That’s great you found something that works, do you mind saying what your protocol is?
I’ve read this as well, and also worried since there were times I feared e2 and tried everything I could to crash it lol.
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Haha same, I tried using Adex twice and each time I’m pretty sure crashed my E2 on a tiny dose.
I’m gonna try some combo of injections + DHT cream as an AI. If you think about it bodybuilders have been using DHT derivatives as AI’s in their stacks pretty much for as long as they’ve been around. Pure DHT is probably a healthier AI than Adex and you get the benefits of higher DHT levels also.
I’m on the compounded cream applied to the scrotum right now, started about a week ago, but I think it might spike my DHT too much. I’ll run labs in 1-2 weeks and see what’s going on, it’ll be interesting
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Oh yeah, all the time. Some trade offs with DHT use but probably healthier than using an AI
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Yeah exactly. Best I felt on injections was daily Prop but I think I still aromatized a little too much for comfort, so I’m looking forward to trying Prop + DHT cream, I think there might be a really great protocol for me somewhere in there
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You don’t have to split it.
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You are going to ditch the cream after a week? What is the issue you have with DHT? I am using cream right now and may go to scrotal application. I just don’t know what all of the side effects if any, are caused by DHT. I don’t care about hair loss.
I don’t know that there’s anything dangerous about high DHT levels, but common sense tells me that being at 5-6-7 times the range of any hormone is probably not good long term. For example we know DHT antagonizes Estrogen at the receptor level; bodybuilders sometimes get symptoms of low E2 when on high dosages of DHT derived compounds. It’s possible that sky high DHT levels would prevent Estrogen from doing some of the work it’s supposed to do in your brain or other parts of your body, leading to problems down the road.
The problem is this is a field we don’t understand nearly well enough yet, so just because there aren’t any studies showing that stratospherically high DHT is bad for you doesn’t mean it’s actually ok. Personally my DHT levels are already twice the range when my Free T is just at the top of the range, so I’m expecting my DHT to be really high on the scrotal cream, but we’ll see.
I’m not planning to stop after another week, I just want to see what’s going on with my levels and with such a short half-life I should already be at steady state within that time frame. But I do want to give this a real chance, so I’m going to stick with it for a few more weeks. However, if my DHT levels are ridiculously high I don’t think I’ll feel comfortable staying on this protocol regardless of how good I feel
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Thanks and keep us posted please. I’d like to see how you do and how easy it is to get dialed in on the cream.
I would pick out some nice hats.
I don’t think there is much DHT does after puberty that Testosterone can’t do (aside from it’s effects on estrogen). Yeah, DHT might raise libido, but a lot of androgens can do that including Testosterone.
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Began with:
Scrotal cream (200mg/g bottle). 3 clicks or 3/4g morning and then at night. That produced enhanced libido but very little benefit for ED. Then went to 4 clicks morning and then 4 clicks night. That further increased libido and I also started having wet dreams. But still no real benefit for the ED.
Then I decided to:
Switch back to testosterone Cypoinate, which is what I took yrs prior and had good success. I have into the dr who told me that daily injections was the best way to go. Did that for sometime and did feel better but didn’t feel as good as I did with the once per week protocol, so I decided to go back to a weekly 150ml Cypoinate.
I only take a very very very very VERY small dose of anastrozole when I feel my nipples getting sensitive. Frequency of that small dose of anastrozole averages once every 2 weeks. I was prone to and did develop some gyno in the past so I’m watching that closely. I’ve found that increased bench presses help keep my chest looking good so I feel ok on that front.
I started HCG but have since stopped it.
I take a 5mg daily Cialis with 3 Lactaid pills every night as I guess there’s lactose in them.
I take 150mg bupropion for the increased dopamine and I believe it’s helping me both sexually and addressing the add symptoms.
Results:
I feel increased penis sensitivity, specifically on the gland and the balls, Which I was lacking for sometime. That returned sensitivity has held and seems to be constant. My erections are stronger and strong enough for penetration, which has boosted my confidence again and my current gf has actually stuck around. I get random erections in the day, depending on my thoughts. I feel like I’m in a very good place right now and I really hope it continues.
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Are you moving towards twice a week in your practice or is the general recommendation and protocol that works best for your patients still once a week?
Not sure it makes a whole lot of difference for most. These days, a lot of the new guys have been all over the internet and have their ideas regarding dosing based on such. They lean towards twice. We always discuss options, pros, cons, of each. Most of those who do once weekly are fine and stay with it. Most of those who do twice weekly are fine and sty with it.
Really, makes no difference to me, as long as it works to their satisfaction.
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For what it’s worth I’ve been on trt for the better part of 20 years and drove myself crazy trying to find the “ perfect “ protocol . I have come to the conclusion there isn’t one , I have tried it all and finally said the hell with it and went to twice weekly and quit worrying about it and wouldn’t u know I feel the best in years ! I think 90 % of problems are from over thinking it
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Maybe, or is it because you’re obsessed with your TRT regimen and now spend much of your enthusiasm, inclination to learn and available cognition reading research papers and deep diving forum threads?
Nothing personal at all, I think this could be the case for many in this sphere. I have certainly been there.
@TrtNow to answer your original question with my own 2 cents, twice a week is probably a nice balance of stable levels vs injection hassle, providing you know the level to keep all your hormones stable at. In harmony… no easy task.
I hypothesise that the reason many of us do well on once per week is because we don’t know the exact number to keep our hormones at. Once per week allows us to overshoot that mark and then as levels decrease throughout the week the chances are that we will be in the sweet spot for a couple days or so.
The opposite of this might be injecting everyday and you’re hormones being consistently stable but way out of whack. I tend to feel good mid range and worse at the upper end. >1000 TT is good for the gains I must admit….
I’m quite sensitive to hormonal fluctuations. However anecdotally I’ve never felt a difference between 1-2x/wk unless my peak is supraphysiological or my nadir is too low. At the dose I take, neither is the case.
I liked daily shots but it gets old after awhile and also I have to watch my levels cause they tend to creep up if I don’t adjust my dose down . I get a good bit of difference in daily vs twice weekly on the same dose
What is baffling to me is that everyone seems to WANT steady levels.
That ISN’T the way the body works. Test is pulsed throughout the day, highest in the morning, and lowest at night. It’s very UNsteady.
Gels/jatenzo would mimic the body best.
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Well to play devils advocate I think the argument is weekly stability as even though injecting something like cyp daily is taking it to the extreme it will still be closer to the daily ups and downs rather than having your peak and trough only once a week each.
I am not big on too much frequency and think people over do it, just seeing their argument for what it is.