Managing E2 Without The Sensitive Test For Estradiol

[AgustínBernal59]

I began TRT four months ago.
I take 200mg of Testosterone Cypionate every 7 days (on Mondays).
It keeps my total testosterone between 980 to 1100 ng/dl and my doctor is fine with that and I feel good. When they draw blood for the testing they do it on the morning of the next Cyp injection just prior to giving it.
I am 54 years old and will be 55 in September.

I live abroad and don’t have access to the sensitive E2 test that’s recommended for men on this and other forums so I have to make do with the standard one.

Six weeks after starting TRT my estradiol was 71.61 pg/ml with a reference range of 5.37 to 65.90.

Four days ago on July 2nd I was tested again and the estradiol was 92.83 pg/ml with the same reference range (5.37 to 65.90).

I feel okay aside from insomnia here and there but insomnia has effected me for years, long before TRT.

Are there high E2 specific symptoms to look out for?
Should an AI be taken without any symptoms simply because the numbers are too high?

I was given Arimidex in 1mg pills a month ago, but the doctor said I should have them on hand in case I need them in the future which at that time he didn’t feel I need them yet.
He said that when I do need them to cut the 1mg pill into four pieces and take just one of the pieces (.25mg) per week for starters.

Any advice on how to manage E2 without access to the Sensitive Test?

[Windex]

Youthful and Kelkel would be the best resources you have for this. However a few questions :

- Is there a way you can do the injections yourself ? Injecting twice per week will yield more stable levels

- Is lowering the TRT dose an option? Perhaps 150-175mg/week might be a better option for you.

- Are you taking HCG to compliment your TRT protocol?

[Chrisp83TRT]

It seems your doctor didn’t recommend you take the Ana yet which to me is silly. Of coarse everyone is different but Taking 200mg of Test Cyp once a week is going to shoot up your E.
Pinning twice a week of 100mg would probably stabilize your E alittle but you still need AI to combat it raising.

[Youthful55guy]

I recognize you have limitations due to your health care system. However, that does not change the fact that 200 mg once per week is way too much to inject at one time and very old school.

You may be just barely within normal physiological range 7 days after the injection when half of it is already metabolized. You ware WAY WAY out of range the first 4-5 days after injection and that is going to drive numerous side-effects. High Estrogen is just one of them. The protocol is just not sustainable for a lifetime. End of story.

I agree with the advice you have already been given. Cut the dose way back to about 100 mg/week divided into at least 2 injections (or 50 mg) per week. Even better would be to break the dose up into about 45 mg every 3 days (E3D). This will result in much more stable T levels that are always within normal physiological range. For most guys, you almost never have to go over 120mg/week (TOTAL) if you break the injection up to 2X/week or E3D dosing.

When you through anastrozole into the mix, you are just putting a bandage over a much bigger problem. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it is what you (and your doctor) need to hear.