First cutting cycle after a few years off

[Mr.Capricious]

I use a CPAP too and think it's a great tool for sleep since BP can raise while we sleep significantly with apnea. By Nolva do you mean Arimidex? I haven't seen Nolva sold in such low doses before. Bloating can definitely cause BP issues. How's your salt/potassium intake like, especially while on the road for work?

I'm sure dropping your dose of ADD meds will help lower your BP a bit. I'm on 50mg Vyvanse and I really should have tracked in Aug when I started taking it since I suspect most of my BP issues are stemming from its use. It's been a few weeks since I stopped my blast and have been consistently ran 155/100 since yesterday when I logged a 135/80. I have a feeling my BP may be lowering finally but it was only one reading so I don't know how it will trend into today moving forward. I'm still wanting to jump back on blast so after my bloodwork Tuesday I'm going to restart my cycle and address the BP with medication at the end of the month. I'm going to ask for a script for Telmisartan at 40mg and do more cardio to keep BP moving in the right direction.

I can see how you're getting lower readings in the evening as thats probably when your ADD meds are starting to wear off. What is your BP like when you first wake up in the morning before Coffee, Meds etc?

How is your sodium intake?

 

[WannaBeBIG]

How is your sodium intake?

For me, very minimal. I eat a pretty strict diet of the same thing every day and there is less than 500mg with dinner and a tiny bit sprinkled on my eggs in the morning which I would say is a lot less than a gram.

 

[malfeasance]

Take the wrist measurements with a grain of salt as wrist devices will usually throw a higher sys/dia number by 10 points. Your number is probably closer to 184/109. Still that's really fucking high!

My Omron wrist monitor matched my doctor's reading at the same time in the office.

I put the monitor on my wrist while the nurse took my blood pressure on the upper arm of the other arm at the same time.

The numbers were extremely close.

Just FYI.

 

[WannaBeBIG]

So my BP hasn't budged despite coming off for a few weeks while taking 10mg EOD Cialis, 5g of high quality fish oil, and 4g 2x a day black seed oil. I see my doctor in about 10 days so I'm still logging twice daily readings but I jumped back on cycle Tuesday.

I did a frontload for Test/Mast/Tren again and haven't logged a spike in BP of any higher than 155/90 since Monday. Probably inadvisable to jump back on but my recomp over the past few weeks has led to some lean tissue loss with my fat loss and I'm trying to hold onto all the muscle I can while dieting.

I am still going to push to get on Telmisartan but I've ordered some generics anyway to self treat if my doctor is unwilling to help with my BP.

I'm still in the camp that more exercise will level off the BP at a lower number but so far my regimen hasn't improved things. I know it's not an instant fix but I would like to see it trending downward soon but accept that if there's a chance gear is raising it, it is a temporary evil for the next few months.

My Omron wrist monitor matched my doctor's reading at the same time in the office.

I put the monitor on my wrist while the nurse took my blood pressure on the upper arm of the other arm at the same time.

The numbers were extremely close.

Just FYI.

I'm actually really glad to read this since I didn't see many advantages to a wrist cuff vs upper arm cuff when looking for a new unit. Instead of buying new I found my cuff in the basement which solved my problem.

Most of the downside to the wrist cuffs are related to inaccurate readings so if you're able to get it to work for you, more power to you!

 

[Mr.Capricious]

So my BP hasn't budged despite coming off for a few weeks while taking 10mg EOD Cialis, 5g of high quality fish oil, and 4g 2x a day black seed oil. I see my doctor in about 10 days so I'm still logging twice daily readings but I jumped back on cycle Tuesday.

I did a frontload for Test/Mast/Tren again and haven't logged a spike in BP of any higher than 155/90 since Monday. Probably inadvisable to jump back on but my recomp over the past few weeks has led to some lean tissue loss with my fat loss and I'm trying to hold onto all the muscle I can while dieting.

I am still going to push to get on Telmisartan but I've ordered some generics anyway to self treat if my doctor is unwilling to help with my BP.

I'm still in the camp that more exercise will level off the BP at a lower number but so far my regimen hasn't improved things. I know it's not an instant fix but I would like to see it trending downward soon but accept that if there's a chance gear is raising it, it is a temporary evil for the next few months.

