High Resting HR/Pulse- Blood Donations

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

I have been on HRT for many years, and all those years continued to regularly donate blood. I took a few years off GH, but been back on for a while and have donated blood while on it no problems. Today I was rejected for a 102 pulse (limit is 100), and it irritates me as I think she was a rookie. she took it, said it was 102 so said we will try again after the finger prick which isn’t pleasant, takes my pulse immediately and its 102 again so sends me packing. She also took my BP with the regular sized cuff after I asked her for the XL, saying they always use the XL on me or I get a higher reading. I made it under the BP limits but was close and she insisted on just using the regular cuff size saying it did not matter (I’ve had it done back to back with two different cuff sizes and it DOES matter). Also it was the first time I was doing to do double RBC donation because they’ve been nagging me to do it, and I was really nervous. I get anxious anytime I donate blood or get an IV of any sort.

Just to be safe though I want to make sure I am not neglecting any health concerns. I am coming off of a few rough years of medical issues where I did continue to lift moderately, but basically had to drop cardio and intervals for the most part. I am recently trying to get back into shape focusing on intervals, steady state, and lifting with less rest periods to try to prioritize my heart and brain health. To do this I did a bunch of pre-tests with HR monitor, so in a few months I can retest drills to see if I am improving with my HR max and ave. My resting HR is an awful 87, with 20 minutes of meditation I can get it down to 79-80, but even in my 20s I had a higher pulse when in peak shape, and there is high BP in my family. But today for it to be 102 bothers me, and yea mainly because I have to reschedule to donate blood and make the trip etc.

Would lowering my T dose prior to the next attempt help? Skip my next dose and then try? Cut out my HGH injections for a few days prior? If my resting HR is 87 right now on a good day, that gives me very little wiggle room for their limit of 100 to donate, and I hate needles in my arms so naturally am amped up anytime I go hah. Any tricks for the day off to drop my BP and resting HR?

2

Hard to recommend without any details of your protocols.

Aspirin can help with blood flow, as well as fish oil.
Magnesium can help muscle tone of arterial muscles [and leg cramps].

You really need lab work.

Labs:
TT
FT
E2
CBC with hematocrit
AST/ALT
AM cortisol [at 8AM please]
TSH
fT3
fT4
fasting cholesterol
fasting glucose

You did not discuss how you feel, libido, energy, sleeping, headaches, skin changes, weight changes…
Do you feel blood pounding in your head?

3

Labs from the summer, been steady at similar numbers for years on same protocol.

TT= 1026 (this number can be anywhere 900-1000 depending on when I do my shot in relation to labs)
FT= 259
E2=27

CBC, Hematocrit 50.7

AST=52
ALT=73
(these have been high for YEARS, but other markers for my liver are perfectly healthy -cannot recall what the doc pointed to on the lab- so a few docs have told me its likely because I am usually lifting 4 days week and that will jack these numbers up)

TSH=2.16
T4= 1.2
T3=3.2

Cortisol (9:45am)= 18.4

Total cholesterol = 175
HDL=43
Triglycerides= 61
LDL=120

Glucose= 105

Test 150mg week
GH 2iu daily bedtime
HCG 250iu 3x week
Adex 1mg 3x week

I am a big fan of fish oil, take it 2-3 times a day 4 caps Flameout in morning and 2 teaspoons of liquid orange with super high concentrations of DHA/EPA in evening

Libido and energy has been down in past year or more but I am coming off basically few years of hard core stress and lack of any conditioning. Sleeping is same, actually doing better than when in the storm of the stress. Weight is steady, has been steady for all the years I’ve been on HRT, even with the stress the weight stays same its just my BF will fluctuate up or down. Right now currently 11% BF via DEXA scan which I was told is the most accurate way to do it currently (and usually reads higher than other methods).

No headaches at all ever, no skin changes, no blood pounding in the head at all either. I just feel out of shape, but I actually am! Ha…with no conditioning for nearly 3 years and in my early 40s, with seriously high major life stress, I assume that its pretty normal to not feel as chipper in the gym.

