Test Levels Problem - What now??

[Phyll]

Hey bros

I finished my cycle last October (400mg test E + 300 mg EQ for 15 weeks), did PCT by the book with HCG, Clomid, and nolva.

Finished PCT, was not feeling recovered, ran a 2nd PCT with Clomid and nolva again for another 3 weeks.

Still not feeling ok after that, mood swings, depressed, my testosterone levels had to be low. Then I bought tribulus, redkat, all BS, worth as much as taking shit in my case.

Went to the doc last Thursday and there you have it:

LH - 0.8 (normal is from 1.5 to 9) WTF THIS IS REALLY LOW, BUT IT GETS "BETTER..."

Test - 130 (normal ranges are from 240 to 800 something)

I feel like I ****ed it up really bad. It has been months after my cycle, my balls are still small, and my test levels are so low I can barely get a hard on. Workouts are gruesome, I can't gain weight, in fact I have been LOSING weight, and I feel like going to the gym is almost a waste of time on these test levels.

What should I do bros? The doc was like 'I dont know why they are so low, I want you to go see an endocrinologist'... I haven't told him anything, you guys think I should tell him the reason why my hormone levels are below baseline?

Also, what should I do? run more clomid/nolva? I read nolva can get LH levels back up, so what should I do at what dosages? Could my anti-es/clomid have been fake and that's why they didnt work? Even though should'nt my levels be back up anyway by now?

HELP! I feel like shit about this

[Teabagger]

Hey bro,

I'm no doc, but two PCT cycles and your're still not recovered, I'd be seeing and endo, or a uroligist ASAP. You didn't say how old you were? Did you have levels checked prior to running cycle?

I would do no more self medicating and seek professional help...plus be honest with the specialist...he has to abide by the doctor/patient confidentiality.

Good Luck...keep us posted.

[Phyll]

Hey bro,
I got the blood work done through an urologist. I didn't have the test levels checked before the cycle, no, I thought I was feeling 'fine', my bad I know I should have.
I am 29 btw.

I am going to tell him why I think the levels are so low and see what he says then.

[vitor]

15 weeks is to long to be on cycle IMO. Especally when you are using Testosterone the whole time, which will cause complete shutdown of HPTA.

Try to run an AI for a while and your test-levels will probaly recover eventually. You might have had alot of estrogen-spike coming in PCT and after, that will supress you, and nolva/clomid does little to help with decreasing estrogen-levels.

[Phyll]

Thanks for the reply, bro.

15 weeks is to long to be on cycle IMO. .

I know that will not happen again, but right now I just want to get myself back to normal. I feel pretty bad already and criticizing what I did will not fix the problem

Especally when you are using Testosterone the whole time, which will cause complete shutdown of HPTA.

Isn't that what PCT is for?

Try to run an AI for a while and your test-levels will probaly recover eventually. You might have had alot of estrogen-spike coming in PCT and after, that will supress you, and nolva/clomid does little to help with decreasing estrogen-levels.

What's an AI? I also hope the test levels will come back eventually, but how much longer will it take feels like it's been forever

[Phyll]

I will tell you this was the worst cycle ever, I am 99.9% sure my test e was heavily underdosed, I felt very little from the test itself even at 450mg/week (basically no significant change in libido and all the other sides from test) so I was basically running solely on EQ the whole time, now could THAT be a factor on this recovery bitch?

[vitor]

Try to run Arimidex to decrease estrogen-levels. (nolva/clomid will only block the recepter site.) You could still have exessive estrogen floating around which is supressing.

Maybe your testosterone contained some strange shit since you didnt notice it. If you have an ampule left, get it lab-tested!

[Phyll]

Yeah I am sure it had some strange stuff inside (who knows wtf it was) because I've run test before and it was a different game than last time. It is all gone though, can't lab-test it anymore. Thinking about it now, what if the test I had was actually some type of deca, I might have run a deca-eq test all along, can you imagine how bad that would suck?

I think I am going to get some arimidex from AR then I really dont trust any of the stuff I have anymore.

What about workout/diet? What should I do? I have noticed that I have been losing LBM while getting more fat in the abdomen area (low test will do that to you damn it) should I keep the cals up, do cardio, lift heavy/light, what's the best approach in a situation like this???

