Impatient Or Bunk Gear?

Good evening gentlemen! Question, I know blood work is the key to it all; but before blood work is done, what are the first signs of bunk or underdosed gear? I'm asking because I'm 3 days away from my first pin of week 6 and still feel nothing. No strength gains, balls aren't drawn up, no mood or libido changes, no body comp changes. Nothing. The first week I took 250mg of Sust, twice(500mg); then weeks 2 through now and through 12, will be test E 250mg x2/wk. The reason I did Sust for one week, was because I had that and E and chose that. Then through recommendations from friends on gear, I switched to E because I wanted my first cycle to be 1 esther and not 4. Easier to keep bloods level/stable and pinpiont any issues if arised. Am I just being impatient? I read crashed e2 can kill gains, so oneday this week I'm going to get a total test and e2 blood work done. I'm only taking .25 adex the day after each pin(so 2x/wk) started at week 3. I'm eating 3600 cals a day with 250g of protein. I workout 4 days a week minimum and hit every body part at least once a week.

Another question I have is, and maybe due to my first cycle. But how did you guys get over injection anxiety; if you had any at all. Not so much of the needle per se, but of what comes after the pin. Like I get bad anxiety after I pin thinking I might have given myself a bad injection, or what if it gets infected, or an abcess, or hit something in there I shouldn't? When or not when to see a doctor? Stuff like that.

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Originally Posted by Wickedg8gt

Good evening gentlemen! Question, I know blood work is the key to it all; but before blood work is done, what are the first signs of bunk or underdosed gear? I'm asking because I'm 3 days away from my first pin of week 6 and still feel nothing. No strength gains, balls aren't drawn up, no mood or libido changes, no body comp changes. Nothing. The first week I took 250mg of Sust, twice(500mg); then weeks 2 through now and through 12, will be test E 250mg x2/wk. The reason I did Sust for one week, was because I had that and E and chose that. Then through recommendations from friends on gear, I switched to E because I wanted my first cycle to be 1 esther and not 4. Easier to keep bloods level/stable and pinpiont any issues if arised. Am I just being impatient? I read crashed e2 can kill gains, so oneday this week I'm going to get a total test and e2 blood work done. I'm only taking .25 adex the day after each pin(so 2x/wk) started at week 3. I'm eating 3600 cals a day with 250g of protein. I workout 4 days a week minimum and hit every body part at least once a week.

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Enth can take 4 - 6 weeks to kick in. I wouldn’t panic yet. Any changes in oily skin? that’s usually what I notice first when my levels elevate. If my math is right, you’ve been on the enth for 5 weeks, correct? You could always try and crash your gear and see if it crystallizes, it’s rudimentary but it will work. Just heat it back after and get it into the solution.

As far as anxiety is concerned, don’t overthink it. Shower first, use an alcohol wipe on your skin and your vial and switch needles...one for drawing and one for shooting. That’ll minimize any risks. Find a spot you’re comfortable with and go slow. I’m a fan of glutes, shoulders and quads (in that order). Just take a couple deep breaths and relax. You’re not doing open heart surgery.

Do you trust the source you acquired the test from? Look professionally labeled, free of floaters or particulates? Should look clear...

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Originally Posted by SampsonandDelilah

Enth can take 4 - 6 weeks to kick in. I wouldn’t panic yet. Any changes in oily skin? that’s usually what I notice first when my levels elevate. If my math is right, you’ve been on the enth for 5 weeks, correct? You could always try and crash your gear and see if it crystallizes, it’s rudimentary but it will work. Just heat it back after and get it into the solution.

As far as anxiety is concerned, don’t overthink it. Shower first, use an alcohol wipe on your skin and your vial and switch needles...one for drawing and one for shooting. That’ll minimize any risks. Find a spot you’re comfortable with and go slow. I’m a fan of glutes, shoulders and quads (in that order). Just take a couple deep breaths and relax. You’re not doing open heart surgery.

Do you trust the source you acquired the test from? Look professionally labeled, free of floaters or particulates? Should look clear...

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Thank you for taking time to respond. I really, truely appreciate it. No changes in skin, balls havent drawn up, nothing at all.

Yes sir, 5 weeks. Tomorrow is pin 11 aka first pin of week 12.

As far as anxiety goes, part of it is my fault I guess; I read so much on here, on Reddit, and online in general, about guys who have all these issues after a pin. And being so-called "illegal", I never know what I should say to a doctor if I ever need to go see one about something. If you should tell them the truth or not. I do always take a shower before every pin, I alcohol swab the area, swab the needle using different swab, switch draw and pin needles. I tried to take every precaution every measure possible to make sure myself and gear and environment is sterile as possible. I guess I'm more afraid of how to know if something is actually wrong versus par for the course and what to do if.

