An over 40 forum section?

[Regular Joe]

I don't use gear. Just started low dose 200 of trt - with another 200 on top. We'll see how it goes.

You're a small guy on 400mg, your total test is probably 2000 or much higher, hate to break it to you but you're running gear

 

[TheDogSoldier]

Gonna bump this, see if we can keep it going. I like the idea of an old guy forum. 


For some things the age of the person posting doesn't matter (e.g., experience with a source, lab testing, etc.), but for others it makes a difference.

This is not meant to offend the “kids” on this site. If I could go back in time and talk to myself when I was 25 I wouldn't take advice on most things heath related from myself. 


I'd like to get some perspective from fellow geezers. I've used various PEDs (including, on occasion, AAS) at different points in my life, but always for very specific reasons or to achieve specific goals, none of which were fitness related per se. Nothing long term. I guess you’d call them very infrequent mild “blasts”.
While I have some very limited familiarity with AAS, I've never been on them for any length of time or tried to understand side effects beyond what was relevant to my use at the time. And some of the new shit I have no familiarity with, so I'm looking for some feedback. I'm starting TRT soon and the doc I'm working with seems to be on their game, but additional perspective is always helpful. I'm not one for taking medical advice from strangers on the internet, but I don't mind crowd sourcing information. When I get enough people with experience telling me the same thing it helps to point me in more fruitful directions when doing my own research.

They're going to start me out on 50 mg test e twice a week (100 mg total/week), 500 iu hCG twice a week (1000 iu total/week), 0.5 mg anastrozole (don't remember how often but I think that's 0.5 mg/week), and 1mg/2.5mg CJC-1295/Ipamorelin once a week.

These are my numbers prior to starting treatment:
Total Test - 660 ng/dL
Free Test - 97 pg/mL
SHBG - 58.2 nmol/L
E2 - 23.4 pg/mL
IGF-1 - 168 ng/mL
Cortisol - 9.7
TSH - 1.32 uIU/mL
LH - 4.2 mIU/mL
FSH - 2.7 mIU/mL
T4 - 7.4 ug/dL
Free T4 - 1.53 ng/dLp
Free T3 - 3.2 pg/mL

Based on my own research so far, I'm a little surprised I actually got prescribed TRT with 660 total test. With that said, the approach they are taking seems reasonable.

I'm not sold on the need for an AI. I will use it until my follow up blood work in 2 months, but depending on where my E2 is sitting I may drop it.

I haven't done enough research on the CJC/IPA combo. Its expensive and I don't want to spend the money on it if it's all placebo effect or the effects I experience are due to the test e/hCG and I just have no idea because of my limited experience with test and absolutely no experience with hCG.

After the initial recheck blood work I have the option of only having blood work once a year, but I will probably do it every 6 months. I may add on some other AAS (e.g., mast p or e) as I get more familiar with everything, but every 6 months should give me plenty of time to get back to where I need to be.

Thanks

Obviously this has nothing to do with TRT, since your natty levels are totally normal. You're working with an "anti-aging" doc, which is the doc's way of getting a piece of what we do HERE on the UG. If you want to do steroids then fine, but don't tell yourself it's medical and DO realize that bodybuilders and coaches know more about than docs. As this relates to the protocol you are proposing:
- The test E dose is TRT amount
- The hcg is A LOT and is definitely not a long-term strategy, due to tolerance. Probably (hopefully) the doc is hedging with this to keep your nuts in top shape in case you change your mind and want to go back to natty, and this is to be commended. For long-term hcg just to keep the nuts from shrinking up we use much less.
- The AI is totally uncalled for without bloodwork, and you could easily crash your E and feel even worse than you do now.
- The GH mimic/secretogogue shit is expensive?... why not just pin real GH then and know that it will actually work? This other shit is pretty hit-or-miss depending on who you ask.
- Yes you are probably just getting old... it hurts more and more. Sorry bud, but the protocol probably give you boners and muscles, but might not make you feel any better. Edit: I read your thing about brain fog, trt might help. About sleep, there are lots of things might be messing you up like alcohol or weed or tons of rx meds keep you out of rem sleep.

I think what most guys in your position on this board are doing is 200 test (for life) + 2iu GH for a little while.
Best of luck!

 

[may2021]

You're a small guy on 400mg, your total test is probably 2000 or much higher, hate to break it to you but you're running gear

You're right. The extra 200 just started 2 weeks ago. Getting next round of blood in a week. It'll be interesting to see where I'm at.

 

[BiggD]

You're right. The extra 200 just started 2 weeks ago. Getting next round of blood in a week. It'll be interesting to see where I'm at.

You probably should wait at least 6 weeks of doing the higher dose before getting blood work. It takes time for your body to adapt.