[vitor]

Yeah I am sure it had some strange stuff inside (who knows wtf it was) because I've run test before and it was a different game than last time. It is all gone though, can't lab-test it anymore. Thinking about it now, what if the test I had was actually some type of deca, I might have run a deca-eq test all along, can you imagine how bad that would suck?

I think I am going to get some arimidex from AR then I really dont trust any of the stuff I have anymore.

What about workout/diet? What should I do? I have noticed that I have been losing LBM while getting more fat in the abdomen area (low test will do that to you damn it) should I keep the cals up, do cardio, lift heavy/light, what's the best approach in a situation like this???

Do basic exersizes with heavy weights and few sets. Keep the protein high.

Ime supraised you didnt notice anything from redkat or tribulis. Especially Redkat seems to be very effective for me!

[Phyll]

I thought so too, I had my hopes up high for redkat from all I had read about it. Maybe my problem is rooted deeper. I am still taking it, it's been 3 weeks I guess, I will keep taking, lets see, it can't do any harm, the harm's been done already, lol!

I am still having 2nd thoughts on whether I should tell the whole story to the doc, you guys think that is cool? I dont want to hear him preaching, that's the last thing I need right now

[Teabagger]

Be honest with the doc...80% of a good diagonsis is from patient supplied health and meds history. Give him the information he needs to do his job..for you. Not telling your doc the whole story is like going to mechanic and saying your diesel engine runs like crap...of course don't tell him you accidentally put some gasoline in the trunk..see what I mean...

Man up and be honest, then get on the road to normalacy.

Thats IMHO.

[Phyll]

I totally agree, it is just feels "weird" confessing it to the doc, it is like signing your name under a 'I am guilty I bought illegal substances' line

[Teabagger]

The doc may be cooler than you think. He should not be about making moral judgements, he wants to keep you healthy. He will probably ask you if you intend to continue cycling, if you do intend to, he will probably encourgae you to have your levels tested on some kind of schedule.

They see people with STD's and I'm sure there is no big lecture or moral judgement. They will suggest to abstain, (like from aas) and failing that, they will encourage you to protect yourself, with a condom, (like blood level testing before, during, and after a cycle of aas)

If he is a moralistic or preaching ass then find another doc, ask around the gym, or ask your source if he can recommend anyone that is cool.

Play it straight bro...the only way to go.

[Phyll]

Agreed. I just scheduled an endoc for Feb 27, going to suck have to wait until then, it is really awful seeing your hard earned gains melt away like this

[Magnum II]

For what it's worth Bro. I see an Anti-Aging Doc. He prescribes Test and GH and other compounds to guys on HRT. These doctors tend to be much more understanding and knowledgeable when it comes to AAS. I don't know what area you live in but, there's an ample number of them in mid-western cities.
Look under anti-aging medicine in your phone book or on-line. An anti-aging doc will have dealt with difficult recovery cases before and may have some better insights even than an Endocronologist. If he's not able to help you, you can always fall back on the Endo.

Just a thought...Good Luck.

[Phyll]

Is this something that can be fixed? WIll I ever have normal test levels again?

[Magnum II]

Is this something that can be fixed? WIll I ever have normal test levels again?

Of course there's no way for me to tell if you have some other condition that's affecting your hormone level. You'll only know that if you get checked out thoroughly by a doctor. But, just in general, I'd say you have every reason to feel confident that your test levels will eventually come back. You are still young and you did do an extra long cycle. It's not too surprising that you're having this struggle right now. Plenty of other AS users have had struggles with recovery and it sounds like most of them eventually do make a recovery.

It's too bad you didn't do a base-line blood test before running the cycle. I take it you don't know what your normal Testosterone levels are. It could be that you had fairly low levels before the cycle and now they're just temporarily way down. Anyway, even though this sucks for you right now, I'd say relax and trust that things will probably resolve given enough time. I'd really recommend talking to an Anti-Aging Doc if you're concerned.

[Jakspro]

I just went to my Doc to get blook work done, and i told him that i've been taking pro-hormones, not even roids and he refused to give me a Total Test, and free Test blood work, he thought it might encourage me to use again if my test came out recovered... Now i have to go to another one and just say f'n give me this test... But he gave me all other Blood work test i wanted...

Its a flip of a coin to see if your doc is gonna be supportive, but if i would do it again, i would still tell him everything... and even more so in your case...

But if he has no suspicion of you using, you might get away with doing your own injections for HRT