'Anastozole Makes You Feel Like Crap'?

I am wanting to get an idea from guys that claim Anastrozole makes them feel like crap. What do you feel like? Headaches, mood problems, etc. The reason I am asking is I am on a pretty standard protocol of Test Cyp. HCG, and Anastrozole. My labs are always good, but I am always experiencing dull headaches behind my eye accompanied with brain fog. It is really bad when I try to concentrate, watch TV, look at computer, etc. I can take a short nap and it will go away for a while and then it comes back. I am really at a loss of what is wrong or what to do.

I don’t know if it is a side effect of meds I am taking, a symptom of my diseases (low T, Hypothyroidism, Hep-C), or age related, I am 53.

Anyone have any ideas of what might be going on. Could Adrenal Fatigue be a issue or other problems. I know I am asking for a lot, but if I can get some kind of idea where to look it would be a big help.
Thanks!

You have underlying issues that are not directly related to testosterone if your testosterone and E2 labs look perfect.

You may have issues with adrenal insufficiency and/or hypothyroidism.

You need to get labs done for thyroid.

fT4, fT3, TSH, rT3, thyroid anti bodies

Prolactin, DHEA-S, 4xcortisol test

You must get these tests to see whether your thyroid and adrenal system are working properly.

Ideally you want TSH (1-2) and fT3 in the upper range.

Read the advice for new guys sticky and use the template used in there to provide and introduction of yourself for us so you can build a case, which can help us find what your underlying issues are.

It is vital you search throughout the endocrine system to see what the issue is for you.

Yes I do have hypothyroidism and labs are excellent on it as well. I stopped the Anatrozole Saturday and I am feeling a lot better. Back in June I was on a quarter of a dose and E2 was still a little to high so I switched to .5. I haven’t got labs since then though because I have been cutting up the little pills and I know the dose isn’t exact.

I am going to get my Compounding Pharmacy to break it up in smaller exact amounts. I’m not sure what dose though. Can a person alternate between doses EOD of .25 on one day, then .5 on the other, and then repeat? Once I know exactly what I am taking I will get labs done again for E2.

What are you taking for hypothyroidism medication. Your lab ranges might be perfect but many hypo patients dont feel well on synthyroid even though their TSH and fT4 are perfect.

You have to go look in the new guys sticky and post all your symptoms and all labs that you have done as well as past medication history so we an attempt to help you.

We can not provide you advice if we do not know your story, your current TRT regime (including doses and medication intervals).

In answering possible E2 issues. E2 will only make you feel crap if your E2 goes too high or too low. Many guys find that they feel best when their E2 is at 22. If your E2 is around this range it is possible, very quite unlikely that E2 is your problem.

Yeah it might be the Anastozole it self making me feel bad.

Wow! I am feeling better then I have in a while. Now to figure out if it is the Anastrozle is making me feel bad or if my E2 was bottomed out. To late for labs now since I stopped 5 days ago. When I get the Anastrozole in exact doses It will be easier to monitor what is going on.

You can try:

  1. aromasin (exemestane) sometimes referred to as “stane”

  2. letrozole, sometimes referred to as letro

These can both be found as research chems. They are both viable options to anastrozole. We recommend anastrozole here simply because of the amount of data we have for dosage recommendation. I’m currently using liquid letrozole @ .5mg/EOD.

I’ve been using anastrozole for three months today. My e2 was 103 from taking 100 mg cypionate weekly. Got labs yesterday and it has come back down to 40. After two weeks my aggressive or nasty attitude left and morning wood came back. The twenty five pounds of fluid i put on remained until a week or so ago and is still coming off daily. I’m down almost ten pounds in that time. I thought the half mg per day dose my endo prescribed was overboard, but hind sight proves it was not. We are all different. My thyroid is good, but I do have diabetes. As far as headaches ect, all I can say is I felt so terrible with high estrogen that the relief I’m feeling is orgasmic. Life is good!!!

Just watch out. It didn’t hit me for a couple of months. By then I didn’t realize what was causing it. Still don’t know if it is the drug or low E2.

Kaynon311
How is it working for you?

I’ve only had one blood test with it so far. TT came back at 790 and E2 came back at 7. This was on liquid letro @ .75mg/EOD. I backed off to .5mg/EOD and have another blood test in a couple of weeks.

I’ve had no side-effects from it that I know of. Libido is non-existant at the moment, but that could be stress related. In one week my stress level will be almost zero, so I’ll post back on the outcome.

[quote]Kaynon311 wrote:
I’ve only had one blood test with it so far. TT came back at 790 and E2 came back at 7. This was on liquid letro @ .75mg/EOD. I backed off to .5mg/EOD and have another blood test in a couple of weeks.

I’ve had no side-effects from it that I know of. Libido is non-existant at the moment, but that could be stress related. In one week my stress level will be almost zero, so I’ll post back on the outcome.[/quote]

Cool! glad to here it is working for you and no side effects. Did you try Anastrozole, and if so did it not work for you? If it made you feel bad can you describe how it made you feel.

I am going to start the Anastrozole back up in a few days when I get the doses right. I will be paying closer attention to the way I am feeling. Like I said I don’t know if it is the drug or low E2. I am thinking it is probably low E2 the way it crept up on me.

[quote]cobra003 wrote:

[quote]Kaynon311 wrote:
I’ve only had one blood test with it so far. TT came back at 790 and E2 came back at 7. This was on liquid letro @ .75mg/EOD. I backed off to .5mg/EOD and have another blood test in a couple of weeks.

