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 Women's Discussion Board
 Can Dr. tell I'm "ON" from blood work?
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| Author | Topic: Can Dr. tell I'm "ON" from blood work? | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder 
Posts: 158 |
A week and a half ago I had the doctor run some blood work to double check my thyroid and do a Lyme titer for arthritus as I was concerned about the hair loss (possible thyroid) and the claw like left hand (possible Lyme Arthritus). She ran a whole slue of Blood Tests. They took 4 vials. When I finally contacted the office today, the receptionist said one of the tests showed "some inflammation in your muscles", "nothing to worry about but the Dr. wants to talk to you". My question is 2 fold: Can she tell by the blood tests that I had been "on". At the time of the tests, I was doing 10mg Ox a day for the prior two weeks. Had not done any Primo for 6 weeks. 2. What would cause "muscle inflammation". Hell, I work out everyday. Ofcourse I have Inflammation! I should hope so, but what is she seeing? "    | ||
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Novice 
Posts: |
If you went to the doctor to seek their advice/care why would you omit the fact that you are or have taken drugs in the recent past?....especially if you even remotely suspect that your problems could be connected to use? If you want an MD to be able to effectively treat you then aren't you sabotaging yourself by not disclosing ALL FACTORS that could affect your health? ------------------  | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder 
Posts: 685 |
If you have an HMO I wouldn't tell them shit..lest you be labled a sustance abuser in your file. And don't buy into that Doctor patient bullshit if you have managed healthcare NOTHING is confidential. Unless they are specifically looking for a substance, I wouldn't worry about it. Or do like I do and blame it on the "Nor-andren"
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 158 |
BikiniMom, You can't be that naive.... I wouldn't tell my docter anything I didn't have to. I had a docter tell me once, that if a patient asked for an AIDS blood test, (maybe they just wanted to be sure), that the insurance company branded them as "a risk", and they where "frowned upon". I'm with Iron God on this one. I really don't think that the problems I am having are "Gear " related, anyway. I was having the hair problem long before the gear. Doctor seems to think it was the Birth Control pills, which makes more sense, as it started right after I went back on them. Also have had a bit of a problem with an under active tyroid in the past, hence the blood test to see how it's functioning. I jsut wanted to find out what standard blood tests would show. Will update, after I talk to her in the A.M. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 103 |
Cocktails: OX is going to cause a significant decrease in HDL cholesterol, but so will some OCs. OX and androgens will decrease TBG (thyroxine-binding globulin) resulting in a lower T4 value. However, this doesn't mean you are hypothyroid. All thyroid panels include both T4 and T3 uptake (binding of the unbound sites on the TBG protein) measures. OX will increase T3 uptake. Finally there is a product of T4 x T3 uptake called the free thyroxine index or FTI. Because OX causes T4 to decrease and T3 uptake to increase, the resulting FTI is unchanged and this is the basic marker that a clinician would look for indicating thyroid dysfunction. OCs make T4 increase and T3 uptake decrease, but again the FTI doesn't change. Thus, the only way your doc would know is if she really knew her shit about androgens and estrogens and their effects on these values. My guess is that she (like many physicians) doesn't have a clue. The muscle inflammation she is referring to comes from your workouts. Muscle damage can cause very large elevations in CK (creatine kinase), to lesser degree, LDH (lactate dehydrogenase), and makers of liver dysfunction (AST and to a lesser degree ALT). Only a doc knowledgeable in this area will understand this. These elevations are normal. Only if ALT, ALK phosphatase and GGT become elevated is there a concern about liver dysfunction. If you have an elevated CK with chest pain, then it could be a heart attack, but the isoforms of that enzyme can differentiate cardiac from skeletal muscle damage. I have mixed feelings about telling your doc about the OX. If she doesn't understand the issue, then her media and medical profession driven fears of AAS and her lack of understanding of AAS will create problems. On the other hand, it may help her understand some of the blood work abnormalities (that really aren't abnormal), and if a steroid related problem does occur, it can be identified sooner. Thus, you can not tell her, try and educate her, or find an MD that works with AAS users and understands sports medicine. F1 | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 158 |
F1, I think you and MS hit it right on the head! I just returned from my visit with my MD. She said that all tests, including the TSH for thyroid where normal, but the ckp was high. Normal range is 1-166. Mine was 283. She feels it is definately from the increased work-out. Ran one more blood to make sure, but in view of the upper body development, she feels the CK was elevated due to the work out. Also said the same thing MS told me in another post. The arm/hand numbness is from the muscle development. Nerves have to catch up, do more stretching etc. Said this is why getting a pump in the gym, relieves the numbness. Blood is flowing, muscle is blood engorged, etc. She said to continue to sleep on your back as the muscles fan out and are not crunched by body weight as when sleeping on your side. All seemed to make sense and also parilleled what MS said on the subject. I have to say that you folks really know your stuff!!!! Also said that taking an anti-inflammatory is fine. If they don't help, will give me a light muscle relaxer, as she said you are probubly spasming without even realizing. She also gave me the Differin!!!!Yah!!!!! Now if I can just get the hair thing figured out!!!! | ||
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Cool Novice 
Posts: 37 |
This brings up a very interesting dilemma. First, your Dr probably knows and is choosing not to press the issue because she does not feel it is importantly clinically at this time. The effectiveness of steroids (of all types) is well documented in the medical literature. For this reason steroid metabolism is required course content in medical schools. To a trained eye, even mild AS use in a woman is obvious. Most of us here can look at a womans physique and come up with a short list of compounds she's used. It is more difficult for men because there is such a large difference in individual testorone production. My distrust in medical records confidentiality stems from the military. Commanders have access to medical records so anything put in there can be used against you. I have always used the andro and nor bailouts. But I've also never had health problems. You have to realize that not being straight with your physician greatly increases your chances of getting less then their best medical diagnosis and treatment. So it is a personal decision that only you can make. As always we're here to help but since you don't know any of our qualifications that's also a risky business:-) Galen ------------------ | ||
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Cool Novice
Posts: 26 |
I also just went for a bllod test-work related- she is an Idian md and I thought for sure something would return in the gray area-NOTHING-makes you wonder where the tests are run and are they reliable. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 103 |
GEBH: What were the blood tests for? What would you expect to come back in the grey area? F1 |
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posted November 09, 2000 12:52 AM