I'm actually really glad to read this since I didn't see many advantages to a wrist cuff vs upper arm cuff when looking for a new unit. Instead of buying new I found my cuff in the basement which solved my problem.

Most of the downside to the wrist cuffs are related to inaccurate readings so if you're able to get it to work for you, more power to you!

You could try taking 5mg ED instead of 10mg eod, also you can try natural statins like red yeast rice.

 

[WannaBeBIG]

You could try taking 5mg ED instead of 10mg eod, also you can try natural statins like red yeast rice.

I've been taking 5mg ED the last few days, I should have noted that above. I got a supply of 5mg tabs instead of trying to cut awkward pharma pills.

I'll look into natural statins. Thanks for the heads up

 

[malfeasance]

I am still going to push to get on Telmisartan but I've ordered some generics anyway to self treat if my doctor is unwilling to help with my BP.

. . .

I'm actually really glad to read this since I didn't see many advantages to a wrist cuff vs upper arm cuff when looking for a new unit. Instead of buying new I found my cuff in the basement which solved my problem.

Most of the downside to the wrist cuffs are related to inaccurate readings so if you're able to get it to work for you, more power to you!

As for the first part, just go see another doctor and ask for telmisartan.

As to the second part, take the wrist monitor with you and check your BP while the nurse takes it at the same time. Then you will know.

 

[WannaBeBIG]

So it's been about a week now taking perindopril for blood pressure and it's already had an impact where I've been pretty consistently sitting around 140/80 and lower if I do the whole rest before measurement routine. I'm glad jumping back on cycle didn't cause the BP spike and it's probably been high for a while without noticing but is now being addressed.

So I'm still taking 500mg Test E but adjusted my doses of Mast E and Tren higher last week to 700mg Mast and 490mg Tren A. I'm not getting any sides aside from heartburn from the Tren and zero aggression. The compounds are doing their job letting me maintain a calorie deficit of around 900-1000 while preserving muscle.

So far I've only lost 10lbs and 5% bodyfat but I have lost three inches off my waist so far with changes in the mirror every few days. I started higher than expected at 231lbs but couldn't edit my first post.

My goals of this cut are just to reintegrate gym routines back into my days and see how far I can take this in the next several weeks. I don't have a weight/bodyfat goal in mind but if I was asked I want to drop 10% more bodyfat by the end without restricting calories much more since I'm already sitting at 1400 a day but not very active so my BMR is only 1945 with non lifting day TDEE sitting around 400 calories so more lifting will be the key to more recomp.

 

[malfeasance]

1400 a day?

Is your cardio still just walking?

 

[WannaBeBIG]

1400 a day?

Is your cardio still just walking?

I am trying to hit at least a 45mins brisk walk a day with my dog and weight vest. It’s minimal calories but it’s the consistent added effort that’s low enough of an adaptation that it uses fat as fuel instead of glycogen. I’m probably only using 150-200 calories for these weight vest walks but 200 x 7 days a week adds up which my compliance to this point has been about 70% so I’m trying yo get that number up by working with an Occupational therapist to address my issues leaving the house.

I’m really struggling getting active again which on paper makes me look lazy and undisciplined but I’m barely holding it together most days so any time I leave the house it’s a big win.

But yeah I eat the same thing every day so my caloric intake is pretty strict since January with calories dropped to 1400 beginning of April.

 

[malfeasance]

Are you stalled or still progressing in the direction you want to go?

 

[Canknucklehead]

How’s the fat coming off my friend?

 

[WannaBeBIG]

Are you stalled or still progressing in the direction you want to go?

I still have several tricks for fat loss to try before dropping calories past 1400 but the fat is slowly coming off. Weight is slowly coming down and according to my handheld Bio impedance device I’ve hardly lost any lean tissue.

So far since I started this thread I’ve gone from 231lbs to 217lbs which is in line with how quickly I expected weight to drop. Progress for me will be around a year before I’m where I want to be but with the AAS I’m running and my trt+ afterwards I expect to maintain most of my lean tissue and with some refeeds in the future I’ll replenish glycogen but I haven’t cut carbs ultra low so I still have great energy when I make it to the gym so refeeds are optional depending if I’m feeling flat.

