Got head pressure and feel a bit out of sorts after 2nd anastrozole dose today…
Dial it back already?
For what it’s worth I’ve given up on my low dose AI experiment after just 10 days of it.
I started getting nasty headaches and feeling emotionally flat, after an incredible erection quality the next morning after taking my first dose (same as you).
I was only taking 0.03 mg/day (~0.21 mg/week), so a really small dose, and didn’t feel good at all.
I decided to try other ways to control SHBG or E2.
For gyno, you could look into trying Ralox before getting surgery. There’s research showing it can greatly reduce pubertal gyno and lots of anecdotal evidence that it does from bodybuilders.
Typical protocol is 60 mg/day for the first 10 days and then 30 mg/day until it’s gone.
I just got some and am going to try since I have a bit of lingering pubertal gyno myself
The more I play with it, the more I just want to use the AI as needed, instead of trying to keep e2 in a good range on a consistent basis. It seems like I always overshoot it lately, yet those times I feel high e2 coming along, I take .25mg and I’m set for a week or more. When I try to time it after a shot or a certain amount per week, I always end up going too low.
It may have something with the release of the AI not lining up with the release of test? Or only needing something for that first 12-24 hours after a shot, but being fine the rest of the week? IDK
How do.you feel high e2 coming on?
What do you first notice?
Since starting the ai (I’ve only had 0.25mg twice so far…
I’ve had
Higher libido
Better elections
Less moody/annoyed with everyone for little things
More energy
I’ve lost a tonne of bloat and it shows on the scales and in my physical appearance all over. Look lean and vascular- God knows how much water I was holding under my skin!!!
My itchy breast mass has stopped itching/irritating
Generally feel more positive
Downsides.
I’ve had a killer headache for 2 days! I used to suffer with them badly and TRT cured them, I think I used to have fluctuation in E2 badly before TRT (I’ve got bloodwork to back that), and there’s a lot of literature about E2 and migraines (mainly drops in e2).
I’m hoping once this has stabilised my headache will go.
I’m also going to change to 0.125mg now as there will be a compounding affect and I’m only 2 half lifes into taking this. If I half the dosage at this stage it should stay level at current levels rather than building more (I’ve basically front loaded then with 2 double doses by doing 0.25mg twice).
Also-
I feel like I’m getting calf pump just walking around… anyone able to tell me about why this is?
That makes sense, I’ll keep it in mind. I might give AI’s another chance after trying a few other things, and if I do I’ll definitely try what you said.
A lot of what you wrote is also what I experienced. Next day after the first dose, I had crazy 18yo level erections, more libido, I only slept 5 hours that night but had plenty of energy the whole day, felt more motivated, etc…
Next day I started getting killer headaches also and they only went away when I stopped taking the AI. I’m moving on for now and will try to control SHBG and/or E2 other ways, but I might come back to AI’s at some point and give them a better chance if I can’t figure it out through other means (low dose Primo/Anavar, compounded scrotal cream, Test Prop…)
I experience all this the first day or two after taking about .25mg. If I feel good on day 3, I know I took the right amount. Lately I keep shooting passed this (however this week has been better). I’ve always known that if I take the AI and feel good right away then I took too much and I’m in for a few days of low e2.
I get emotional, which I don’t mind, but I notice that as e2 goes higher that goes away and I get a lot of anxiety, can’t sleep, super bloated.
Same
Currently left the jabs at 50mg eod (175mg per week).
Taking 1/6 mg anastrozole eod with the jab. Considering my first few 1/4 mg tabs were front loading.
Feels about right so far. Gonna do bloods in 3 weeks on this protocol.
Just thought I’d update this. Been taking the same protocal in amounts of T for a while and am currently doing
0.3333ml (1/3 vial) of sustanon e4d. This is still the same amount 250mg across 12 days just split in 3 jabs rather than 4.
Anastrozole at 0.25mg e4d, feels about right. Haven’t done boods yet on this but feel happy and stable with good libido and erections.
Not superman just kind of how I was when in my 20s (which i guess is the overall aim of trt).
One thing I’ve noticed is TRT allows you to train and recover more bit it can catch up after a month or so of hard training. Cardio athletes generally do 3 or 4 weeks of increasing intensity then a deload week. TrT seems to allow me to go harder across 3 or weeks but then i feel overtrained and need to take more like 10 days deload.
I guess I’m living proof you can make Sustanon work if you are UK based and cant get much else easily.
Did the headaches from the AI ever go away? I remember we had a similar side effect initially of feeling amazing the day after taking a small dose of Adex, but killer headaches after that
Hi-
Yes, it’s interesting migraine is well documented side effect in women of decreased estrogen levels.
Its the change in level of estrogen that causes the headache.
If I get one now after taking it then it is rare.
Thanks for replying, I’m glad your protocol is working out for you.
I’m pretty close to giving low dose AI another chance. I think I’m going to try the @swoops39 method of taking a low dose of Adex as needed and waiting until symptoms start creeping back in before taking another dose.
The other option would be 0.0625mg twice/week with my injections, then moving up to 0.125mg, etc…but last time I tried an AI, I’m pretty sure I already overshot on just 0.125mg. Felt great for one day and then nasty headache etc…
Funnily thats how I’ve ended up on 1/4 anastrazole e4d.
I don’t take it on a time schedule- its more of a feel thing and I an feel when e2 has risen too high and take 1/4. It works out about e4d for me but not always…sometimes I don’t need it and occasionally I need to take 1/4 two days in a row.
Interesting you ended up naturally with the same strategy. I’ll definitely start with that then.
What are your first signs that E2 is getting a little too high? I feel like the mental effects are the worst for me personally. I lose drive/motivation dramatically. All I want to do is sleep even though my sleep is terrible. My executive function is gone, I can’t prioritize anything, make plans, make objectives for myself, etc…
I could live with some bloating, but the mental impact is not something I can put up with long term.
Itchy breast mass and weight starts to creep up (holding water), definitely lose drive too.
As needed sounds ideal but I would atleast try to figure out a minimum one time per week dose. There is some lag involved in my case if I dilly dally. So I rather have some routine and not have off days or bare minimum If possible.
That makes sense. How much are you using now? How did you fine tune your dosage? Were you just really systematic initially?
With 150mg a week of T I am around 0.25mg arimidex per week. So routinely in my book I will take at least 0.125 mg arimidex per week, that’s not even a choice.
Interesting, it makes sense to have a minimum.
I’m on 100mg/week in E3.5D injections right now, in my 5th week. First 3-4 weeks were good, I was starting to feel some drive and mental clarity again. But starting this last week, I’ve been feeling more lethargic again with terrible sleep.
Interestingly I feel it a lot in my gym performance. I feel weaker and it’s not just in my mind, I can’t lift as much, I struggle more with weights 20% lighter. My grip is weaker and my legs get tired just going up the stairs even though 2 weeks ago I hiked in altitude for 8 hours straight no problem.
I’m going to wait a bit in case it’s just my hormones “stabilizing”, but I have a strong suspicion it might be E2 catching up to the T levels. If things don’t get better in 3-4 weeks, I’ll do some labs and then try a small dose of Adex
@roadie how u doin? Have u continued with your last protocol?