50yo male, height 1.80m, weight 81kg, training 4 times per week for many years. I am counting protein intake 180-200 g per day, food plus a weightgainer.
250mg Test Cyp injected one time per week, for many years, 7+. Added 0.25 Anastrozole due to high estradiol/ estrogen.
Have been obsessing lately that my thyroid is the culprit I do not succeed to put more muscles.
Lab results show high estrogen, high free testosterone and in range thyroid values, even FT3 and FT4 kinda low.
I a feeling tired but can workout fine, NOt cardio due long covid fatigue syndrome, fucked up sleep time, 4 hours , wake up in the middle of the night for about 1hour then sleep again another 3-4 hours.
Am I right assuming from labs strictly values that I possibly have an under function thyroid and I have hard time to put in more muscles due to high aromatizing and not resting properly?
Can I have some input, please?
I am living in Eastern European country so my so called TRT is done by me without supervision of a doc, I donate blood 3 times per year, some test were bunk in the past but in the latest year had success with test
What metric are you employing to determine you are having a hard time putting on muscle compared to the average?
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You aren’t on TRT… you are permablasting
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Covid/Long Covid really, really messes up your “cardio” and “energy” by destroying your cell’s mitochondria (and who knows what else). If you’ve been tired and had trouble building muscles for a long time it’s a sign your body is messed up.
Get focused, get serious and rebuild your cardio base! Develop the energy Now to build some muscle Later.
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Waking up in the middle of the night is a bad for test.
Energy, sleep, reaction to Covid and Test/Estrogen ratio are all made worse by Magnesium and Zinc deficiency. Are you taking any vitamin/mineral supplements? Maybe try 600-800mg of Magnesium Glycinate and 30-50mg Zinc an hour before bed.
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Visually I am not satisfied as I am too critical.
I upped my food intake and still got 1 kg in two months, fat also on my belly which drives me crazy. I feel the pump in the gym but deflated after. I am not at my at least 90% at what I used to be regarding force, I feel powerless at last reps, lost muscle mass in my arms and legs. I am not ready to accept that is age related. I know what I felt in terms of force, recovery before pandemic.
I am taking vit D, Magnesium, Zinc yeah, creatine, vit B complex
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I simply cannot do cardio, sudden shortens of breath. And docs said my lungs are just fine, spirometry says capacitive fine. Also, resting heart rate is 80-92 with lowest 70.
At this point no cardio for me
I had asthma until I reached puberty but no issues with breath after that period.
As an adult had no issues training in the gym.
Taking now Ketotifen to help with long covid fatigue, read it on specific reddit groups that helps.
But back to my original post, would you assume that my thyroid is under function based on lab values posted? That is my concern. My mother has
Hashimoto. My prolactine is also high, my libido is almost nonexistent but
ED is terrible.
So what is your take? Estrogen high - taking Anastrozole and still high, okay will wait keeping .25/ week. Prolactine high, Caber to be bought soon.
But my question stands, if my thyroid is underfunctioning can be this a strong reason to believe that muscle wasting is due to thyroid?
This would be a lot more concerning to me than not putting on muscle. Your doc is not investigating further?
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Covid kills off capillaries in your muscles. Taking antihistamines lowers post workout blood flow into your muscles, impairing the formation of new capillaries.
Capillaries carry oxygen and nutrients into the muscle.
You can’t train properly or grow without oxygen and nutrients in the muscles.
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Two docs said as long as daily tasks and the fact that bp is perfect, heart has no concerning issues I have to carry on with my life as it is.
I am fed up with, how should I put it, these reassuring advices from doctors, I am just fine, just tired from long covid, be thankful you can workout.
Everyone says long covid is the answer for every health issue I have regarding cardio. With proper rest pause between sets I am able to train pretty hard.
Is it possible you get short of breath because you’re not doing cardio? I.e., you’re not in good enough CV shape to push the CV exercise? What happens when you walk?
I’m not a doctor and not pressuring you to do anything that’s uncomfortable/ you feel is unsafe, but if you’re upping testosterone (and other PEDs) while avoiding any CV conditioning, I’d worry about your longevity.
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I have read on reddit groups that a number of people taking Ketotifen were able to feel much better after 2-3 months of treatment as this drug takes time to offer benefits. I also took it during my childhood as part of asthma treatment, 30 years ago.
I am aware of what you said but I am willing to try it. In the future, if my fatigue diminishes I will star cardio
Ok. I don’t know anything about Ketotifen, so certainly have no advice to offer there. Good luck!
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One year ago when using more than 10 stair steps, up from metro station for instance in max 2 mins shortens of breath which subsides in few mins,
Now just hard beating races to aprox 90 bpm,
Also, on gym bike is more supportable but not if I use stepper for instance, Running is out of question.
My instinct tells me is related strictly to thi neverending fatigue.
Some emergency doctors said I was having a panic attack, gave me some drugs to calm down
Apart from high bpm none of my vital signs would suggest that I am in danger.
My bp is 10 to 120/70
Grateful to you for taking the time to write me your input
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nope. diet/training/steroids/recovery. one of those (or many of them) are off if you aren’t growing. it’s not your estradiol.
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