Retatrutide Log: 12mg Appetite Suppression & Rethinking Blood Donation (Day 22)

Day 22: HGH Water Retention Confirmed & Humbling Cable Raises Today is Day 22 of daily vlogging my retatrutide weight loss journey. We are hitting Shoulders (Delts & Traps) today. The data is in, and dropping the HGH has immediately fixed my blood pressure issues, confirming the water retention was the culprit. The 12mg dose of Retatrutide is in full effect—to the point where I completely forgot to eat dinner last night. Sleep & Recovery: Short night (5h 36m) due to late work prep, but REM was fantastic (1h 45m). Woke up feeling good despite the short duration. HGH & Blood Pressure: BP is back to a perfect 120/71. The water retention caused by the HGH was definitely the cause of the spike. Since stopping it, I’m back in the healthy range without changing anything else. Shoulder Workout: The gym was packed, but mostly with the "New Year" cardio crowd, so the weights were open. Shoulder press felt great, but the cable delt raises were humbling, stuck at 15lbs while trying to rebuild stability and get the muscle under load. Glucose & Diet Adjustments: Woke up with glucose at 93 (higher than my usual low 80s), likely due to cortisol/stress. Post gym put me at baseline 85, I’m pulling back the carbs (rice) at breakfast. Switching to chicken thighs for lunch, cheaper, tastier, and easier to cook than breast. Blood Donation Strategy: I’m heading to donate blood today to check the impact on BP, but I’m planning to walk back my frequency. I suspect my historical high hematocrit was due to sleep apnea when I was 336.6lbs, not just TRT. I want to manage my hormones properly rather than relying on a donation cycle. Finrick Update: Still no email. Based on the Dec 24th delivery date and the holidays, I’m hoping to see results soon. ITEMS I USE (The Insurance Policy): 🩺 Blood Pressure Monitor: https://amzn.to/49lB6DH ⌚ Amazfit Watch (Sleep/HRV Analytics): https://amzn.to/45lT2wL 📝 Source Guide: https://retatrutidelog.com/s/source-guide-yt ACCESS TO SOURCES: If you need access to the ancillary sources mentioned (like the ARB/BP meds), join the newsletter at https://retatrutidelog.com or send me a message using the contact form on the site. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Intro: Morning Stack & Monster 0:24 Sleep Stats: High REM, Low Duration 1:38 BP Update: HGH Water Retention Gone 3:32 Post-Workout: Glucose Spike (85) & Macro Adjustments 4:23 Meal Prep: Switching to Chicken Thighs 5:14 The "Humbling" Shoulder Workout 6:30 12mg Suppression: Forgot to Eat Dinner 7:22 Rethinking Blood Donation & Sleep Apnea History 10:00 Finrick Update Status Vetted research sources and logs: 🌐 https://retatrutidelog.com Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. This is a documentation of my personal journey and data. Consult a medical professional before changing any protocol.