SERMS like tamoxifen (nolvadex) and clomid are drugs that were originally developed for breast cancer patients. They have turned out to be very usefull for bodybuilders and are used to help restore natural T production after a cycle. Nolvadex in particular you will want to read about, and learn how it works and its uses. In short, small amounts have been shown to increase testosterone in men by about 150%. Aromatase inhibitors will lower your overall estrogen levels. Estrogen is suppressive to the HPTA. If you cut the estrogen, not to mention the T that won’t be converted, that could upregulate natural production significantly as well. If cycling these methods doesn’t appeal to you, and permanent HRT is what you feel is best, don’t add Dianabol.
Really, when you are talking about mass and Dianabol, you are not really talking about replacement therapy anymore. You are more along the lines of a steroid cycle. 800 ng/dl is on the high side by the way, not many men have natural, unaided T levels that high. Of your options, SERMs and aromatase inhibitors will get you to normal range for sure if you are at 180ng/dl. This isn’t really HRT, this is upregulating your HPTA pharmaceutically. Androgel -which is HRT- and at your prescribed amount, obviously will take you higher (like it has been). Dianabol or anything else, and you are basically talking about a steroid cycle.
[quote]timhlbrk wrote:
I’m 45 and on androgel 7.5mg daily. my free test level is around 880ng/dl and my doc might want to lower my dosage which I do NOT want… I want to lower my level prior to my next blood workup, how long do your test levels stay elevated after discontinuing use of androgel? If my level is within the medium normal range doc will leave it alone or better yet, RAISE it! I lift 3-4 times a week and feel like I’m 18 again. any help out there would be great.Thanks timhlbrk [/quote]
You say your doc “Might” want to lower your dose. Why? 880 isn’t some insanely high free test for a normal man to have. Maybe at your age, but not for anyone younger and certainly not for anyone on HRT.
Most of the guys Ive read and talked to on HRT that are in their 30’s - 50’s use androgel, anywhere from 5-10mg daily, and most have test levels ranging from mid 600’s to high 800’s.
I don’t really see what the problem is with having a 880 test and why your doc would lower your dosage.
You should talk with your doc, and if he says anything about a lower dose, then take measures spoken about in the article “Your Doctor your dealer”, or, even better, get a new doctor.
RE, Thanks for getting back to me.
I may not have been clear in my initial post, I DO wish to do a cycle but, am also on HRT androgel at the same time. I felt I needed to include that so any knowledgable person directing me could make an educated suggestion. I was trying to lower my level temporarily so doc would’nt lower my HRT dosage.I was also wondering if test cyp would be a better option than the gel?
nicholas f,
thanks for the reply, I didn’t think 800 was TOO high but, doc is nervous nellie…I was on 10mg androgel a day and scored around 900 and doc lowered me to 7.5, now I stop use a few days before each bloodwork to keep it down.
I just had a blood test last week. I’ve been on androgel for about two months, at 5 grams per day. Last months total T was 1300, which the doc thought was too high, so he reduced my dose to 2.5 grams (still on the same script). I continued at 5 grams a day until the week before, then switched to 2.5 grams per day for four days, then none for three days, including the morning of the blood test. Total T came out to 700, which the doc was happy with. Free T is still at the top end of ‘normal’.
Not sure if I’ll continue with the 2.5 grams per day, or bump it back up at this point, but this should tell you the results of ‘tampering’ with the dose for a week before the testing.
Ironliftr3,
I did a very similar deal with my a-gel dosage to lower my “score” too. I haven’t gotten the results yet, but hopefully it worked. I wish I could see 1300!!! That’s why I’m researching a cycle.
That’s another issue, time of day for the tests. I see people saying morning tests- out of curiousity, anyone ever been tested both in the morning as well as after 6 pm? …even if there was a wide gap of days between the tests? I’d be curious to see how much different morning blood levels look compared to after 6pm.