If You Lower or Stop TRT, Does Polycythemia Stop?

I’ve been on T cypionate (recently 150 mg split twice a week) for about 3 years and I’ve been having high hemoglobin/hematocrit that I’ve been donating every 2-3 months to lower it but recently it’s gotten worse, levels go up faster, constant high blood pressure even after donating, and now numbness in my feet, legs, hands and lips (getting an mri soon but it seems to correlate with the times my BP is highest). Did lowering your dose or quitting take polycythemia away? I’m just scared that because it keeps getting worse on the same dose that it might become permanent or that the numbness and hypertension will never stop even if i quit.

TRT influences hematocrit and hemoglobin, so lowering the dosage or stopping TRT will decreases these blood parameters.

Smoking, vaping can increase blood parameters.

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I did quit vaping a month ago but even higher BP than before and numbness still there, haven’t checked blood levels yet though

A month after stopping vaping isn’t enough time for things to normalize. You are still going through withdrawal.

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Do you know if just lowering the dose can lower your hemoglobin without donating or does it just slow down or stop the increase and I would still need a donation to lower it? It’s only been 20 days (they make me wait 2 months) and my BP goes up to 150/100 with caffeine about 140/90 without and I’m usually at around 130/85 this soon after donation

It got rid of the secondary erythocytosis that was causing my high CBC, yes

If you lower your dosage enough, the blood parameters will decrease.

I don’t like to rely on stimulants, if I have low energy than I’m doing something wrong (sleep, diet overtraining etc.).

Did you have to donate after lowering the dose to get it down or did it lower just from the dose change?

Do you think just lowering it could decrease it since I can’t donate in over a month? If so something like 100/week instead of my current 150?

I donated once, by next blood work it was already back up. That I lowered dose and have not checked it, but I don’t feel all red and puffy like I did before

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Yes.

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Stop donating, this will only make things worse if your body thinks its bleeding out every few months. Lower your dose and take daily Cialis to help lower your BP. Do you work out at all?

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I do but lately I’ve been doing more cardio than weight lifting to try to lower my blood pressure. That exactly what I’ve been concerned about since it’s been going up faster and faster after the donation, that it could be causing it to increase from it faster. Not sure what to do to fix it besides lower it, but if I don’t have it down in two months my doctor said he might take me off or try gel which I can’t afford long term.

Try injecting daily. Its what I do. I went through a period of weird blood flow issues that eventually went away. Its a concern but going numb can also be stressing about things like lab results

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Do you happen to know if someone donates too much and makes it worse that way if lowering it will still help, also do you know how long it take to help the numbers if you lower it?

You are overthinking it. Make a change, sit back and relax and recheck in a month.

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Its not that it gets worse all of a sudden, but its just not allowing things to get into a natural pace. Donating once a year is fine, but every quarter is excessive for a person who is on TRT. Take it slow and definitely hydrate more than usual. Sometimes what you may be experiencing is not TRT related.

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I have get phlebotomies every 6-8 weeks since my hematocrit runs 57% and lowering my dosage takes away a lot of the benefits of TRT.

Some of us cannot avoid donating frequently.

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So you personally feel better when it’s higher than lower usually?

I don’t notice a difference with regards to blood parameters, unless my T is low to early in the day. I need to be at 700 or higher at 4 hours (on Jatenzo), otherwise T levels drop earlier in the day.

After ther phlebotomy my hematocrit is 51%, a 6% drop. I don’t think some guys realize increased hematocrit and hemoglobin is one of the benefits of TRT.