving blood

(phlebotomies). I have hemochromatosis, an iron overload genetic

mutation where the HFE gene has two mutations, the H63D and C282Y.

The iron disrupted the anterior lobe signaling my pituitary and wa la

here I am trying to balance my hormones.

NOTE: HEMOCHROMATOSIS IS THE #1 GENETIC MUTATION IN THE UNITED STATES

AND AFFECTS WESTERN AND NORTHER EUROPEANS THE MOST WITH AS HIGH AS A

4:1 TO 5:1 (20 OUT OF 100) IN THOSE WITH IRISH HERITAGE.

What I find interesting is that this group seems to indicate

polarization of being able to process/retain hemme iron. My

conclusion is that it is very logical that people dealing with

gonadism has some kind of iron issue: either too low resulting in

anemic states or too high. There is a good reason for this.

HEPCIDIN THE MASTER IRON CONTROLLING FACTOR IS A HORMONE PRODUCED IN

THE LIVER.

However, this is a semi recent find (circa 1996) and further clinical

testing is finding that there are other hormones and enzymatic

interfaces and that to just address hepcidin to manage iron is not the

entire picture. They are getting there, but I suspect another 5 years

before full picture.

If anyone in here struggles with what appears to be GOUT get tested,

because there is a more that significant probability that you may have

psuedo gout caused by CPPD (Calcium Pyrophosphade Dehydrate) crystal

deposition disease, which causes pain, swelling, and sometimes redness

and/or heat in one or many joints and presents like classic gout,

which is the inability to process the purines that are bound to most

proteins.

The good news is that having phlebotomies or giving blood in general

will help mitigate high Hematocrit and Hemoglobin and Hemochromatosis.

For me I welcome it. I often phleb and remain Fe high, but my HH is

too low to get a phleb the following week. With the affects of T, I

can keep phlebing as often as needed (as often as weekly) since HH is

less of an issue now that I started TRT.

Ferritin (Fe) is the binding/transport protein that delivers the iron.

Note: Fe is also the protein that modulates magnesium which takes a

subordinate position to iron thereby creating greater chances for

arrhythmia's.

Get the following tests done:

1. HFE Gene Test for the C282Y and H63D mutations. Note: Do not let

your doctor or labs slide by just having the other tests done. This

is a conclusive test that denotes genetic mutations and is as

objective as reality can get.

2. Transferrin saturation (TS), also called " Percentage of

Saturation. " After fasting, blood is taken to measure Total Iron

Binding Capacity (TIBC) and Serum Iron (SI). SI is divided by TIBC to

get the Percentage of Saturation. A safe range is 12-44%. Over that is

considered iron overload.

3. Serum ferritin concentration (stored iron). A safe range is 5-150.

(If the first TS test comes out OK, this test may not be done.)51

4. Hemoglobin. Iron is used by the body for hemoglobin production.

Hemoglobin is the iron-containing respiratory pigment in red blood

cells. The top normal level is 14 for women, 15 for men.

5. Hematocrit. The percentage by volume of packed red blood cells in a

given sample of blood after centrifugation (i.e., the percentage of

red blood cells in your blood). The top normal level is 42 for women,

45 for men.

6. Another test given less frequently is the UIBC which measures

Unbound Iron Binding Capacity. A safe range is above 146. If you're

below that, you should be treated for iron overload.

Tom U

>

> > From: skywalker45_99 <skywalker45_99@...>

> > Subject: Increased BP and H + H from gels?

> >

> > Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 1:08 PM

> > Just curious but have any of you using AndroGel or Testim

> > noticed

> > increased blood pressure or have Hemoglobin and Hematocrit

> > levels

> > increased?

> >

> > Also how often do all the TRT patients here give blood in

> > order to

> > avoid increased hematological parameters?

> >

> > Also, one last question. I notice a lot of guys having

> > tests done at

> > certain labs and that's cool but is this because

> > they're having a

> > difficult time getting their docs to give them specific

> > tests? The

> > reason I ask is because someone recently posted a thread

> > about having

> > their DHT level tested and LEF charges $100 for this?

> > That's insane.

> > My docs lab only charges $25 for that test including total

> > and free T

> > for those with or without insurance.

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

> >