Old Vials, high SHBG, Symptoms, and AI Use

[oliafjj]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this and appreciate your patience and help.

I started a new Test Cyp cycle last Sunday (30th June), injecting 100mg on Sunday and Thursday, planning to continue for eight weeks, pinning 2/week.

Concerns:
- Current Symptoms
Initially, I felt great, but mid-week, I started 20mg AI daily and now have fatigue, body aches, and nausea. There is no redness or swelling at the injection site; it is just soreness. Could this be from increased training (4x/week resistance, 2x light cardio) or my body adapting? Should I stop the AI and wait for high E2 symptoms? Could this be my body adapting, in which case I'll continue to see if symptoms persist?

- Old Vials
I have two multi-use vials from my last Cycle (Nov 2022), which have been punctured and expire this month (07/24). Should I avoid using them?

- Unopened Vial
I started using an unopened vial last week, which expired 06/24. Is it still safe to use?

Background:
- First and last Cycle: I started in November 2022 and struggled with nausea, fatigue, and high SHBG/prolactin at the 5-week mark. I chose to end the Cycle to recover. In hindsight, I likely underestimated maintenance calories. Since then, I've focused on optimising nutrition and training and am now ready to try starting a cycle again.
- Other Meds/Supplements: Multivitamins, Vitamin D, Finasteride.

Frequent blood work isn't feasible due to budget constraints. Any advice and help is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[oliafjj]

FYI Vials are Titan Labs batch 22111 and batch 22101

 

[Liter O' Test]

1. 20mg of what AI?
2. you started AI after one 100mg injection?
3. youre doing 8 weeks of test in total?
4. did you dose AI this way on your last cycle?

im going to say you overthink everything and overlook the basic most obvious things, like that you are taking A.I without understanding it.

all this talk of prolactin, SHBG , maintinence calories, expiration dates is absolute nonsense.

you also say you can't do frequent bloodwork.
you should have stayed natural

 

[oliafjj]

Hey! thanks for your feedback - I see your point and appreciate your honesty.

1. tamoxifen
2. after 2 100mg injection
3. 8-12 weeks in total for now.
4. yes.

im new to this and trying to understand it all better so your feedback is really helpful. If you had specific advice on managing AI or anything else I'd be grateful. Thanks!

 

[lukiss96]

Tamoxifen aka nolvadex is not an AI...

 

[oliafjj]

I meant a SERM **** thanks for picking that up!

 

[accidentaljedi173]

The only thing you can do is blood work. You shouldn't have started anything without being able to afford the most important part of any cycle.

 

[Liter O' Test]

what are you hoping to get from 200mg of test for 8 weeks?
why?
testosterone is not magic, you will look exactly the same in 8 weeks.

my advice, get off , take some sort of pct, get bloodwork in 2-3 months to make sure your natural test is over 500 ng/dl.

if its over 500ng/dl never touch steroids again, this is not meant for you. you are very risk adverse and have the tendency to overthink, and you literally cannot afford to overthink this stuff.

gear is for guys who live for the gym and just want to get huge and will take and do dumb things. doing 200mg for 8 weeks tells me this is not you, and you will screw yourself up with side effects and be off way worse than before. you will have gyno and acne and moodswings and having an extra 5lbs of muscle will not matter to women

 

[RekTest]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this and appreciate your patience and help.

I started a new Test Cyp cycle last Sunday (30th June), injecting 100mg on Sunday and Thursday, planning to continue for eight weeks, pinning 2/week.

Concerns:
- Current Symptoms
Initially, I felt great, but mid-week, I started 20mg AI daily and now have fatigue, body aches, and nausea. There is no redness or swelling at the injection site; it is just soreness. Could this be from increased training (4x/week resistance, 2x light cardio) or my body adapting? Should I stop the AI and wait for high E2 symptoms? Could this be my body adapting, in which case I'll continue to see if symptoms persist?

- Old Vials
I have two multi-use vials from my last Cycle (Nov 2022), which have been punctured and expire this month (07/24). Should I avoid using them?

- Unopened Vial
I started using an unopened vial last week, which expired 06/24. Is it still safe to use?

Background:
- First and last Cycle: I started in November 2022 and struggled with nausea, fatigue, and high SHBG/prolactin at the 5-week mark. I chose to end the Cycle to recover. In hindsight, I likely underestimated maintenance calories. Since then, I've focused on optimising nutrition and training and am now ready to try starting a cycle again.
- Other Meds/Supplements: Multivitamins, Vitamin D, Finasteride.

Frequent blood work isn't feasible due to budget constraints. Any advice and help is appreciated!

Thanks!

If you did any amount of research, youd know how dumb what you are doing is..

Test C takes minimum 6weeks to saturate, so now your only getting 2 weeks of building and a trt 200mg dose at that which does nothing unless your actual low t.

