Hi guys. First time post and I’m very green on the cycling front so please pardon any ignorance in my questioning…
I’ve been working out off and on most of my adult life, but have recently (last year or so) been lifting fairly consistently and fine tuning the diet. I just turned 41 and have been dealing with some (I’m guessing normal aging related) lowered libido issues, and have definitely noticed a decrease in my motivational drive to hit the weights hard. I’ve been considering trying to run a cycle of test e but want to know as much as I can and be comfortable in that knowledge before I decide whether or not to take the plunge. I have a buddy that does some competitive BB, and he’s been helping me out with advice so far which I really appreciate, but I want to cast a broader net here to see if there are any barracudas in the shallows that I’m not aware of…Here’s where I am so far in my understanding…
12 weeks test e @ 250mg x 2 per week
Letro only if nipples start getting sore
PCT Nolvadex 40/20
And that’s about it. Not very far on my journey I know!!
My questions / concerns are this…
If I run 1 cycle and stop is it even worth it or will I just eventually lose everything I gain?
I have asthma and have read that some side effects can cause difficulty breathing…This could be a deal breaker (and potentially a life ender) for me…Any validity to this concern?
Since I’m getting on up in age here, will I have more risk of difficulty or potentially cause permanent damage in getting my “normal” natural test production back after a cycle?
I definitely don’t want to create a life long dependency here. I really just want to run 1 cycle and see how it goes, but I want the option of putting it down after that without issues if that’s possible? I appreciate any advice I can get here.
Oh and by the way, if it’s not too much to ask, please put the explanations of any acronyms used in parenthesis. I ask this for two reasons.
I’m ignorant at this point and I really want to understand what you are trying to tell me! Lol
I want to make sure that YOU understand what you’re trying to tell me!!! I live in a world full of acronyms and most people I know can recite 50 of them in a few seconds and sound very smart…but in reality they have no idea what they are talking about. Not saying that’s any of you guys…It’s just a pet peeve of mine having to do with today’s generation and how they care so much about appearing well educated, but are too lazy to actually put in the effort it takes to BECOME educated.
You mentioned lowered libido plus with your age, have you had a blood panel completed recently?
It is worth having a full panel done to establish a base line, not to mention see if there are any underlying concerns. Maybe you are Low T? Check lipids, Hormone, A1C, Prostate, CBC, Thyroid. I would start there.
I second @newbvet here. You really need to know your baseline levels. You may end up being a candidate for TRT.
I was around 41 when I got tested for the first time and ended up on TRT but it was a nightmare for a long time. Be smart, get your bloodwork, and be prepared to fight your Dr and/or find another. Me, personally, I am on self medicated TRT because few Drs are going to keep me where I want to be and let me blast from time to time. You can do this if you choose to but you still need to educate yourself, and get regular bloodwork. You also have to be prepared that you will be obtaining your gear illegally.
So you havent even been consistent for a full year?
If you want to get on trt do it for general health and stuff you dont need a cycle per se, you can just start, your 41 anyway.
Like the others have said, blood work is paramount. Also, in my opinion letro is a little strong of an AI for the cycle you outlined. I’d choose arimidex(anastrozole)
Thanks for the replies guys and I’ve got an appt on Monday to get the blood panels done.
I don’t necessarily want to start a full cycle, but if I have to go that route just to feel normal again, I may as well do it right and get the full benefits of a true cycle. I don’t yet completely understand all of the implications and potential damages, but hey…that’s why I’m here right?
I definitely want to go a route that gives me direct access to local medical help in the event of unexpected issues. That being said…feeling better and getting my drive back is goal #1 so if the local medical community will not help me or at least try to…then I will seek other means. I’m just trying to prepare myself as much as possible for option #2 if it goes there. Thanks again!
Yeah I had to move a couple times in the last two years so I’d say that on the iron, I’ve been straight up for that entire time except for maybe a couple months of downtime total for moving / packing /unpacking and then a week off when family came up from down south to visit a month or so back. The diet has been paramount for only about the last year or so. Before that (the off and on period) has been about 6 months on / 3-5 months off for the last 5-8 years.
General health and well being is EXACTLY what I’m looking to accomplish here. Never aspired to be a competitive BB and could care less if can throw 500 plus on the bench…I just want to be healthy and be around this earth for a long time for my wife and kids sake. And he’ll, I like FEELING good! And yes, it would be pretty cool to be ripped up, and I train like that’s my goal (or try to for the most part) but really it isn’t. It’s just a nice bonus to be able to be proud of myself when I look in the mirror…More importantly though, I would rather have the pride of my wife and kids. It feels ten times better to me to hear my wife tell me that I’m lookin’ good and how proud she is to see me trying so hard.
