Just started taking this. On 200 of test per week and have been for about 10 weeks. Estradiol was 60 on my last blood test. Elevated but not super high.
No significant side effects but I feel like my face is a bit fuller (wife confirmed) and I’m thinking it may be some water retention from the elevated estradiol level.
Anyone have an experience with water retention on test and did you take an inhibitor and if so, did it work, and how long until you saw the reduction/elimination of the water retention?
Are you on TRT? What were your total T numbers?
That’s an above average TRT dosage, most men will have supraphysiological levels throughout much of the week @200 mg per week.
TRT can affect the kidneys reabsorption of sodium → more sodium → more water, leading to fluid retention. This has nothing to do with estrogen.
More testosterone isn’t always better.
I took an AI once, and so my descent in hell began. The rebound was even worse, felt like a heart attack. Decreasing your dosage is probably the best course of action, second would be a diuretic.
Many men find it difficult to dose AI’s over the long term, anastrozole is powerful medicine, very fast acting.
200 of test weekly. Last blood test was 894 day before injection.
Originally on 100 weekly, numbers got into the 600’s and I saw zero change/benefit. At 200 I’ve seen increase in lean mass, better sleep, mood, etc. so I think this is my good dosage.
To clarify I’m not sloshing around with water when I’m walking just some puffiness. Not a huge amount. I can live with it. But since my estradiol was high I figured I’d take an AI, get it back down to normal and see if there is a change. If not I’ll probably just stop taking it.
Your estradiol isn’t particularly high and you said yourself you have no other side effects besides some puffiness in the face. If it were me I would just let it be or as @systemlord suggested maybe drop your dose to 180mg and assess from there.
Some have adverse reactions from taking AI’s like Systemlord. I personally don’t really notice anything adverse from a small AI dosage.
You’d most likely be fine if you took 0.25mg of Arimidex once a week. See how it makes you feel, get bloodwork done and assess from there.
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The first half of the week your levels are supraphysiological, in other words more likely 1200+ ng/dL. This is why your estrogen is high, because your testosterone is supraphysiological for half of the week and your body is doing what’s it’s supposed to do, maintain the proper T:E2 ratios.
A 20 mg reduction may correct the puffiness without altering the way you feel and not affecting your physic/progress.
Makes sense. Could I level that out by going twice weekly on injections? Been considering doing that anyway.
Another 6 weeks to steady state, ups and down for 6 weeks, up to you. Your problem is your body is having issues with the amount of androgens you’re throwing at it, splitting up your dosage, trough levels will be higher.
You will maintain higher levels than now. You’re trapped into thinking more is better. A common thing holding back countless men from resolving their issues.
So if I understand dropping to 180 for 6 weeks will steady the levels. Then I can reassess?
I’m not really interested in upping the test (posted about that before) and I don’t want to get into a balancing act between pills so I’m not opposed to lowering the amount.
I’m pretty new to this and I imagine there’s some trial and error to get to that sweet spot. 100 was too low, 200 may be too high. Just don’t know yet.