1st Cycle (updated)

Pharma / TRT
1

Hello there! Officially anyway. I’m Squige. I did some stupid oral cycles about 3 years ago and fucked my system up not knowing what i was doing. So i stayed away learned and researched and trained hard as balls in the gym.

I’m starting my first ‘real’ cycle this week on my birthday! Woohoo! What a present to myself :stuck_out_tongue:

I’m 6’0" and weigh 185#. I have not measured with any device but I am very lean and would put myself around 9-10% bodyfat right now.
Bench: 225
Dead: 325
Press: 135
Squat: 335*(8mo ago)Pulled my MCL about 8 months and I dont 1rm squats anymore

I will be turning 25 on Wednesday. My training is top notch and my diet is on key 9/10 of the time (pizza is delicious.) I’ve been training since highschool, however I’ve been seriously training for around 4 years. So here’s my layout and some thoughts on why to do things this way. Please tell me what you think and I will later update as to how it is going!

Test Cyp 500mg/wk - wk 1-10 split into 2 doses of 250mg 2x/wk

Ancillary compounds:

Arimidex - wk 1-12 .25mg e3d>.25mg eod*>.25mg ed*
hCG - wk 3-12 500iu’s SQ split into 2 doses of 250iu’s 2x/wk

Aromasin - wk 13-16 25/12.5/12.5/12.5
Nolva - wk 13-16 40/40/20/20

Special considerations -

Arimidex doesn’t work well with Nolva during PCT and is linked to estro rebound by its mechanism of action. Aromasin provides an AI effect with no rebound, while also giving other benefits to recover during PCT. Thus, Aromasin is the better choice to run with Nolva.

hCG has a half life of 36 hours; I planned all my pins in my calendar and set the last hCG injection to be 3 days prior to the start of PCT. The amount I have allows me to only do a set of ten injections. With that being said, 3 weeks into cycle should be great timing as my testes will be nearly shutting down by then.

*I may or may not need to increase Arimidex during cycle and will taper with considerations to side effects and 5 week blood work.

I am injecting, switching sites between l/r quads and glutes. If i experience any problems with sites I will use a delt. I have extensive IM injections under my belt as I am trained medically.

Prelim labs are still awaiting - I am using them for a baseline for mid range labs and post PCT labs. Prelim labs > 5week labs > 4weeks after pct

Questions for you: Aromasin dosaging correct? I figure since it is a suicide inhibitor and the receptors are no longer usable, 25mg the first week would clear up most of the spike in estrogen. Lowering the dosage after would be a steady way to keep things peachy. Maybe even lowering it to 6.25 in the 4th week?

-Squige

2

[quote]Squige wrote:

I am injecting, switching sites between l/r quads and glutes. If i experience any problems with sites I will use a delt. I have extensive IM injections under my belt as I am trained medically.

Prelim labs are still awaiting - I am using them for a baseline for mid range labs and post PCT labs. Prelim labs > 5week labs > 4weeks after pct

Questions for you: Aromasin dosaging correct? I figure since it is a suicide inhibitor and the receptors are no longer usable, 25mg the first week would clear up most of the spike in estrogen. Lowering the dosage after would be a steady way to keep things peachy. Maybe even lowering it to 6.25 in the 4th week?

-Squige
[/quote]

Exemestane/Aromasin is what I used to use at 12.5 mg twice a day when I was lower dosing 600mg T each week. My labs showed estradiol at 37 on that dosage with 44 being the high end of normal. I wanted it in the low twenties so I switched to anastrozole/arimidex, which I responded to much better.

Readers have to remember there is not a universal dosage, everyone should do their OWN research or listen to their doctors.

Running an ai during your PCT can drive estradiol levels too low, so you should taper off the ai the week before pct. If you decide otherwise always begin slowly to ensure that you are not an over responder.

Also it depends on your estrogen conversion sensitivity. The only way to know for sure is a blood test to find your test and estradiol levels. You want about twenty to thirty times the test as estrogen. So if you have total test of 600 you’d probably be best with e2 levels of twenty to thirty.

P.S.

lef.org will have a sale sometime in April making that male hormone panel about $55. you join for like $6.99 month for member price. a doctor mails or sends pdf lab order and you take it to nearest labcorp in your town.

you ever inject subcutaneously? the more options the less scar tissue buildup and that is a major goal if you plan on doing this long term.

