Hello, I’m on a low dose of TRT since I’m over 40 (42yo). I take .26 ml E3rdD. My labs last time showed about 750, so nothing crazy.
Last time my pharmacy switched brands form Westwood to Perrigo. Not thinking twice, I used the new brand on 2 or 3 injections, so about a week. I noticed I broke out much more than usual. I do struggle with acne, but have it pretty dialed in, on TRT. Seems better than before TRT actually. I supp. w DIM. I went back to Westwood and my situation settled.
Could a different brand cause this type of reaction???
Now to make it interesting, on next refill, my pharmacy ordered non generic Pheizer. When I asked to switch to Westwood they bamboozled me into taking it saying generics could be 10% off. This stuff is pure. But again, if something works, why mess with it?
It could be a complete coincidence… my acne does flare up. It just seemed a bit worse than I can remember, since starting TRT, almost 2 years ago, and dialing the acne in with DIM supplementation.
In wonder did the vial strength change and now you’re injecting twice as much. One way to deal with ache is injection daily minimizing the FT-DHT conversion which works the same as the FT->E2 conversion. I’m always telling men to inject smaller doses more frequently to lesson the FT->E2 conversion and to do the same thing when wanting to decrease the DHT conversion rates.
I thought I read somewhere that dim may help w/ acne since estrogen levels may be elevated on TRT. I started it and never looked into it again. Not a good idea?
Wow, daily? I thought I was doing well injecting every 3rd day.
I do best on daily injections as far as estrogen and DHT are concerned, EOD increases estrogen and conversion rates of DHT. Daily injections might seem daunting at first, but once you get used to 29 gauge insulin syringes, daily injections is a breeze. You may very well do better on EOD dosing, but a daily protocol is easier to remember because EOD dosing you’re always injecting on different days from one week to the next.
Injections every 3 days is good, just not for you. You haven’t really optimised your TRT protocol, that’s why you are still having problems. I think it’s just a coincidence that you’re having these ache problems when switching brands of testosterone cypionate and are thinking, it must be the brand change when really it’s just your protocol is need of adjustment.
52mg twice weekly (104mg weekly) is not a low dose, it’s right up there with the averages.
This helps me a lot moving forward. Acne and the brand mix up aside.
I guess you’re right, it’s not a “low” dose. When you do the math that’s 17.3mg daily or 121mg weekly. If I go to EOD or Daily should that remain the same?
Just so I’m clear… You recommend that injecting more often is better in general, my acny aside?
Daily= best. EOD better than E3rdD?
#1 Not exactly sure what you meant by me not being optimized… I’ve always struggled with acne since my teens. I’m one of those rare cases that I still do at 42. 99% of acne is on my face, but with topical solutions and current rutine, it’s pretty under control. Starting TRT didn’t affect that. I still have occasional breakouts. Don’t know what triggers that…
#2 When starting test, I started breaking out on my shoulders/back. I thought I read on these forums DIM might help me, but might have not researched it enough. Started taking it, and back acne subsided 90%. It was in early stages of my TRT but I’ve continued taking it. Should I continue the DIM, or are you suggesting it’s useless.
My Estradiol was never out of norm on labs.
@davidbart
My back acne went away around the 4-6 month mark. Maybe you took DIM and thought that’s what helped but it was actually just time. Try without it. It messes with hormone levels and you may feel better without it. Obviously give it more than a week.
121mg/week is a fairly low dose. If it has you where you want to be then great. Just pointing out it is on the low side.
No, I need only 49mg weekly when injecting 7mg daily, but need 31mg more to achieve similar levels using 80mg weekly or 20mg EOD. The larger doses are needed to account for the decline that occurs between larger infrequent injections.
A good place to start is 12-14 mg daily base off your previous protocol and levels attained.
Your advice about going daily got me thinking but I wasn’t ready to commit to daily injections, until now.
I’m still using same brand of test. E3rdD and discontiued DIM for about a month now. Yet, my acne flared up again. Not as much on my face, (althought I got one big fattie, which I rarely used to get) But more on my chest.
I think I’m ready to start doing daily injections but wanted to know…
-You have to heat up the test quite a bit to get it through a 29g needle, no? I’m weary of heating up too much so it doesn’t loose effectiveness.
-How long after changing from current to new protocol should I do a blood test?
(and what time of day should I draw blood - say I inject in 7AM every morning?)
No heating up Test isn’t necessary, it takes me about 30 seconds to load. I once heard of a guy putting his Test vial in the microwave, I’m worried about heat damaging the product.