Things to get checked out and to monitor [Forum Archive]

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Things to get checked out and to monitor

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Posted by: Mags

Hey guys, I'm thinking about a cycle for jan/feb time and wanna know what I should get checked out by my doctor first (blood pressure, liver values etc) as Im still in the dark alittle about some of the things I should focus on. The cycle will be a 10 week cycle of Dbol/Test and possibly HCG so what should I monitor for and at what intervals etc? Cheers.

Posted by: ag-guys

how old are you? what are your stats/ years training?

thanks
AG
www.ag-guys.com

Posted by: Mags

I'm 23, 6', 203lbs (don't quite know my bf but low as have fairly good definition abs,obliques and vascularity), been lifting since I was 18 and probably more accurately training since 19-20.

Posted by: Pirate!

Get everything checked in your bloodwork, including lipid, liver, TSH, Test, Bun...EVERYTHING. Monitor your blood pressure regularly on your own.

Posted by: Mags

Quote:

Originally Posted by PirateFromHell

Get everything checked in your bloodwork, including lipid, liver, TSH, Test, Bun...EVERYTHING. Monitor your blood pressure regularly on your own.

Nice one! I don't mean to appear cheeky but is there anyone out there that can just write a list of everything (obviously within reason) that should be checked. Im not just being lazy, i've been reading around here for a while and have researched into this but not as much as I need to, cheers.

Posted by: Mudge

Within reason depends what you are running, and how anal you are.

Blood pressure is cheap/free to check and should be done regularly.

After that, I really only care to look at cholesterol and liver values. Then there are different levels of testing on either one of those that you can have performed as well.

Posted by: PWGriffin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudge

Within reason depends what you are running, and how anal you are.

Blood pressure is cheap/free to check and should be done regularly.

After that, I really only care to look at cholesterol and liver values. Then there are different levels of testing on either one of those that you can have performed as well.

will eating foods that help lower cholesterol while on cycle keep that in check? Or is it somewhat unavoidable?

Posted by: gococksDJS

Quote:

Originally Posted by PWGriffin

will eating foods that help lower cholesterol while on cycle keep that in check? Or is it somewhat unavoidable?

My HDL dropped like a bitch on my last cycle, and I found this out after getting blood work. It was only about 5 weeks into a 12 week cycle. I was completely honest with my doctor and asked him not to write the drugs I was on in my chart, so he told me what he thought I should do to bring my HDL back up, and no he didn't say "Don't do steroids". Your doctor is bound by patient/doctor confidentiality laws, so there's no since in lying to him.

Posted by: Mudge

Quote:

Originally Posted by PWGriffin

will eating foods that help lower cholesterol while on cycle keep that in check? Or is it somewhat unavoidable?

It helps yes, otherwise the pros would probably all be dead except for a few.

Occasionally some of them, like Shawn Ray will talk about lecithin and things of that nature. A lot of them do take a barrage of supplements along with, special supplements.

Posted by: Mags

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudge

I plan to run 500mg test enan/cyp for 10 weeks and 25mg Dbol ED for the first month to kickstart (although after reading recent posts from 'D' etc this may be dropped, although really don't want to) and possibly run 500iu's HCG E5D from week 3 to week 9, with nolva as PCT. Within reason, I don't want to take any foolish risks so I wanted to know what I should check out before cycling but didnt know how deep to look into health checks etc, only following up whats necessary/advisable etc. A all round private Health check here in the Uk can be from 150-300 quid (about 260-530 US dollars) which is pretty steep, although worth doing.

What happens if I naturally have a high blood pressure, liver values and cholesterol etc? Can they be lowered/alterred to safer levels by manipulating my diet further and doing more CV etc or is it already set in stone as such? So basically, the main areas to pay close attention too are BP, Cholesterol and Liver Values? Cheers.

Posted by: Mags

Quote:

Originally Posted by PirateFromHell

Get everything checked in your bloodwork, including lipid, liver, TSH, Test, Bun...EVERYTHING. Monitor your blood pressure regularly on your own.

Soz to come across as an idiot but what are the abbreviations mean?

Posted by: Mudge

If you already have a barrage of health issues as you list I wouldn't even touch juice. You are going to have to master that before you touch anything, lest you reduce your current state of health.

Posted by: Devlin

Quote:

Originally Posted by PirateFromHell

Get everything checked in your bloodwork, including lipid, liver, TSH, Test, Bun...EVERYTHING. Monitor your blood pressure regularly on your own.