3

[quote]conservativedog wrote:

Exemestane/Aromasin is what I used to use at 12.5 mg twice a day when I was lower dosing 600mg T each week. My labs showed estradiol at 37 on that dosage with 44 being the high end of normal. I wanted it in the low twenties so I switched to anastrozole/arimidex, which I responded to much better.

Readers have to remember there is not a universal dosage, everyone should do their OWN research or listen to their doctors.

Running an ai during your PCT can drive estradiol levels too low, so you should taper off the ai the week before pct. If you decide otherwise always begin slowly to ensure that you are not an over responder.

Also it depends on your estrogen conversion sensitivity. The only way to know for sure is a blood test to find your test and estradiol levels. You want about twenty to thirty times the test as estrogen. So if you have total test of 600 you’d probably be best with e2 levels of twenty to thirty.

P.S.

lef.org will have a sale sometime in April making that male hormone panel about $55. you join for like $6.99 month for member price. a doctor mails or sends pdf lab order and you take it to nearest labcorp in your town.

you ever inject subcutaneously? the more options the less scar tissue buildup and that is a major goal if you plan on doing this long term.

[/quote]

Awesome info man, I will check out that sale. Thanks for the reply.

Is the 20-30x a rule of thumb? Is there clinical info to support? EDIT: I understand keeping e2 lvls within normal is what you want.
I was leaning more toward a taper anyhow. It just makes more sense.

That video is great too! Good visuals and explained well.
However, he states he can not show that test levels increase more (or less) so than IM?

4

[quote]Squige wrote:

That video is great too! Good visuals and explained well.
However, he states he can not show that test levels increase more (or less) so than IM?[/quote]

the absorption rate is different. it supposedly releases slower into the system so T does not spike on the 48 hour mark and will keep things on more even keel. injecting smaller doses two-three times weekly will be even better.

if estradiol is elevated, it can negate some or all of the T benefits. the irony is that high and low levels of estradiol will make you moody and BOTH disrupt your libido.

5

nice cycle squige, looks like you did your home work. That is probably why you did not get that many responses. Is HCG half life only 36 hours? I was under the impression it was longer but I cant remember where I retained that from.I am getting ready to start pct and was going to stop 1 weeks prior but maybe I will sneak in another pin or 2 if that is the case.

6

I have heard 30-36 hours. Also to consider it is possible for the effects of hCG to last longer than the drug via blood levels. You’re also going to be dosing over a period of Xamount of weeks. There will be plenty of the drug in your system, which makes me think ending it a little sooner might be better. I will have to further look into this. As it stands right now, I will continue the above protocol.

Thanks the thought invoking reply, leadhead!

7

Alright alright children! Gather round gather round.

Just kidding. Nothing too huge to talk about but lets go over what’s going on in my cycle. Some people may use this as a learning tool!

Did my 3rd pin today - start of the 2nd week. The post injection pain on my virgin muscles is pretty shitty. Nothing I can’t handle but sucks. It feels like someone dead on punched me right in the quad. This pain seems to only come the second and third day. No pain the day I pin, and it’s usually gone after the third day.

I’m looking very full in the gym during my pumps…So…I can only imagine in a few weeks what this is going to be like. Also, I seem to have more stamina already. No noticeable strength gains yet.

I am up 6lbs. However, I have been eating like a machine since 2 weeks prior to the start of my cycle.
I stuff my face and stuff my face and feel like I’m going to explode.

My face feels oily or moreso oilier than usual.

I’m getting very horny - often. Even after I rub one out I’ll think about a chick and start to solid up again.

Every morning after I dose my Adex I seem to be very groggy. Maybe a dip in E2 too low?

That’s about it. It’s still shitty weather in the midwest and I fucking hate the cold.

Til next week gents.

8

Dude, are you taking .5 adex? Im finding the same thing; I get border line lethargic. If im not working out, I have no motivation at all. Like a lazy slug bitch. Even took a nap after both lol? Weird. Ill be following your log here, as you are mine. seems fun we are borderline at the exact same time

9

I’m taking .25mg e3d.

