I’m a little discouraged after reading a lot on here and from watching Dr. Crisler’s videos where it’s believed that more frequent injections not only help control E2 levels but they may even decrease estrogen. Furthermore, it seems like a lot of people are therefore able to get off of stuff like arimidex.
Some background - after taking testopel which shot my T to 1100 and my E2 to 45, I was put on 1mg arimidex three times a week. This crushed my E2 to nothing. I started injections 4 weeks ago E3.5 days, subq, 0.25mL. After I read about low estrogen being bad and my dose being too high, and the possibility that frequent injections would help eliminate need for arimidex…I went off the arimidex completely to bring my E2 back up. It’s been 4 weeks now and I had blood checked. Testosterone was 696 and E2 is 49!!!
Questions:
Clearly I need arimidex on this protocol, should I try 0.5mg twice a week?
If so, do I take arimidex same days as I take my injection?
Out of curiosity, how long does it take testosterone to peak after injection? I take injections Monday morning and Thursday night, blood test was Friday morning.
Thanks!
Not so sure about this. That level, and much higher, even over 100, is not unusual with TRT and most are fine without AI intervention. Are you having high E2 symptoms?
Sorry I didn’t want to flood the initial post with too much info, but yes this is relevant. Let me back up. Testopel was last October. First round, E2 was never checked. I felt crazy libido, erections, and excessive energy. Also gained a lot of water weight. Felt like crap after 2 months however. Next testopel was Feb 1st and at one month mark T was 800 and E2 was 45 (I got things mixed up…1100 was first round). Second testopel didn’t feel anything like first round. I never once had libido or erections. Presumably from high E2. That’s when they put me on arimidex. May 1st I would’ve been due for another testopel but
I hated it so stopped everything. Started injections at the end of July. First injection was 200mg dose for two weeks, nurse taught me how to self inject. After that two weeks is when I started twice a week injections as well as got off arimidex.
How I feel: for four weeks I didn’t have blood checked but I definitely felt different the whole time. When E2 was almost nothing I had no libido or erections, I felt extremely tired. Somewhere in the four weeks (about 10 days ago actually) I had massive libido and erections, good energy. I felt great overall. It lasted several days and slowly I’ve been feeling more and more tired (but not as exhausted as when E2 was almost nothing). Currently I have low libido and no erections. Before I began any TRT last year, my E2 was 17. I do believe there is a sweet spot somewhere for me…
I did question it a month ago and their answer was to change it to 1mg twice a week which still seemed high based on what others here report. So I made the decision to completely stop. I think I may have to try different dosages and try repeat bloodwork but wasn’t sure where to start or when to take arimidex
Unfortunately I live in a small state with few specialists. The urology office I go to…doctor only wanted to see me if I did testopel because it’s so lucrative. They tried telling me no one likes injections because it’s a roller coaster. TRT is so low on their list of priorities that I don’t see the doctor any more, just a nurse. They adopt a one size fits all policy
Your body may still be leveling itself out it you were taking AI 4 weeks ago. If symptoms are not horrendous try riding it longer and get labs in another 4 weeks. If you were to make an adjustment, I would go to even more frequent injections before the AI.
Yea I was just reading another thread where someone is trying to find the sweet spot and people are saying for those on 100mg/week (like me) take zero arimidex. Someone else said 0.25mg/week and someone said 0.125mg as needed. So sounds like even 0.5mg twice a week is way too much. Someone mentioned what you just said: since it’s only been 4 weeks, everything is changing, I should wait to see if it levels out. I don’t feel terrible…but it’s probably wise to not try hunt for the sweet spot when things are changing like crazy. I guess I’ll wait. Thanks!
For sure wait it out than, if your feeling okay. Don’t let the number bother you so much and let how you feel dictate what you need to do.
When I first was put on an AI they put me on 1mg a week and it crashed me. When I adjusted to .5mg a week I was still too low and I am not using an AI at all now.
There is a good chance that you have more free e2 floating around due to low SHBG but I still would go by symptoms and ride it out if you are feeling okay. Before going back to AI if you feel you really need to, try injecting 3x a week or every other day is my suggestion.
It takes me 6-8 weeks for any protocol to even make me feel decent and a little longer to feel good. I’m on 200mg and my E2 is 77. I feel fantastic. Like an 18 year old (I’ll be 36 next month). I’m doing daily injections and that has helped me.
I think you need to give the current no AI protocol more time before you start tinkering with T dose or adding AI. Give yourself another month (you’ve been on it 4 weeks right?). The difference between week 7 & week 8 for me is like a 50 yr old to an 18 yr old. It just kind of clicks at a certain point. Most everyone starts switching shit too early and then wastes 6 months constantly changing things until they get tired and just wait it out and over time it gets better. After 2 months assess whether you need to go up or down in dose. For me 600’s doesn’t make me feel good. For others it’s great. You’ll only know in time and if you don’t give it time you’ll never know.
Until you have been at the same dose for 2 months then no one’s advice means anything. Everyone posting here has a completely different protocol that makes them feel like a human.
I may be like you dexter. I don’t feel trt at all so far, even on numerous different protocols. Common denominator is TT has always been below about 800.
Been doing daily at about 22-24mg. Still way too early to tell anything. May cruise that up a notch too to 26-28.
You didn’t ask me, but I went back and forth between slightly better and slightly worse for a full 6 weeks, then week 7 I started feeling better. It takes time. It sucks, but it’s true
Dr Rand has stated that estrogen causes prostrate cancer. For that reason you want to control estrogen. He also says you need to follow a protocol for 3 months and then reassess. Things flare up and then the body makes adjustments.