CrazyCajunDoc

0.25 mg of Wegovy (semaglutide) is significantly lower than the optimal dosage.

LINK

“Normal” RBC/hemoglobin ranges for adult males not on TRT are 14-18 g/dL and 40-54% for hematocrit. Both of your levels are normal to high normal. Was there an underlying medical reason your doctor wants to reduce them? Being high normal is still considered in range.

My values on TRT have ranged between 15.7-17.5 and 49-52% over the last 18 months. My endocrinologist hasn’t been concerned when we have discussed blood work. I do donate double RBC three times a year, which has lowered it as a secondary effect (peace of mind). I donate primarily because I’m O negative blood type.

How was your ferritin level? Blood donations can crater it while still having high RBC/hematocrit.

Thanks for the input so far.

I’m a “veteran” hiker for living at 16’ elevation. Most of our summer vacations are backpacking in Colorado at elevation. Typically 10 miles daily, but over several weekends a year, not a week plus in one stretch. So much lighter packs and shorter distances. Stamina is my concern.

I assumed I would have the heaviest pack hence throwing out the 70 lb number. I’m the fittest parent by far, and most of the kids are on the smaller side (early teenagers vs. later teenagers further along in puberty), so pack weight will be lower for them.

The Philmont medical crew has become stricter in the last few years, and we were informed no exceptions to the BMI chart or blood pressure.

Edited to add that most kids are aging out this year, which is why the average age is shifting lower. The troop overachieves. The older kids just returned from Northern Tier and both groups canoed over 100 miles in the nine days they were there.

Hi all,

I need advice from the experts here to select a program or programs for the next year. The goal is to help me get into shape to attend the Scouts BSA Philmont High Adventure camp next July. It's a 12-day backpacking trip at elevations up to 12,000 feet for those unfamiliar with it.

The physical requirements are pretty stringent, with a maximum BMI and blood pressure determining if you can attend. Both are measured at the location and are known not to allow borderline cases to complete the trip. I heard of two cases this year of adult leaders that failed, with one being 2 lbs overweight for his height and another for having a diastolic blood pressure 5 points above the maximum.

I am 5' 10" and currently 240 lbs, 23% body fat, 47 years old. The maximum weight allowed for my height is 226 lbs. One option is to lose roughly 20 lbs to give a little buffer while not increasing lean mass. A second option (preferred option) is to get a weight exemption via DEXA, showing I have <15% body fat.

The reasoning is that increasing lean mass and decreasing body fat will make it easier to carry my expected 50-70 lbs pack. The adults typically carry more pack weight than the kids as there is a recommended limit of no more than 30% of your body weight as pack weight. Roughly 25 lbs are gear (ultralight), with the remainder weight as food/water due to the distances between resupply days and limited water during late summer.

I currently lift three days a week (PPL) and consider myself a late beginner with a big three total of about 1000 lbs. I typically lift before work in the morning and then try to walk a mile or two after work a few times a week. At least twice a month, I hike 10+ miles with a 10 lb day pack. My garage gym has two racks with dip and landmine attachments, two full sets of free weights, a complete set of dumbbells up to 85 lbs, an assault bike, and a treadmill. I prefer to lift in the morning before work and perform cardio after work before dinner.

I want a program focusing on the big lifts: deadlift, squats bench press, and overhead press. I am considering completing a beginner's linear progression block (or blocks) and then pivoting to an intermediate program. This is where I need help. My goal here is to get as strong as possible in the next 12 month.

I would also like to increase cardio while trying to minimize the effect on strength gains to help with weight loss. I am considering rucking or using a weighted vest with more walking days than currently. Advice here is also appreciated. My resting heart rate is low 60s, and I would like to leverage targetted cardio to reduce that to below 60 to help account for lower oxygen at elevation. I plan to drop fat to <14% BF while tracking body composition every eight weeks with DEXA.

I use TRT, so my hormones are dialed in. No health issues other than age.

Apologies for the wall of text, but many details here add nuance to my goals. Thanks in advance for the advice.

Edited to add that my diet is running a 10% caloric deficit, and I've dropped 8 lbs in the last six weeks.

Here is an article in the New England Journal of Medicine that explains the differences between the two.

LINK

Tirzepitide appears to offer improved weight loss for diabetics. Granted at a higher dosage than semaglutide.

Edited to try to fix the link

Spinning off from this [link=(thread)]https://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/health-fitness/doctor-recommendation-to-prescribe-trt/101911979/[/link].

Can the board recommend a General Practitioner near Pearland? I have moved several time in the last few years due to work and have neglected to find a regular doctor. I am not looking for someone to prescribe TRT specifically, unless is it needed, but want to start with routine tests beyond a 5 minute annual work place physical. I live south of Pearland TX and work in Freeport. Geographically I could easily go to Pearland, Sugarland, and south Houston including the Medical Center.

I am definitely low class for this site, so seeking help to potentially improve my status here. 48 YO, 5’10”, 235 lbs, bench press max is only 260 lbs.

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Watching the guy in the office next to me be perp walked out by the FBI and then being interviewed by several agents. He was caught for theft of trade secrets for - downloaded every digital technical report in the history of our company. Think Fortune 50 and 200+ years of information. Not sure why he needed info from the 1800s in smokeless gun powder but some the information covered contract work for the Manhattan project. He got caught because the secretary had to reorder copy paper early and IT traced down that he had printed thousands of pages on the printer. Served his time in the federal pen and was sent back to China where he is working in technology he was convicted of stealing.

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1. A scientist committed suicide with a plastic bag and nitrogen because he was going to be laid off. He had medical issues and was afraid of losing coverage. His technician found him the next day in the lab. It was hushed up.

2. Former manager got in trouble because his wife was one of his direct reports. This was against company policy but because he was open about it HR only split them up. It came to light when it was anonymously reported to our corporate ethics hotline because everyone was doing her work at his instruction. The VP he reported to was fired because of it. A few years later the two divorced because she was cheating on him with another manager.

My understanding of the Ohio mask mandate is

1. They are not required outdoors if social distancing can be maintained. That appears to be the case here as she was sitting with her family and news reported only 25 fans in the stands.

2. They are not required if you have a medical condition. She claimed having asthma which would allow not wearing a mask.

Arrrived in Cancun yesterday and the resort is a ghost town. Lots of cancellations according to the staff. Our flight here was completely full, but the plane type changed since booking. Are carriers consolidating flights now?

Things are bad in the Orange area. Most of the county is still without power and Entergy is having to go farther and farther out for supplies to repair due to so many substations being damaged by flooding.

LSP are giving folks trying to get back into Texas a hard time that left Orange to go to Toomey/Vinton for supplies. They are not letting semi's with supplies through. My dad was behind a Wal-Mart truck this afternoon and saw LSP threaten to arrest the driver after he was upset when denied entry.

Backwater flooding from the Sabine is starting to occur throughout the east side of the county due to the Toledo Bend water releases. Voluntary evacuations for everyone east of 16th Street and in areas that flooded last year.