Looking for educated opinions or experiences regarding getting back into it

Hi all.

It has been awhile since I have posted on here, mainly because I was deployed/covid/was in an MVA. I find myself in somewhat of a situation that I would like to delve deeper into prior to making a decision.

BLUFF: I was in an motor vehicle accident in 2020 that I finally recovered from. Of course I endured multiple injuries, i.e., TBI, Craniectomy, multiple #s, but the one thing that I am concerned about is that I tore my femoral vein in the accident and had to be treated for a blood clot that formed because of it.

I feel like I have gotten back to a good spot, but of course I am frustrated with what I had before and what I have now. After working hard at functional fitness, diet etc., I was able to get back to about 85% strength, and a frustrating 175 of lean body weight. Another oddity is that I often have rough mental recovery days after I have an intense workout. I suspect that this is because my body eats all my glycogen stores and any residual brain injury effects get exacerbated by it.

I want to further get myself back to where I was before with a light test/var cycle, but I am concerned about the whole blood clot thing. I know being medical by nature that after having a blot clot you have a higher risk of developing them again, even if it was from a traumatic event, and I know that the clot risk comes with cycles. Has anyone ever experienced this or had a friend that has been in this situation before? Is the risk generally low depending on the cycle levels and types? Are there certain precautions that I can take to possibly prevent one from forming should the higher levels of test or estrogen start to create one?

My experience with cycles before were a test, test+var, test+tren+var, and a var only. I am 5'9" @ 175-178. 2800-3k cals per day. poultry/ovo vegetarian diet.

I am not looking at chasing the body building dream, I like a mix of functional/OLY/toning fitness. + want to get back to a lean 185-195.

What I am proposing is a test @400-450mg/week and var @ 50mg/day cycle.

or

a var only cycle to get some of my strength back and aid in the recovery, since I have been having a problem with my mental recovery after the TBI.

Thank you for any help.

If you want to gain weight; you need to increase your caloric intake. 2800 calories a day is not enough to grow & at that caloric intake aas will do nothing.

Slowly increase your calories and see where that gets you.

Androgens actually act as anti coagulants, but cause erythrocytosis causing an increase in hemoglobin and hematocrit (H&H). The old medical guidance was this polycythemia (too many red blood cells) leading to clots/strokes, but with normal iron studies and platelet counts this may not, although it doesnt help things. The solution here, aside from lowest possible dose, is to phlebotomize regularly. Perhaps set a target of 17 mg/dL hemoglobin for upper bound, certainly something under 20. If you keep H&H within healthy levels, the anti coagulant effect should decrease DVT risk all else equal. Avoid highly aromatizing compounds like dianabol and monitor E2 with testosterones.

I never liked var but some report great results and you have used it prior so I assuming it did something for you. Certainly up the calories and the testosterone will help with nutrient partitioning to help build some muscle. I always advise baseline bloodwork: a basic met panel with testosterone assay at a minimum.

Anabolics is a poor mans solution when the goal is getting back.
A cycle gives u gains, but it dissapear like a fart in the wind when u quit.
U need to do it the hard way.
Each week u will add something, better your self. Add one egg each day, increase a bit on the weigths every week.
Look up the stuff, add it. A better pwo, blueberries in front of training.
Point is, add something. U u dont your body will not add.

Then, do a cycle to get extra buff for christmas and a cycle when the summer comes.

But that just shorttime fun. Long time and consitant fun is from what u do as a natty.

So dont use energy on what to take. Use energy on everyday life chances.

Drugs are easy. They work. They are there. Doesnt matter what u take, unless your a totally dumbass.

Sent fra min SM-G998B via Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by powerliftmike

Androgens actually act as anti coagulants, but cause erythrocytosis causing an increase in hemoglobin and hematocrit (H&H). The old medical guidance was this polycythemia (too many red blood cells) leading to clots/strokes, but with normal iron studies and platelet counts this may not, although it doesnt help things. The solution here, aside from lowest possible dose, is to phlebotomize regularly. Perhaps set a target of 17 mg/dL hemoglobin for upper bound, certainly something under 20. If you keep H&H within healthy levels, the anti coagulant effect should decrease DVT risk all else equal. Avoid highly aromatizing compounds like dianabol and monitor E2 with testosterones.

I never liked var but some report great results and you have used it prior so I assuming it did something for you. Certainly up the calories and the testosterone will help with nutrient partitioning to help build some muscle. I always advise baseline bloodwork: a basic met panel with testosterone assay at a minimum.

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In addition to what mike posted regarding Hct and Hgb, I'll add keeping an eye on platelet count as well.

Also, don't over phlebotomize, you'll zap your ferritin levels, especially if you're older.

Edit: Platelet count plays a big part in the clotting cascade.