I have high BP in family, and mine has been borderline since my 20s even when I was super fit cardiovascular wise. Then for some years it would jump up but I was having serious health issues and stress all the time. Some docs would say time to go on BP meds, but then they would test it again and say I was borderline so better not to get on if I can keep it down with diet and exercise and wait until the medical issues resolved. Now I am wondering if it is time to investigate BP meds, or see if 3 months of drastically changing my workouts to be mainly intervals and steady state, will drop down the BP and resting HR.

I just started wearing a HR monitor for workouts, when walking, and when meditating to see what it looks like. During workouts or walking around its always easily north of 100. But I do not feel terrible at all when it is, no headaches, not light headed, nada.

Last blood donation was just about two months ago so assume my RBC has not climbed super high. Was going to do this double RBC donation and then do labs again in next month or so. But now I am concerned with the high pulse I might not be able to donate. I admit I was worked up at the donation center as I thought the double RBC might be bigger needle or two needles since they said they need to filter it and then put it back in. I’ve always had lab coat syndrome.

4

You need to watch out for the white lab coat: https://www.google.com/search?q=sexy+girl+in+a+lab+coat&biw=1219&bih=650&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjX-cvJ3PzKAhVDKiYKHQgSCHUQ_AUIBigB

Speaking of stress:
What are oral body temperatures?
Did you ever test rT3?

Please reduce GH to 1iu and monitor BP to see if there is a connection.

5

You got me on the lab coat!!! hahaha

Body temps been 98.6 range past few times no temp increases

Not sure about rT3, if its in same place on labs then no for last labs, but I know in the past I’ve had it done. Back in day I was in severe adrenal fatigue and had to be on cortisol and thyroid, but got my health stabilized and weaned off of them both thankfully and was doing amazing. Can ask doc to put rT3 on next labs. Wanted to get this blood donation done and then do them.

Will reduce GH immediately

So all the other numbers look ok, no big red flags?

I am all about wanting to live long and healthy, so if I need to be on BP meds I will do it…but hoping 3 months of primarily steady state and intervals will get pulse and BP down a little. Most of my life has been heavy hard core PL and OL, nearly 30 years worth. Never been a fan of steady state either, just anaerobic power sports, intervals, and strong man type conditioning drills. Kept me lean and muscular but I am worried now that maybe it neglected having a healthy heart. Throw in a number of years of heavy duty stress with medical problems, adrenal crash, etc, not good for the ol ticker.

6

Tried again, failed with 102 pulse…man they are strict, I tried my best like hey what is 2 beats over? And I wore a HR monitor showing when she was talking to me it dipped down to 95 but she would not use the pulse from the HR monitor.

I know I have lab coat syndrome, and also know I’ve always been borderline BP. I am just hoping its 3 years of no conditioning and super high life stress that bumped up the resting HR and will return to lower number as I manage stress and get back into conditioning shape.

Going to do fresh labs and make sure nothing is funky there, and might think about scheduling a stress test just to be safe and get the ticker checked out.

Wish there was a way to drop the pulse just to get the blood donation over with before doing labs. Would it be ill advised to try a beta blocker to drop it and go donate? I would have to ask one of my doctors, as I do not trust these online sources that are “for research purposes”.

7

Have you seen: Tachycardia - Wikipedia

What is your history of this and any events that punctuated this?

Please review supplements/stimulants.

I see that thyroid disorders can be part of this.

I see your point with anxiety.

8

Yes sir, been reading over the topic the past week which amps me up even more.

Never been diagnosed with tachycardia, but many times over the course of years of medical issues, when stress is high and docs making errors or do not have answers for my issues, BP spikes big time…so lab coat syndrome and stress over medical issues will spike the hell out of my BP.

Caffeine intake has been the extact same for years, as has supplement intake with minor adjustments periodically. I do not take any stimulants or pre-workout stuff. Mainly anti-aging, anti-oxidant, brain health, trying to focus on longevity kind of supplements.

9

Found a link that seems to explain what my doc has thought is why I have high AST/ALT

10

This is a very common theme in this forum as we have many guys who train hard.
Same problem also shows up with females.

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