Could you describe your cycle a little more clearly. You haven’t indicated the concentrations of the testosterone or the Finaplix so it is impossible to know what your dosages were. Also, was this your first cycle? If not, what other ones have you run?
If I understand correctly, you used test enanthate or test cyp 2x/w (probably at 250mg/ml) and tren ace EOD (probably at 100mg/ml).
For the first 3 weeks you were using 1/2 cc of each compound per injection so:
Test E 125mg 2x/w = 250mg/w
Tren ace 50mg EOD = 175mg/w
No mention of any aromatase inhibitor (Adex or Letro)
For the remainder of your cycle (we would need to know how long??) you used 1 cc of each compound per injection - so:
Test E 250mg 2x/w = 500mg/w
Tren Ace 100mg EOD = 350mg/w
No AI
I’m assuming you continued for at least 8 weeks since you said results were so good. When things go well we are normally loathe to stop so you probably went 10 weeks.
You said that you started the tamoxifen citrate (Nolvadex) immediately after you ended your cycle. Maybe that means the following Monday or maybe that means you started tamoxifen citrate the day after your last test e or tren ace injection?
What dose did you use (mgs PLEASE!!!)? Also, how long did you run the tamoxifen citrate?
It seems you are not aware that you should wait for serum test level to drop to 100mg or below determined by the half life of the ester you were using. If it was indeed the two compounds I assumed, then test e was the longer ester and required 2 weeks to clear adequately for your serum level to be 100mg or below (when it is OK to start PCT). The reason for this determination is that the tamoxifen citrate is to assist your body to get back online and start producing its own testosterone once more to allow you to recover. If your test level was higher than 100mg when you started the tamoxifen citrate, it couldn’t do its job and your recovery would have been very rocky with huge hormonal shifts from high to low until your body could correct itself. Add to that that tren is a compound that complicates recovery and requires a good PCT to recover from properly.
Proper PCT depending on the length of your cycle would have been to allow two weeks to go by after your last shot of test E and the start on Nolva for 4 weeks dosed at W1: 40mg/d, W2: 40mg/d, W3: 20mg/d, W4: 20mg/d.
A test stasis/taper PCT may have been preferred especially if you cycle was longer than 8 weeks and since you used tren. Outlining the test taper is a little involved, but you can read the sticky outlining it at the top of the forum.
Now we get to the HCG. HCG is to be used on cycle to keep the testicles from temporarily shrinking (atrophying) and to keep them fully primed to start producing testosterone on their own again once the cycle is complete, the waiting period elapsed, and PCT begins. This facilitates a smooth recovery, again especially with tren use and on longer cycles (since your system was shut down longer - it takes more strategy to get it back online quickly and efficiently).
HCG is not recommended post cycle and could well further delay the return of your own production of testosterone (read recovery).
You said you injected the HCG (subcutaneously I guess) 3 times at five day intervals starting 1 week after your cycle ended. You said the shots were as follows:
1st HCG injection 1 week after end of cycle: 5ccs
2nd HCG injection 12 days after end of cycle: 3ccs
3rd HCG injection 17 days after end of cycle: 1cc
HCG is dosed in IUs (International Units). I have no way of knowing what concentration your HCG was reconsituted with Bacteriostatic water. In other words how many IUs per ml. This is needed information.
Correct HCG protocol is 250IU EOD while on cycle. HCG can be started several weeks into cycle since testicles aren’t compromised before that. Starting 4+ weeks before the end of cycle should be adequated to plump the testes up and prime them for a return to duty.
HCG should be stopped upon end of cycle and prior to PCT.
Another factor is the apparent non use of an aromatase inhibitor. If that is the case, did you not get gyno? You should have been using Adex at doses of about 0.25mg/d adjusted up or down depending on how well it manages your estrogen level. More Adex if you exhibit high E2 (estrogen) symptoms, less Adex if you exhibit low E2 symptoms. Running a cycle with no AI increases hormonal fluctuation and increases the liklihood of acne, gyno, poor libido, mental fogginess, joint pain, etc.
So to summarize and address your main question, you made a lot of mistakes that led to much greater hormonal fluctuation than there should have been. Hormonal fluctuation can definitely be a big factor in acne so that probably aggravated it in your case. You may be more susceptible to acne than most. Everyone reacts differently. Some on this forum have speculated of late that SERMs tend to aggravate acne even after a cycle where it was not a problem (and even when the correct protocols are followed). Some speculate that a stasis/taper PCT might be easier on those prone to this outcome than a SERM PCT is.
In any case I hope this helps unravel the mystery for you.