Thoughts?

[SalzRugger]

I'm a 35 year old guy who is teetering back and forth between really wanting to run a cycle and worrying about the side effects down the line not being worth it. What scares me is after I were to run a cycle if I were to throw my natural test production out of whack for such a long time it just doesn't come back and my gains would be lost even with a strong diet.

If I do plan on dong one it would be 500 mg/wk of Test E for 10 weeks with 70mg of var for weeks 4-10. HCG and armidex run during cycle, then nolva and clomid for my pct.

Generally speaking how long would it take for me to be back to normal after a cycle like this? Or once I step across into the dark side am I destined to be running a cycle every year just to maintain what I even have now?
I am not asking for someone to hold my hand and say "all will be well" I know there are no guarantees in life but what are your opinions based on what you have seen and experienced.

35 yr M
6' 205lb 14%BF
20 years of training experience

[MickeyKnox]

Test ONLY first cycle.

You cycle can be as smooth as a baby's bum, if done correctly and responsibly. Just make sure you do your homework and read a LOT before you commit. Ask questions and arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible.


Most Common Beginners Cycles

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread....#.UJZv62fX_fs

[Capebuffalo]

Mickey hit the nail on the head. Test only. Research and ask questions.
Have everything before you start.
Welcome aboard.

[Bio-Active]

agree with what has been said above but you should run labs before considering cycling and after you complete your pct to make sure you have fully recovered.

[SalzRugger]

I appreciate the advice and from what I keep reading a test only cycle for the first time is what I think I will be doing. And I will now be looking for a lab sticky to read

I have another question:
When would I expect to be back to normal test levels? I am a lower level professional rugby player (no testing) and I am competing against guys 15 years younger than me and I don't want to be playing with low test and thus having low aggression for next season.

[Bio-Active]

I appreciate the advice and from what I keep reading a test only cycle for the first time is what I think I will be doing. And I will now be looking for a lab sticky to read

I have another question:
When would I expect to be back to normal test levels? I am a lower level professional rugby player (no testing) and I am competing against guys 15 years younger than me and I don't want to be playing with low test and thus having low aggression for next season.

everyone is different very hard to say when you would recover but running hcg during your cycle and putting together a solid PCT will give you the best chance of a solid recovery

[Metalject]

As for your overall concern, in my opinion if someone is going to use steroids it's always best to recognize there are no guarantees. You can do everything right and I do mean everything and still end up on TRT. Most guys over 40 could greatly benefit from TRT anyway regardless of past steroid use, which you're getting close to. It's always best to recognize that things might not turn out perfectly, your testosterone levels may not return to where they were prior to your use. Look at it like this, you're going to start a new business, and in doing so you're going to do all you can to make sure you give your business the best chance for success. However, when starting any business it's always important to recognize there are no guarantees, things might not turn out like you hoped.

Full recovery can take awhile even with the best PCT plan in the world. I'm sure this has been discussed here before but a lot of guys assume their PCT plan will bring everything back to normal on it's own. It just doesn't work that way. How long will it take? Like others said that's hard to predict. It could possibly take several months for you to recover your full natural testosterone production back to where it was or at least close to it was before you began your cycle. However, this isn't the end of the world. If you run a good PCT plan you should have enough testosterone in your body to maintain and well functioning body, as well as prevent cortisol levels from going to high, which would lead to tissue loss and fat gain.

[Times Roman]

the other issue, especially for blokes getting a little older, is that sometimes when you let the genie out the lamp, she won't go back in! this means you could be opening a can of worms with a whole host of issues relating to ED, etc. Cycling sometimes means your E becomes too high. So you take an AI. But you have to experiment with the dose if you want to get it right. Too much or too little and you could shut down your libido. Plus you have to deal with PCT issues. And all of this should be tracked, it you want to do it right, with blood panels. This is a lot of work!

Nothing is as simple as it seems when it comes to cycling. And for a semi casual/serious weightlifter, the amount of work needed to only do a single cycle is biased towareds this being TOO much work!

not trying to scare you off, but at the same time, be realistic where this path goes and where it will lead you. The reality is, if you go down this path, you probably will NOT be only doing a single cycle, but instead, you will be cycling for a period of time over several years.

Good luck!
---Roman

[songdog]

As for your overall concern, in my opinion if someone is going to use steroids it's always best to recognize there are no guarantees. You can do everything right and I do mean everything and still end up on TRT. Most guys over 40 could greatly benefit from TRT anyway regardless of past steroid use, which you're getting close to. It's always best to recognize that things might turn out perfectly, your testosterone levels may not return to where they were prior to your use. Look at it like this, you're going to start a new business, and in doing so you're going to do all you can to make sure you give your business the best chance for success. However, when starting any business it's always important to recognize there are no guarantees, things might not turn out like you hoped.

Full recovery can take awhile even with the best PCT plan in the world. I'm sure this has been discussed here before but a lot of guys assume their PCT plan will bring everything back to normal on it's own. It just doesn't work that way. How long will it take? Like others said that's hard to predict. It could possibly take several months for you to recover your full natural testosterone production back to where it was or at least close to it was before you began your cycle. However, this isn't the end of the world. If you run a good PCT plan you should have enough testosterone in your body to maintain and well functioning body, as well as prevent cortisol levels from going to high, which would lead to tissue loss and fat gain.

I agree with this beacuse once you shut down your natural test flow.There is nothing saying it will be the same again.