I’ve had no side-effects from it that I know of. Libido is non-existant at the moment, but that could be stress related. In one week my stress level will be almost zero, so I’ll post back on the outcome.[/quote]

Cool! glad to here it is working for you and no side effects. Did you try Anastrozole, and if so did it not work for you? If it made you feel bad can you describe how it made you feel.

I am going to start the Anastrozole back up in a few days when I get the doses right. I will be paying closer attention to the way I am feeling. Like I said I don’t know if it is the drug or low E2. I am thinking it is probably low E2 the way it crept up on me.[/quote]

The reason I ditched anastrozole was because I developed pretty severe acne on my back. I had also switched to injections around the same time, so I originally thought it was that, but after switching back to topicals and keeping the anastrzole, the acne never left.

I have tried EVERY combination under the sun and can’t seem to get rid of it. It wasn’t the anastrozole causing it and it wasn’t the injections. Who knows.

Anyway, to answer your question, anastrozole was fine for me. Everyone is different, though. Some say they feel better on aromasin and swear by it. I’ve heard a few say letro is the only way to go. Everyone is different and reacts different. The only way to really know is to do a trial run and see how you feel.

Try aromasin and see how your body responds. The issue with your eye may very well be independent and perhaps the direct or indirect effects of anastrozole is simply exposing the underlying condition. You should have your complaint addressed by a doc or ophthalmologist.

[quote]KSman wrote:
Try aromasin and see how your body responds. The issue with your eye may very well be independent and perhaps the direct or indirect effects of anastrozole is simply exposing the underlying condition. You should have your complaint addressed by a doc or ophthalmologist.

[/quote]
I wonder if I should look into the possibility of having a pituitary tumor. I have a lot of the symptoms. Dull headache, pressure behind the eyes and vision problems, nausea, and nasal drainage.

I really think it is the Anastozole causing a lot of it though. I waited 8 days and have been really feeling better then I have in a while. I decided to take .25mg Sunday, and by that night I had the same crappy feeling with the dull headaches behind my eyes. The only thing that relieves it is sleeping for a while then it comes back. I am on vacation this week so I stopped it and I am starting to feel better again. I might try once more after vacation and if it comes back I will try the Aromasin. If I get the same feeling I will look at maybe checking for a tumor.

It seems like I am never going to get this crap figured out. The minute I think I do I start feeling bad again. I am still working at tapering on Methadone. I went to liquid so I can control the dose better. I am going down 1mg every 2 weeks with no with drawl symptoms.

I use Aromasin, but after some research this week I found that it can lower SHBG and
I am already on the low low side in that dept. Yesterday, with my 25mg Test Prop injection
I decided to give adex another try, took two drops of Adex
(.25/4injections per week, I’m an over responder), an hour later…headache.

Took one aspirin and felt somewhat better, but somewhat dazed and foggy. Made it to the gym
and near the middle of my workout it returned and was bad enough that I got my stuff
and left. When I got home I took an Aleve, but I could still feel the headache somewhat.

Could be unrelated, but I am not willing to give the ADEX another shot.
In short, Aromasin has never let me down, and it was foolish of me to monkey
with something that has always worked.

[quote]PKNY wrote:
I use Aromasin, but after some research this week I found that it can lower SHBG and
I am already on the low low side in that dept. Yesterday, with my 25mg Test Prop injection
I decided to give adex another try, took two drops of Adex
(.25/4injections per week, I’m an over responder), an hour later…headache.

Took one aspirin and felt somewhat better, but somewhat dazed and foggy. Made it to the gym
and near the middle of my workout it returned and was bad enough that I got my stuff
and left. When I got home I took an Aleve, but I could still feel the headache somewhat.

Could be unrelated, but I am not willing to give the ADEX another shot.
In short, Aromasin has never let me down, and it was foolish of me to monkey
with something that has always worked.
[/quote]

It’s really hard sometimes trying to figure out what is going on. Sometimes I wonder if I am over thinking problems I am having. Because I have other things going on thinking they might be related to them. (Hep-C, Methadone taper, age) Also I had the dull headaches behind the eyes, accompanied with brain fog before I started HRT, it took me a while to come to the realization it may be the Anastrozole.

It’s funny even after stopping Anastrozole for 8 days and then restarting it for one dose, and same thing happens I am still second guessing that it might not be the culprit. Like I said I will give it one more shot after my vacation just to confirm. If it does I believe I will give the Aromasin a try. I really haven’t researched to much about it yet, like dosages, side effects, how it works, etc.

Did you have any side effects from it that made you feel bad?

I also lowered my Test-Cyp dosage a little while I am off an AI, because I know from previous lab my E2 rises and falls with my T levels.

I hear you on the adex, I felt straight up weird the last two days.
I inject every other day and I finally feel myself after an injection today

  • my 12.5 aromasin.

Before my switch to aromasin, I had headaches, felt strange almost out
of body type feelings on adex, had joint problems very often too.

I have taken my e2 too low on Aromasin a couple times, but the side effects
are more about not being able to reach orgasm with slight ED and lack
of libido, but no joint issues or strange feelings.

Lets not looses sight of the fact that many are able to regulate their E2 with anastrozole and feel good on that. Also can be least cost. Some reading this could get a different impression.

[quote]KSman wrote:
Lets not looses sight of the fact that many are able to regulate their E2 with anastrozole and feel good on that. Also can be least cost. Some reading this could get a different impression.[/quote]

Adex is cheap, and works for many, this is true.

Kaynon311, are you still taking 12.5mg of Aromasin ED?