Hematocrit 53 after blast, how long to normalise

[BERLINER]

I finished my 14 week blast test and deca 3 weeks ago. Bloodwork shows hematocrit 53 percent. I donated blood last week. My question is how long until this comes back to normal range? I am now on TRT only 100mg test per week. I take fish oil and I drink a lot of water. My GP says to retest in 6 weeks. Is this the right approach or should I be doing something more? Any experience appreciated.

[Dutchman]

53 percent hematocrit is elevated but not in a dangerous emergency range. Blood donation was the correct first step. At 100mg TRT dose your EPO stimulation will drop significantly and hematocrit should begin trending down within 4-6 weeks. The 6 week retest your GP suggested is appropriate. Fish oil and hydration help with viscosity but will not directly lower hematocrit. Expect to be back in range by the 8-10 week mark post donation.

[Jock]

Your GP plan is sensible. One donation usually knocks 3-4 points off hematocrit. You should be close to normal already. Give it the full 6 weeks, retest, and do not rush back onto a blast until you have two readings in a row showing you are in range. Deca is rough on red blood cells - worth noting for future cycles.

[NYCgains]

Blood donation is the right call and the 6 week wait sounds correct. Some guys get into a bad pattern of blasting while ignoring hematocrit until it becomes a real health issue. Worth scheduling a donation every 16 weeks regardless if you run long blasts. Red Cross accepts you every 56 days here so the timing can work around cycle length.

[Davo]

Your GP's plan sounds right. Six weeks and retest. One donation usually drops hematocrit by 3-4 points so you should be close to normal range already. The deca will have been contributing too - it stimulates red blood cell production. Off the deca and on low TRT you should come down naturally. Just do not blast again until you get that retest back and you are in range.

[Mick AU]

Had the same issue after a long deca run. Donated twice, gave it 8 weeks on low dose test only and came back at 46. Deca is the main culprit - test alone is not as bad for hematocrit in most people. Worth scheduling a donation every 3 months on any long blast regardless of bloodwork just as maintenance.

[FLbodybuilder]

This is a good reminder for me. On test and deca right now and have not checked hematocrit in 10 weeks. Going to book bloods next week. Did you have any symptoms at 53 or did the bloodwork just catch it? I want to know what to watch for between blood tests.

[Beantown Rick]

Headaches and feeling flushed in the face can be signs of high hematocrit but a lot of guys miss them or put it down to dehydration. The only reliable way to know is blood test. I get bloods every 8 weeks on cycle specifically because of this. Cheap insurance considering the alternative.

[Marc NL]

This is something I had not thought much about. Currently on test and deca myself. Going to book a blood test next week after reading this. How often are you getting bloods done on cycle? I have been doing it every 8 weeks but maybe that is not frequent enough.

[MunichMarc]

Thank you for posting this. It is something I did not know about before reading this forum. Now I understand why bloodwork is so important during a cycle - not just for hormones but also for things like this. I will make sure to include hematocrit in my mid-cycle bloods when I start.