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Originally Posted by Wickedg8gt

Thank you for taking time to respond. I really, truely appreciate it. No changes in skin, balls havent drawn up, nothing at all.

Yes sir, 5 weeks. Tomorrow is pin 11 aka first pin of week 12.

As far as anxiety goes, part of it is my fault I guess; I read so much on here, on Reddit, and online in general, about guys who have all these issues after a pin. And being so-called "illegal", I never know what I should say to a doctor if I ever need to go see one about something. If you should tell them the truth or not. I do always take a shower before every pin, I alcohol swab the area, swab the needle using different swab, switch draw and pin needles. I tried to take every precaution every measure possible to make sure myself and gear and environment is sterile as possible. I guess I'm more afraid of how to know if something is actually wrong versus par for the course and what to do if.

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Hopefully the gear you procured is from a reputable source. Only time will tell. Sourcing is obviously vital.

At some point you can get “analysis paralysis”. Quit reading and listening to everyone’s else’s anecdotal bull shit and just trust your intuition. Be sterile and don’t shoot obviously cloudy funky diluted gear. If guy get an infection...your body will let you know. Get to an urgent care and be truthful. Easy as that. Trust me, they’ve seen far worse. You won’t get arrested, just a lecture and some antibiotics.

Fingers crossed for you

Go get your test levels checked. A plane testosterone blood test is cheap. You'll know for sure.

Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by SampsonandDelilah

Hopefully the gear you procured is from a reputable source. Only time will tell. Sourcing is obviously vital.

At some point you can get “analysis paralysis”. Quit reading and listening to everyone’s else’s anecdotal bull shit and just trust your intuition. Be sterile and don’t shoot obviously cloudy funky diluted gear. If guy get an infection...your body will let you know. Get to an urgent care and be truthful. Easy as that. Trust me, they’ve seen far worse. You won’t get arrested, just a lecture and some antibiotics.

Fingers crossed for you

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Thank you so much for the help and kind words.

I am. Thank you. I just now ordered a total test and estradiol sensitive test from Labcorb. I'm going Friday. My first pin of the week is tomorrow, so I'll have 1 of 2 pins before the blood work. And im still going to take .25mg of adex on Weds like normal. To see how my e2 is with the 2x/wk .25mg adex day after pin is.

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Originally Posted by Wickedg8gt

Good evening gentlemen! Question, I know blood work is the key to it all; but before blood work is done, what are the first signs of bunk or underdosed gear? I'm asking because I'm 3 days away from my first pin of week 6 and still feel nothing. No strength gains, balls aren't drawn up, no mood or libido changes, no body comp changes. Nothing. The first week I took 250mg of Sust, twice(500mg); then weeks 2 through now and through 12, will be test E 250mg x2/wk. The reason I did Sust for one week, was because I had that and E and chose that. Then through recommendations from friends on gear, I switched to E because I wanted my first cycle to be 1 esther and not 4. Easier to keep bloods level/stable and pinpiont any issues if arised. Am I just being impatient? I read crashed e2 can kill gains, so oneday this week I'm going to get a total test and e2 blood work done. I'm only taking .25 adex the day after each pin(so 2x/wk) started at week 3. I'm eating 3600 cals a day with 250g of protein. I workout 4 days a week minimum and hit every body part at least once a week.

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Everybody responds differently. I've seen people who say that test makes them feel absolutely no different than being natty, even people claiming not to feel a difference after 1g/week. Then there are others like me, who felt the test E kicking in after only 2 weeks and then lowered the dose (currently 200...basically trt) and STILL feel the fuck out of it, although not as much as at 400. Test E is known to take a longer time to fully kick in so that could be part of it. But only bloods will tell you for sure. Now if this was tren and you weren't feeling it, that'd be cause for concern. But test? Just wait for the results.

Personally, I'd drop the adex and see how you feel, although it looks like you're barely taking any to begin with. But a lot of the "feeling" of it is probably going to come from the estrogen, and taking an AI will lessen that. Nolva would be better to use since it just keeps you from getting gyno without messing with your estrogen.

As far as infections, just use the proper precautions (alcohol wipe top of vial, let it sit for 30 seconds or so, draw, change needle if possible, alcohol wipe injection site, wait a few seconds, inject) and you'll be fine unless your gear is tainted. So get your stuff from a well-trusted source. I work in a prison where I see people take insulin in the medical area all the time, and they are less sanitary than most of us on this board, and I've never heard of any of them getting an infection from insulin needles yet. If they did, I must have missed it. My guess is that most infections come from bad gear, but I'm not expert, I could be dead wrong. Just BE CAREFUL EVERY TIME and you'll at least eliminate yourself as a reason for infection. But it can still happen, so make sure you know where the ER/urgent care is just in case. If you're smart and pay attention, worst case scenario, you pay some medical bills and take antibiotics for a while.