The reason why you're stuck is because of your diet. How do you expect to grow with 2800 calories per day? If you want to get big and strong, you need to eat like you're big and strong. As far as your brain fog goes, I'd drink after your workout a lot of Gatorade and have some sugary snacks (along with whatever protein you consume). Dehydration and depleted glycogen reserves can give you that foggy feeling.

Thanks mike and almost gone. That was along the lines my buddy who is a PA and myself were thinking. The other aspect of it that I was thinking the other day is just incase these levels start to get a little on the higher side, I imagine running test prop would be the better option so that I can stop and it can vacate the system ASAP?

As for the adding more calories not aas solution, I think the others missed the part where I said I like lean gains. I know it is hard work and I have already went from 150lbs post coma (+2 cranioplasty's) to 5'9" at 175 lbs approximately 13% BF 2.5 years later. That is about 153lbs of LMM, so to maintain is approx 2300 cals. I am not trying to blow up like a balloon, I don't need to. 2800-3000 cals is more than enough to keep adding lean weight towards 185 natty. On test I will of course increase the cals.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninjaman85

Thanks mike and almost gone. That was along the lines my buddy who is a PA and myself were thinking. The other aspect of it that I was thinking the other day is just incase these levels start to get a little on the higher side, I imagine running test prop would be the better option so that I can stop and it can vacate the system ASAP?

As for the adding more calories not aas solution, I think the others missed the part where I said I like lean gains. I know it is hard work and I have already went from 150lbs post coma (+2 cranioplasty's) to 5'9" at 175 lbs approximately 13% BF 2.5 years later. That is about 153lbs of LMM, so to maintain is approx 2300 cals. I am not trying to blow up like a balloon, I don't need to. 2800-3000 cals is more than enough to keep adding lean weight towards 185 natty. On test I will of course increase the cals.

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Are your macros the same on training days vs non training days? What type of training high volume or high intensity/failure sets?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninjaman85

Thanks mike and almost gone. That was along the lines my buddy who is a PA and myself were thinking. The other aspect of it that I was thinking the other day is just incase these levels start to get a little on the higher side, I imagine running test prop would be the better option so that I can stop and it can vacate the system ASAP?

As for the adding more calories not aas solution, I think the others missed the part where I said I like lean gains. I know it is hard work and I have already went from 150lbs post coma (+2 cranioplasty's) to 5'9" at 175 lbs approximately 13% BF 2.5 years later. That is about 153lbs of LMM, so to maintain is approx 2300 cals. I am not trying to blow up like a balloon, I don't need to. 2800-3000 cals is more than enough to keep adding lean weight towards 185 natty. On test I will of course increase the cals.

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Where are you gettting this information? You need to eat more to grow, period. AAS wil NOT ACCOMPLISH your goal at that caloric intake.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ninjaman85

Thanks mike and almost gone. That was along the lines my buddy who is a PA and myself were thinking. The other aspect of it that I was thinking the other day is just incase these levels start to get a little on the higher side, I imagine running test prop would be the better option so that I can stop and it can vacate the system ASAP?

As for the adding more calories not aas solution, I think the others missed the part where I said I like lean gains. I know it is hard work and I have already went from 150lbs post coma (+2 cranioplasty's) to 5'9" at 175 lbs approximately 13% BF 2.5 years later. That is about 153lbs of LMM, so to maintain is approx 2300 cals. I am not trying to blow up like a balloon, I don't need to. 2800-3000 cals is more than enough to keep adding lean weight towards 185 natty. On test I will of course increase the cals.

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What are your exact macros at 2800-3000 calories?

How long are your workouts?

What's your daily step count?

...out of curiosity.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Narkissos

What are your exact macros at 2800-3000 calories?

How long are your workouts?

What's your daily step count?

...out of curiosity.

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Narkissos! Good to see you, man!! :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Narkissos

What are your exact macros at 2800-3000 calories?

How long are your workouts?

What's your daily step count?

...out of curiosity.

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Hi Narkissos, thank you for you patience regarding your question, I wanted to reply earlier but was busy on a summer tasking.

Attachment 182716Attachment 182717

That's a close estimate of my macros. I have increased my sweet potato intake to 2 cups. I also have a great value ice cream sandwich on workout days that I forgot to add in. They are small @ 5g fat, 12g sugar, 111 cals.
My breakfast is actually split into 2 portions, I do the eggs when I wake up, have my black coffee, then eat the rest at about 10 am.

for workouts I do a 10-15 rom/HR warm up, then about 20 to 30 mins of a compound movement, then 10-20 mins of metabolic conditioning at high intensity, and 10 min cooldown. I workout every other day. I tried to add back to back days into my routine like before but it creates too many tbi symptoms. So I am sticking with EoD. I do yoga, walks, or light rom work on off days. I don't really track my steps.