That interesting anytime I dig up old post in search of a topic I am really interested in but then see it hijacked by KSman or Danny I facepalm and go on to the next.
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At risk of rekindling a debate that tends to get very heated and polarize the board, I wanted to share my recent experiences in hopes that it will help even one person struggling with one of TRT and PEDsā greatest questions, āto AI or not to AIā
Short version: An AI helps, for some people, in some situations.
I started out a few years ago on 160mg a week TRT. Kept a log on here. After the honeymoon phase was over, I started to feel like shit and messed with my protocol constantly for about a year, trying to find something that made me look and feel good. Nothing made me feel good for more than a few days.
So, I said fuck it 
and dove into PEDs. Ran a bunch of different cycles over the past couple years. Was logging it on here for a while, then life got too busy to keep up with logging and discussing it all. Iāve tried low to high doses of Test, NPP, Mast, Primo, and GH and many combinations of all the above.
Several months back, I decided to chill out 
and focus on health. I slowly leaned out, stopped taking an AI, and went to Test only, slowly titrating down to 140mg Test/week only, dosed daily IM.
I looked and performed justā¦ā¦.OK 
on 140/wk. I was strong. Numbers in the gym were there, but I never looked or felt alpha. And performance in the bedroom wasā¦ā¦meh. I longed for that, you know, umph in the gym, in life, and in the bedroom.
So, two months ago, I went back up to 200mgs/wk Test, still no AI, to prep for a PL meet and see if I could get that alpha feeling back and maybe a little better recovery.
I did not look or feel better. I progressively felt worse. Sides, in order of occurrence, I got: erectile disfunction, edema, acne, severe joint pain, weak mindset, constant headaches, and sever (debilitating) fatigue. During this time, I wanted to bail. I wanted to tinker with the dose, I wanted to try a ātoxicā 
AI, I wanted to do anything that would give me some relief. I stayed strong and held on for as long as I could, hoping that I would turn the corner as my body adjusted. The ED and debilitating fatigue were too much. After a month of suffering, I cavedā¦ā¦ā¦
I took an AI. 
. .5mg anastrozole, to be exact. What happened next was amazing and would blow the minds 
of some of you. I IMMEDIATELY started feeling better. By that evening every single side listed above started to improve. By lunchtime the next day, every single one of them was gone. Completely gone. And now, three weeks later, I still look, feel, and perform great.
My point of all thisā¦.donāt listen to the āavoid an AI at all costsā nonsense. You may need one.
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Playing devils advocateā¦ do you think it may be too soon to announce āsuccessā? Iām glad youāre feeling better. Truly. However I would still beg the general crowd to start true TRT with one compound at a time and that being Test solo of course. For someone that wants TRT +, like yourself, an AI may work well but thatās different than folks shooting for normal levels. Have you checked your HDL/LDL before and after the AI? I bet I know which is better.
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Iām starting to no really buy into the ratio thing.
I think E2 needs to be somewhat in the same spot regardless of what your T levels are. If you can keep it there with an ai, have at it.
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I been saying for a while I donāt believe in ratios.
And iāll likely take some flack for this, but KSMAN always wanted E2 around 22.
I donāt think he was that far off with his thinking.
Good to see my thread still being discussed all of these years later.
Anyone have a negative response to arimidex but positive response to aromasin.
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I said in another thread the longer I work at the pharmacy and the more pharmacies you see AI is common on TRT. These guys who use it all have the same reaction with this new fad like āwthā¦ noā
And before the dishonest anti AI, e2 loving, crew jumps inā¦. Yes they tried different things and canāt tolerate higher E2.
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I donāt know if people are staunchly anti AI. My prob is when the clinics throw the kitchen sink at every new patient ieā¦ 200mg Cyp, AI, HCG, some even progesterone and DIM. Methodically a one at a time approach seems more logical. Why take drugs you may not need?
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