Anastrozole on first cycle of TRT?

[MetatronRex]

Hello, I just started my first cycle of TRT. I'm taking 160mg of test cypionate a week for 10 weeks. My doctor has prescribed Anastrozole 2mg a week. Is this necessary? I'm by no means an expert but wouldn't he need to see my blood work after I start my cycle before I take it? Would I be fine taking it as prescribed? Thanks in advance.

[Honkey_Kong]

Hello, I just started my first cycle of TRT. I'm taking 160mg of test cypionate a week for 10 weeks. My doctor has prescribed Anastrozole 2mg a week. Is this necessary? I'm by no means an expert but wouldn't he need to see my blood work after I start my cycle before I take it? Would I be fine taking it as prescribed? Thanks in advance.

Why is your doctor prescribing a 10 week cycle of TRT?

[Mooseman33]

scary what some doctors do

[SampsonandDelilah]

TRT isn’t a “cycle”, it’s an ongoing administration of testosterone monitored monthly/quarterly/yearly to ensure your blood level are stable and you circumvent the symptoms of low testosterone.

A cycle is a 10-16 week blast of testosterone, that requires a PCT.

Where did you find this “doctor”?

[Honkey_Kong]

TRT isn’t a “cycle”, it’s an ongoing administration of testosterone monitored monthly/quarterly/yearly to ensure your blood level are stable and you circumvent the symptoms of low testosterone.

A cycle is a 10-16 week blast of testosterone, that requires a PCT.

Where did you find this “doctor”?

Seriously OP, if this is real, that doctor should have his license revoked. The whole point of a TRT is that you're accepting that your body isn't creating enough testosterone anymore and you're going to REPLACE it with exogenous test which will shut down whatever your body still makes. This is a "for life" type thing.

Running 160mg for 10 weeks is just a shitty cycle that will shut you down and not even give you the gains a real cycle will and you'll likely lose even more than what you started with when it's over (since you didn't gain much to begin with).

[MetatronRex]

I'm sorry, cycle was probably the wrong word. He has me taking 160mg for 10 weeks then I'm taking clomiphene for 10 days then I could get on TRT again. He was making it seem like I could stop when I wanted. Would it be too late too stop now? I just took my first injection last night. I'm 35 and have been feeling shitty for a while now. My test levels were 245 ng/dl. I was under the impression I could stop taking TRT. Is it even worth it?

[SampsonandDelilah]

No, it’s certainly not to late to stop.

However, your T levels are incredibly low. You should stay on for the 10 weeks and get labs to see if you’re in the “normal to high” range. I feel best between 800-1000. Another import number will be your free testosterone score as well as your estrogen labs.

With T levels that low you might just find that you’re feeling a whole lot better. It may just be that you have to commit to the injections

Now you can also do a “clomid” restart which is what he’s suggesting next, although I disagree with his algorithm and you can see what your levels are at the expiration of the restart.

Depends how you feel about “committing” to the injections.

For me, it was easy and I’ve been a TRT patient for almost 8 years. Game changer.

Many of us run “cycles” in addition to our TRT but generally resume the prescribed amount after the 10-12 week “blast”

Hope that helps

[MetatronRex]

No, it’s certainly not to late to stop.

However, your T levels are incredibly low. You should stay on for the 10 weeks and get labs to see if you’re in the “normal to high” range. I feel best between 800-1000. Another import number will be your free testosterone score as well as your estrogen labs.

With T levels that low you might just find that you’re feeling a whole lot better. It may just be that you have to commit to the injections

Now you can also do a “clomid” restart which is what he’s suggesting next, although I disagree with his algorithm and you can see what your levels are at the expiration of the restart.

Depends how you feel about “committing” to the injections.

For me, it was easy and I’ve been a TRT patient for almost 8 years. Game changer.

