Quote:
Originally Posted by Lune
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From prison guard to middle management, what inspired the career change? Was it because you were choking out inmates? Get caught using steroids?
RBC's are made in the bone marrow in response to several stimuli, including chronic hypoxia. Hematocrit alone is not a meaningful indicator of cardiovascular fitness, it doesn't make sense to say "My hematocrit is high so I should be able to go up stairs". Getting winded from light exertion like going up stairs and elevated hematocrit are both symptoms of COPD or impaired heart function. Were you a smoker? Were you on anabolic steroids? It's also possible you are just very out of shape and happen to have elevated hematocrit from any number of possible causes.
This in particular:
Is a telltale symptom of COPD or congestive heart failure if it's really as severe as you say it is (fat people get this too just by being fat); if your doctor doesn't know about it, make sure he does.
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COPD as a result of untreated low grade exercise-induced asthma for years on end, entirely possible. I have allergies and psoriasis (systemic inflammation) so can't rule out pleurisy either as I get older.
I think I am just not built for that size, and the reminder of pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary issues in general with that much size (heart as you said) is probably enough to lower my sights and make some big changes...
I'm 31 later this year. Doubt I'll be back into powerbuilding like Nocsucow. Time to take a faggier approach and take a downgrade in hardcore title, such as "fitness enthusiast". I used to make fun of these kinds of people and even hold them in contempt for not wanting to get as functionally huge as possible.
Not so funny anymore I guess. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that's way too much choking and heaving. Any type of endurance activity that didn't require an explosion was impossible without sucking heavy wind.
My 400 pound fat ass Native American friend was out-walking me in Boston to a game. I should have taken the hint then.