
Originally Posted by
OingoBoingo
If there is any question about the PCT, it might be worth attempting an HPTA restart. Lots of good information on the forum.
Check out the Finding a Physician sticky for a list of tests you'll want to get. Post your results here along with the lab's ranges.
There's always a chance there might be more than one thing going on. There's also a chance it might be repairable; if so, it's better to fix the problem than jump on the TRT bandwagon.
The TRT goal of Dr. Crisler and the Life Extension Foundation is upper quartile of range. But it's also important how you feel; if you feel better at a lower number, so be it. But statically, the upper quartile is where we do best.
Also remember that higher is not better. If you feel better at 900 than 1100, stay at 900.
While many think in terms of Total Testosterone, it's really Free Testosterone that is important. You can have all the Testosterone in the world, but if it's bound, it's not doing you any good.
According to LEF, using the standard test for men, E2 is best kept mid-range. Odds of problems skyrocket if too high or too low.
For a long time, 100mg per week has been considered a good starting dose for Testosterone; however, last year Dr. Crisler and Dr. Gordon (two big names in TRT) dropped their starting doses to 70mg and 60mg respectively.
I think a couple of things contributed to their decision. One being that a number of their patients ended up titrating down from 100mg. It's better to titrate up than down because it may save you from many unpleasant side effects;such as night sweats, water retention, and nipple pain.
Another is that I think E2 just naturally spikes when one starts TRT, and their body tries to find homeostasis.
Dr. Crisler recommends titrating in 20mg steps.
It's good your are thinking about hCG as part of your protocol. If injecting Testosterone once a week, it's usually a good idea to inject 350IU two days before and again one day before the Testosterone injection. The small amount of Testosterone made as a result of the hCG will help carry you through the trough.
If you choose to inject twice a week or daily (as I do), it might be better to inject 100IU daily.
My advice is to resist the urge to start a schedule of taking Anastrozole. If you start at a low dose as mentioned above, you might not have high E2. Injecting more frequently (twice a week or daily) will also help reduce E2 spikes. Supplementing your diet with Zinc will also help.
If you experience high E2 symptoms, take Anastrozole only when needed. Mark the dates on a calendar and you may notice some patterns.
Stay away from Fina and Duta. They're nasty stuff that can screw you up for life.
After you start TRT, you should get blood work again in about eight weeks. Depending on your numbers and how you feel, you may titrate your dose, run it for another eight weeks, and get more blood work. Be prepared for the process of getting dialed in to take some time. It's not uncommon for some to take a year or more.
Just relax and trust the process.
Forget about blasting until you've been dialed in a while.