 

[WannaBeBIG]

How’s the fat coming off my friend?

My main area of concern is around my belly. I’m pretty soft all over but belly is my main fat pocket. I’ve dropped a few inches now of girth off my waist and hips and am starting to see my abs again after I worked them really well this week.

I just have to keep reminding myself not to push more gear than I’m currently running and to be patient with the fat loss. I want to be ripped again with veiny abs and won’t rest till I’m back in that body

 

[Canknucklehead]

My main area of concern is around my belly. I’m pretty soft all over but belly is my main fat pocket. I’ve dropped a few inches now of girth off my waist and hips and am starting to see my abs again after I worked them really well this week.

I just have to keep reminding myself not to push more gear than I’m currently running and to be patient with the fat loss. I want to be ripped again with veiny abs and won’t rest till I’m back in that body

Good to hear brother! Trust the process... it won’t happen overnight but keep chipping away at it until you get ripped up like Rambo!

 

[WannaBeBIG]

Good to hear brother! Trust the process... it won’t happen overnight but keep chipping away at it until you get ripped up like Rambo!

It gives me more of an appreciation for the efforts taken by people I've coached for fat loss over the years.

Could I be doing more? Oh, absolutely.

Diet is locked in on point but daily energy expenditure needs to go up. I need to have better compliance with my workouts and cardio. The only things really holding me back right now is the agoraphobia (getting my ass out the front door) and being sore all the time from training. Soreness will dissipate and the agoraphobia gets better the more times I expose myself to leaving the house despite the discomfort so I simply need to leave the house more.

I look back to where I was six months ago and it's pretty amazing to see the progress and improvements to my mental health since then. As long as I'm moving in the right direction, I'm happy

 

[WannaBeBIG]

Had a bit of a setback I’ve been dealing with for over a week now which is making lifting and my walks painful.

I lifted my dog out of the car and tweaked my lower back about a week ago and it’s progressively gotten now to the point where I can barely put on socks in the morning. I have ruptured disks in my low back before in 2014 and recognize the similar pain I’m in now so I’m pretty concerned. I’m going to try and get into the doctor soon but hoping this clears up on it’s own.

Despite the pain I lifted Thursday and felt pretty good after getting my torso work in and felt okay for about a day after the lifting session so I suspect muscular activation to keep my spine properly aligned and pain free. It’s most painful if I move funny without paying attention to neutral spine position.

This is the sort of setback I really don’t want to fucking have to deal with

 

[Deezznutzz]

Ive had hereditary high bp most of my life. Mostly caused by natural hyperactivity. Heart rate up bp goes up. Heart rate at 75 bp is always good. 150/100 is my max out. When I hit that I back off testosterone and donate blood. Im happy at 128/85 ish. Usually hard to get it much lower. Prescribed losartan but self medicated to telemisartan.Honestly both drugs seem the same so far. Sucks getting old. Lol

 

[TrenTrenTren]

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If it makes you feel any better I have had about 20 readings all around this reading on both arms(194/119). I know it is ADD meds plus Test 400 plus a few other things. I have possibly been peaking at this during the day for the last 6 months... (face palm).

No anxiety, as you can see my heart rate is 76 and I was at my desk. Got my colleague to have a go, came back all normal ranges for her. it has been about an hour and it has come back down to 151/86 (still high).

Time to start taking life a bit more seriously and get this sorted. Glad I went out to get a new monitor for £35 - the same price as a vial of gear.

I am glad the new generation are more about getting into shape rather than mass monsters, but I do think health and regularly checking as many markers as possible on a weekly basis, should be part of a bro science prescription when taking gear. Regardless, of this being mainly to do with ADD meds, some of it will be the gear.

FYI - I know how serious this is.

Damn son.

 

[Flaming Dragon]

@WannaBeBIG Keep it my man and finish this cycle strong! For me, I wouldn't smash that high of a dosage-I am firm believer that small dosage (increase over-time by small %) incorporated with proper nutrition and strict workout schedule,.is the key to maintain and retain those hard-earn gains.