I’m usually fine the next two days but its the morning after. I seriously can’t wakeup. Just fucking dead. Naps after work for sure bro. haha.

10

Yea, im gonna lower my.dose, im literally just a lazy ball of shit lol

Edit; untill I get to the gym that is!

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I have a thought as well. I found while I’m on test I feel more sleepy. Need a nap in afternoon, and I have never ever been a napper…lol. I know of other people say they feel sleepy from test. I usually take 12.5mg of aromasin e3d and it does effect my mood or my energy after

12

That makes more sense, ljohnso8.

I’m horny, I’m getting rock hards, and I’m feeling great in the gym. If I was crashing my estro that low that would not be happening. Besides its only been a little more than a week.

Maybe the test just makes me drowsy.

13

one quick question are you going to run hcg post cycle at all? im about to run my very first cycle and have planned on using the same doses as you actually but have read different opinions on the hcg for during and pct

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one quick question are you going to run hcg post cycle at all? im about to run my very first cycle and have planned on using the same doses as you actually but have read different opinions on the hcg for during and pct

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[quote]Jlee0054 wrote:
one quick question are you going to run hcg post cycle at all? im about to run my very first cycle and have planned on using the same doses as you actually but have read different opinions on the hcg for during and pct[/quote]

No. hCG is run during cycle. Running hCG during pct is counter-productive.

Where are you hearing this from?

16

I ran into same issue with Adex making me tired. I found that .5mg or even .25mg a week was sufficient with 500mg/wk test.

17

I stopped taking adex for now and have felt much more lively. Less tired. Its been good. Just an update. I changed that because of this thread!

18

Ok. Start of week 3 right now. I’m tired so this may be a quick post.

PIP (post injection pain) is getting more tolerable.

I’m up a total at my weigh in today 14lbs from the first injection. I assume most of this is water weight at this point and possibly have to do with increasing my daily cals damn close to 2000 for the last 4 weeks.

I’m getting crazy pumps in the gym and people I regularly converse at the gym with are noticing.
I worked my shoulders over hard the other day. It felt as if I couldnt swing my arms forward or back they were so pumped. I haven’t felt pumps like this since I started lifting! haha.

I feel like my endurance is up. I just want to keep going. I’m not getting as fatigued in the gym.

I haven’t noticed any major strength gains. I forgot my chalk today and couldn’t deadlift as much as I wanted as my hands kept losing grip. I suppose endurance is tied into strength though…

I wake up every morning with a rock hard erection. Even after jerking off I still get a chub thinking about any chick. Can’t wait to use this badboy this weekend! :wink:

My nuts have been hurting randomly like crazzzzzy for the last week. That’s the testicular atrophy I suppose. Either way I just took my first dose of hCG so hopefully that problem can be averted in the near future.

Uhhhh…what else…

Eating… A LOT. Which I think may the worst part of this fucking cycle. I feel like i’m going to explode 2/3 of the day. I have a really shitty break schedule at work and have to cram food before I go back to work.

My mood is pretty good. Nothing ecstatic nor depressing or bitchy. Oh and the excitement before a pin day is growing. I’m addicted. Haha!

Edit: I don’t really want my face on here; I have tattoos and such as well. Ill have to cut one out for you guys. I know I have a nice one from when I was really lean.

Double Edit: A lot of you guys on first cycles are asking me about recovery. I think I am recovering faster, but not superman fast. I’m tight the day after and sore but not unable-to-move-im-so-fucking-sore sore. Which with how hard I’ve been going is where I should be at.

19

Great log bro. Keep em coming. Its kinda cool when people start joking “you been on the roids?”
Whats the diet like and how many calories total? I’m about your size and planning second cycle.

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Squige, I too worried about the tattoo work on posting my pics, but its kind of un avoidable with my ink, so I gave in. I haven’t had any testicular pain at all. But otherwise I think we are mimicking each others progress quick well; the pin excitement for.me I find interesting, for someone who didnt originally like the idea of having to pin… its Wednesday now and im sitting anxiously awaiting tommorows pin. Haha

I presume you are enjoying the ride? I am too… all the good stuff is gonna start in the next couple weeks, close to instant recovery, size, strength and mood. Im stoked.