Many of us run “cycles” in addition to our TRT but generally resume the prescribed amount after the 10-12 week “blast”

Hope that helps

Yes, that was helpful. Thanks for the response. One more thing if you don't mind. Should I be taking the 2mg of Anastrozole every week? I've been reading up on it but I can't really get a good answer. I've read that I do need it and I've read that since I'm not taking a high dose of testosterone that I wouldn't need it. I'm waiting to hear back from the doctor, I asked if I could take 1mg a week then get my blood work done in 5 weeks and go from there.

[SampsonandDelilah]

Blood work is key but I certainly wouldn’t start taking 2 mgs every week. I believe in less is more.

Now if my estrogen starts creeping up and I become symptomatic then yes, I would slowly introduce it.

I’ve never had to use it and actually feel better when my estrogen is on the high side of normal.

Again, symptoms and blood work will determine the need for an AI. I wouldn’t take it blindly shooting from the hip on an initial starting dose.

Pull bloods in 6 weeks. Definitely a good idea to have it on hand, I would recommend filling the script and playing the wait and see game.

That’s just me though, others may feel differently.

[SampsonandDelilah]

Any idea where your estrogen scored when you took your initial labs?

Any history of childhood gyno? Puffy nipps?

[Honkey_Kong]

Yes, that was helpful. Thanks for the response. One more thing if you don't mind. Should I be taking the 2mg of Anastrozole every week? I've been reading up on it but I can't really get a good answer. I've read that I do need it and I've read that since I'm not taking a high dose of testosterone that I wouldn't need it. I'm waiting to hear back from the doctor, I asked if I could take 1mg a week then get my blood work done in 5 weeks and go from there.

As far as arimidex goes, you shouldn't just take it for the sake of taking drugs. You should take just enough to make estrogenic symptoms (if you have them) go away. I would start with .25mg every other day. But that's only if you're experiencing symptoms.

You can also further reduce the need for an aromatase inhibitor, by increasing the frequency of your injections. Some guys on TRT who experience those estrogenic sides, can be side-effect free just by injecting more often (but not increasing your total weekly amount). And if you don't need to take Arimidex, that's better.

[Honkey_Kong]

Blood work is key but I certainly wouldn’t start taking 2 mgs every week. I believe in less is more.

Now if my estrogen starts creeping up and I become symptomatic then yes, I would slowly introduce it.

I’ve never had to use it and actually feel better when my estrogen is on the high side of normal.

Again, symptoms and blood work will determine the need for an AI. I wouldn’t take it blindly shooting from the hip on an initial starting dose.

Pull bloods in 6 weeks. Definitely a good idea to have it on hand, I would recommend filling the script and playing the wait and see game.

That’s just me though, others may feel differently.

Yeah, I'd start it at .25mg EOD and go from there.

[MetatronRex]

Any idea where your estrogen scored when you took your initial labs?

Any history of childhood gyno? Puffy nipps?

No, no history of that stuff. I'm waiting to get a copy of my initial labs. My doctor went over it with me last week but I forgot what it was.

[MetatronRex]

As far as arimidex goes, you shouldn't just take it for the sake of taking drugs. You should take just enough to make estrogenic symptoms (if you have them) go away. I would start with .25mg every other day. But that's only if you're experiencing symptoms.

You can also further reduce the need for an aromatase inhibitor, by increasing the frequency of your injections. Some guys on TRT who experience those estrogenic sides, can be side-effect free just by injecting more often (but not increasing your total weekly amount). And if you don't need to take Arimidex, that's better.

Yeah, I'm new to this whole thing but just taking some powerful drugs just to take it without knowing what my levels were or having any symptoms didn't seem right to me.

[SampsonandDelilah]

You’ve stumbled upon the right place. There’s additional forums within these walls that disusss specifically TRT and ancillary drugs.

Sounds like you’ve thought things out and are making good decisions. Utilize the board and monitor your bloodwork and how you’re feeling.

I’m telling you, when I fixed my low T…things got a lot better and I didn’t realize how bad I was suffering.

Mood, fatigue in the gym, libido, body fat….

It’s not a magical solution but man it really helps

[tarmyg]

While your at it look for another doctor. I’m by no means an expert but what he prescribed seems less than optimal compared to what I have seen in the trt forum part. Good luck.