I’m not really sure what I’m looking for to be honest, except that I’m looking to feel better and have my mojo back! Lol
I’d rather not have to go on a lifetime therapy regimen. That why I was thinking (keyword being thinking) about trying a cycle to see if there were any noticeable differences. The logic here (albeit maybe not yet a well informed logic train) is that if I went on a cycle and the levels came way up, then settle back to normal or maybe even a little above afterwards, that as long as I keep the diet and pumping on point then I could live in somewhat of a happy medium and maintain that.
In a nutshell, I guess I’m asking if it’s even possible to use a full cycle to “jumpstart” yourself and then use the momentum gained to keep going on a higher level. Not at cycle levels of course, but maybe slightly better than where I started?
Maybe it works this way and maybe it doesn’t? That’s why I’m here asking you guys. Call it a misguided case of temporary ignorance that I’m trying to remedy by getting myself a little more educated?
it wont work that way, once you stop you will go back down. Maybe just try some lifestyle changes, have some more fun, do some date nights and stuff then see how you feel.
Sorry, it doesn’t really work like that. Once you introduce exogenous Test into your system, your own natural production will diminish or cease altogether. It will take a full PCT to try to get them back and at your age, chances are lower that it will return to pre-cycle levels.
The sex life is fine and the lifestyle has been in a constant state of changes. I’m constantly tweaking there. Now how can I say my sex life is fine and I just said I have lowered labido? I’ll explain that…
My wife and I are very active and we have date nights very often…and I’m very handy with and without my tools. No complaints there. I just notice that it takes more focus now than it use to. I have to really concentrate, and sometimes quit concentrating so hard and just let it flow, to keep it up all the way through. It’s not so much that I can’t cross the finish line, it’s more of a problem with having to drag myself across it more and more lately. Thank God I have a very beautiful wife so that helps.
Basically I feel way more tired than I used to. I have to force myself to work out. I have to work hard to put myself in a mind frame to enjoy the things that I use to just love doing without even thinking about it. I hope that makes my issues a little more clear?
**Disclaimer, all the questions are rhetorical. I dont need answers lol
Welcome to getting old. Do you wake up in the morning with wood? How often during the day do you think about sex? Do you get aroused at the thoughts? Does it take actual contact for an erection? That is your libido according to my understanding. No one is questioning your manhood or how well you perform.
1 cycle isnt going to help you much. The dose of 250 mg weekly is nice to see someone finally using their brain and not jumping to 500 or more for their first time. I have been TrT for 4 months and went from T level of 253 to 813 on 100mg weekly split into 2 doses. No HcG or AI.
Gotcha and thank you guys so much for taking the time to answer!
I guess for now I’ll just keep reading…go to that appt and see what my labs have to say…read some more…then decide how to proceed from there!
I’ll post up my results when I have them and hopefully you guys can guide me in the proper direction…that is…if the doctor says they won’t do anything…
I didn’t think you guys were questioning my manhood but I just wanted to clarify that I’m not quite at the “completely down and out” stage yet. I’m hoping to make corrections before it gets that far but that’s where it feels like I’m headed right now.
I wake up 1-2 times a week with wood but not every morning like I used to. It usually DOES take contact to get the blood going where it needs to. I don’t t think about it near as much as I used to. I will say that I can somewhat get going on thoughts however when we take a break for 3 days or so, but even then it’s not that good ole blue vein throbber. It’s more of a “hey man did you say you’re gonna need me in a bit? Just holler when you’re ready!” And then back down unless there is the physical contact…
I quit masterbating altogether a few years back because it was causing me to become desensitized, which compounded what I’m experiencing now by a hundred fold. Things got better after that and they aren’t quite as bad as they were before that, but the trend is going downhill.
Got my blood work done at my pcp yesterday. Waiting on results now and I’ll post them up as soon as I get them. Was told they were doing a full panel including all hormone levels and vitamin levels. Hopefully it’ll have all I need to make an informed decision.
The doctor told me that all of the testing will be done at the local lab except for the testosterone stuff. That’s being sent to the Mayo Clinic. Any ideas how long they usually take and what ranges are considered “normal” by Mayo’s standards?