A vial from 2022 is new, let me know when you get over 10yrs, then we’ll talk.

 

[RekTest]

gear is for guys who live for the gym and just want to get huge and will take and do dumb things.

I feel attacked, why you gotta come at me like that damn

 

[smartgear]

Sounds like crashed e2 symptoms.

Why do you use AIs when your dose is just 100 mg, which can't elevate your e2 levels due to aromatization significantly? Isn't 100 mg actually below therapeutic dose?

 

[oliafjj]

The only thing you can do is blood work. You shouldn't have started anything without being able to afford the most important part of any cycle.

Yeah you're def right about this. I’m trying to find affordable ways to get it done. Any tips?

 

[oliafjj]

what are you hoping to get from 200mg of test for 8 weeks?
why?
testosterone is not magic, you will look exactly the same in 8 weeks.

my advice, get off , take some sort of pct, get bloodwork in 2-3 months to make sure your natural test is over 500 ng/dl.

if its over 500ng/dl never touch steroids again, this is not meant for you. you are very risk adverse and have the tendency to overthink, and you literally cannot afford to overthink this stuff.

gear is for guys who live for the gym and just want to get huge and will take and do dumb things. doing 200mg for 8 weeks tells me this is not you, and you will screw yourself up with side effects and be off way worse than before. you will have gyno and acne and moodswings and having an extra 5lbs of muscle will not matter to women

Thanks for your advice on this. My goal with 200mg/week is to start slow and see how my body reacts. Planning to inc to 300mg at 4 weeks and 350mg at 6 weeks - aiming for moderate gains, not to get huge. I’ll def think about PCT and getting blood work done - I'll watch out for side effects too. I’m just here to learn from experienced guys like you so really appreciate the advice.

 

[oliafjj]

If you did any amount of research, youd know how dumb what you are doing is..

Test C takes minimum 6weeks to saturate, so now your only getting 2 weeks of building and a trt 200mg dose at that which does nothing unless your actual low t.

A vial from 2022 is new, let me know when you get over 10yrs, then we’ll talk.

Thanks for the feedback. I get that Test C takes time to build up, and I plan to adjust my dosage as I go. I’m aiming for moderate gains and learning along the way. The vials are from 2022, and saw they're expired so was just cautious, but thanks for the heads up.

Thanks for being direct. If you have any tips or better strategies, I’d love to hear them

 

[oliafjj]

Sounds like crashed e2 symptoms.

Why do you use AIs when your dose is just 100 mg, which can't elevate your e2 levels due to aromatization significantly? Isn't 100 mg actually below therapeutic dose?

Good call on the AI - and yeah was thinking the same about e2. I was following advice from William Llewellyn’s book but might’ve jumped the gun. I’ll rethink using it at this low dose. Still learning, so your input helps, thanks.

 

[Liter O' Test]

Good call on the AI - and yeah was thinking the same about e2. I was following advice from William Llewellyn’s book but might’ve jumped the gun. I’ll rethink using it at this low dose. Still learning, so your input helps, thanks.

Thanks for the feedback. I get that Test C takes time to build up, and I plan to adjust my dosage as I go. I’m aiming for moderate gains and learning along the way. The vials are from 2022, and saw they're expired so was just cautious, but thanks for the heads up.

Thanks for being direct. If you have any tips or better strategies, I’d love to hear them

this is EXACTLY the sh** im talking about.
you read a fu**ing book, you overthought this so much, you figured
"well im sure a BOOK is the best source of information, because its a book!"

"im aiming for moderate gains"
youre shutting off your natural production for a replacement dose of testosterone... meaning you arent going to get gains... not to mention ONLY 8 WEEKS.

Where in the book does it say to take 200mg test for 8 weeks?

Why have you read a BOOK and then decided to increase to 300mg week 4 and then 350mg week 6??? Do you think that extra 50mg is gonna really do something?

Oh you'll listen to the book on some things, but I guess you'll just use your own bad judgement on whatever you feel like?

Where on the entire internet have you seen 200mg testosterone for 8 weeks?????????

Do you think maybe this is an indicator that you're doing something wrong?
Do you think youre smarter than everyone?

you just thought you can take less than half of a 500mg testosteorne cycle, for half the amount of time, because youre...? worried about getting too jacked? youre too scared? you cant afford it? youre not comitted? You dont know what youre doing? Youre scared of side effects?

all of these are true. stop. this isnt for you, this isnt going to fix your insecurity, youre going to ruin your life with this stuff for "moderate gains"

youre ruining your bodys hormones and starting a life long comittment to side effects for "moderate gains"" to look like brad pitt from fight club?

guys like you are why steroids shouldve been kept underground.

That "first cycle" attmept was a sign from god to stop you from continuing