As far as knowing when you have an infection....ain't had one, so I wouldn't know. But I'd say if you see redness and swelling, keep an eye on it. Redness and swelling don't mean infection (I've had that multiple times already), but infections generally start with that. Just be smart and don't panic, make good decisions.

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Originally Posted by Arcânn

Everybody responds differently. I've seen people who say that test makes them feel absolutely no different than being natty, even people claiming not to feel a difference after 1g/week. Then there are others like me, who felt the test E kicking in after only 2 weeks and then lowered the dose (currently 200...basically trt) and STILL feel the fuck out of it, although not as much as at 400. Test E is known to take a longer time to fully kick in so that could be part of it. But only bloods will tell you for sure. Now if this was tren and you weren't feeling it, that'd be cause for concern. But test? Just wait for the results.

Personally, I'd drop the adex and see how you feel, although it looks like you're barely taking any to begin with. But a lot of the "feeling" of it is probably going to come from the estrogen, and taking an AI will lessen that. Nolva would be better to use since it just keeps you from getting gyno without messing with your estrogen.

As far as infections, just use the proper precautions (alcohol wipe top of vial, let it sit for 30 seconds or so, draw, change needle if possible, alcohol wipe injection site, wait a few seconds, inject) and you'll be fine unless your gear is tainted. So get your stuff from a well-trusted source. I work in a prison where I see people take insulin in the medical area all the time, and they are less sanitary than most of us on this board, and I've never heard of any of them getting an infection from insulin needles yet. If they did, I must have missed it. My guess is that most infections come from bad gear, but I'm not expert, I could be dead wrong. Just BE CAREFUL EVERY TIME and you'll at least eliminate yourself as a reason for infection. But it can still happen, so make sure you know where the ER/urgent care is just in case. If you're smart and pay attention, worst case scenario, you pay some medical bills and take antibiotics for a while.

As far as knowing when you have an infection....ain't had one, so I wouldn't know. But I'd say if you see redness and swelling, keep an eye on it. Redness and swelling don't mean infection (I've had that multiple times already), but infections generally start with that. Just be smart and don't panic, make good decisions.

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Thank you very much for the long response. Very informative. I will keep pushing. I do keep everything very sanitary. I definitely don't want an infection. I know sometimes the injection site can swell and be red, which can be normal and fine and go away once the gear dissipates and goes away versus an abcess that actually needs attention.

how much weight have you put on?

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Originally Posted by The Deadlifting Dog

how much weight have you put on?

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Roughly between 8-10 lbs. That was on week 2.5 and held steady since.

You are using 500 test/week AND using an AI.
The AI will make you hold less water.
8-10lbs is totally normal for 500 test and AI.

Perhaps your gear is underdosed.

Get bloodwork if concerned.

Drop the AI.

remember, 500 test per week is a very basic cycle and you shouldn't expect anything drastic out of it.

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Originally Posted by The Deadlifting Dog

how much weight have you put on?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Deadlifting Dog

You are using 500 test/week AND using an AI.
The AI will make you hold less water.
8-10lbs is totally normal for 500 test and AI.

Perhaps your gear is underdosed.

Get bloodwork if concerned.

Drop the AI.

remember, 500 test per week is a very basic cycle and you shouldn't expect anything drastic out of it.

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Yes sir, I am actually going to get blood work Friday. Going to check total test and e2 sensitive. When I put that weight on the first couple weeks, I've stayed stagnent at that same weight. Hasnt gone up or down really. No sides of test or low/high e2.

I was on around 800 mg/week of test during my first cycle and didn’t feel anything until weeks 8-9. Even then it wasn’t anything special. I was completely underwhelmed. Now my expectations are a lot lower because I know my body doesnt hyper-respond to exogenous hormones.

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Originally Posted by Test Monsterone

I was on around 800 mg/week of test during my first cycle and didn’t feel anything until weeks 8-9. Even then it wasn’t anything special. I was completely underwhelmed. Now my expectations are a lot lower because I know my body doesnt hyper-respond to exogenous hormones.

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So if you don't mind me asking, what did you feel or see any gains at all before week 8? What type of gains did you see or how did you feel when it kicked in after week 9?

My expectations are extremely low and Im very disappointed so far.

When I get my blood work done tomorrow, where should my test levels average after 6 weeks of test? So roughly 12 pins?

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Originally Posted by Wickedg8gt

balls havent drawn up, nothing at all.

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Assuming first cycle? Tell you something about balls, When I started I thought without HCG they will shrink, mine did not shrink at all, 7 cycles same size even I am not using HCG and been on test continuous for last almost 6 months.

On the other hand, Test E kicked in after 3 weeks for me but It can take up to 6 as Sam said.