Lipid (profile): cholesterol level, HDL (High denisty lipids), LDL (low denisty lipids), trigliserides
Liver (profile): checks liver enzymes which may be high if liver is being taxed from drugs/hormones/infections
TSH: Thyroid stimulating hormone
BUN: blood urea nitrogen which can also be elevated from drugs or kidneys being taxed

Would also suggest the following:
CBC: complete blood cell count
PT & aPTT (also known as coagulation profile):check to see if clotting factors are fucntional
Chemisty profile: basic profile to check electrolytes, glucose (blood sugar), etc
T3 & T4: thyroid hormones

Posted by: Mags

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devlin

Sweet! Nice one dude. Should everything be treated as the same level of danger as we all know coagulation of the blood is altered due to the thinning of the blood from the likes of water retention etc, but is it okay to let these levels fluctuate (obviously not too high or low from the normal) and assume they aren't something to be too concerned with as compared to say the changes in Liver values etc? Cheers.

Posted by: Mags

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudge

If you already have a barrage of health issues as you list I wouldn't even touch juice. You are going to have to master that before you touch anything, lest you reduce your current state of health.

Im still only 23, in fairly good shape, i train 5 nights a weekand play football weekends. I don't even drink alot. Its only recently i've started eating higher cals for a bulkin diet and even the majority of that is clean wholesome cals too, so i dont think my body is changing too much yet due to that. I don't have any health issues currently or any problems involving a family history of illness etc so I assume Im just a regular youthful healthy-ish guy. Obviously, never having tests etc to check all the things mentioned in the above posts, Ive never been 100% sure. However, before I even touch gear, i'll get myself checked out, and as you mentioned, if I do have health issues that badly then I'll give gear a miss, but im sure Im sound. I just really meant if I had a slightly higher than average BP or something else for example, that wouldn't necessarily be anything to worry about, could it easily be solved with alittle more cardio or diet tweeks etc. Cheers.

Posted by: Stu

i hope you arent planning on asking the NHS to do all of these, their idea of a blood test is to prick you in the arm with an 18g needle, if blood comes out then you've passed.

Posted by: Mags

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu

i hope you arent planning on asking the NHS to do all of these, their idea of a blood test is to prick you in the arm with an 18g needle, if blood comes out then you've passed.

yeah, that's what I had kind've assumed. Where do you go then? Your Local GP/Doctor etc?

Posted by: Devlin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mags

Your coagulation levels can be affected directly by taking asprin, but more important if you coauglation levels are also an indircet indicator of liver functon. Your liver produces you coagulation factors so if your liver is damaged you an at increased risk of bleeding.

So what would I be concerned about most....
1. Liver values-high values then avoid a cycle especially an oral cycle. If levels go up while on cycle consider decrease doses or stopping
2. coagualtions-again high values avoid cycle and get liver cleaned up. If levels go up while on cycle then again decrease doses or stop.
3. Lipid profile-elevated levels than clean up diet and cardio or cycle can be affecting these I beleive.
4. Thyroid levels-a bit complicated but I'll try to make it simple. If TSH, T3, T4 are normal no problems. If TSH is elevated than your T3 and/or T4 are probably low which could indicate you have an underactive thyroid and may need synthetic T4 (synthroid, levoxyl) or snythetic T3 (cytomel) or are taking supplements/drugs that have suppressed thyroid output and may have to stop the drugs/supplements and let the thyroid recover. If yout TSH is low, you may have a normal to elevated levels of T4 and/or T3. Elevated levels of T4 and/or T3 can be a result of a overactive thyroid or from drugs (synthroid, levoxyl, cytomel) or from supplements such as ephredra (ephredra can increase output of T4 and conversion of T4 to T3).
5. The remaineder are general health blood tests of those the BUN would be the better indicator of kidney function. Increases in BUN are not to be too concerned about unless there are serious sudden increases, but in that case you will probably be feeling like crap.

As for the frequency of blood testing once cycle starts, it may be over kill, but I would say minimum of every 2 months for liver profile, lipid profile and thyroid profile (TSH, T3, T4). Coagulation profile not as often unless increases seen.

Can't help you about where to get them done in the UK as I am in the US and by the way I'm not a dude, but a woman.

Posted by: Stu

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mags

yeah, that's what I had kind've assumed. Where do you go then? Your Local GP/Doctor etc?

you can get a lipid test done by your GP but for things like testosterone levels thyroid etc, then you'd have to think of some medical reason

Posted by: Devlin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu

you can get a lipid test done by your GP but for things like testosterone levels thyroid etc, then you'd have to think of some medical reason

Stu-Will severe mood swings and weight loss/gain work for a reason over there? Besides having an enlargement of the thyroid, my thyroid problems manifested as severe mood swings amd weight gain.

Posted by: Tha Don

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu

you can get a lipid test done by your GP but for things like testosterone levels thyroid etc, then you'd have to think of some medical reason

you can get a liver function test and blood pressure readings done at your local needle exchange, its free and confidential, not sure if they offer any cholesterol tests or bloodwork but i'll ask next time i go in, i deff want to get everything fully checked out after this cycle

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