Brain fog + bloating. Adex every day? Don't want to take too much. Noob here

[GuyFawkes]

TL;DR - Is .5-1mg ED an unusually high Arimidex dose to keep sides at bay and something I should be concerned with?

----------------------------

Hi all-

42 year old Male, 5'11'' 180 ~ 11%BF (pre-cycle). Been training for years and finally decided to see what I can do on gear.

Question regarding my AI, Adex. I'm running 500mg test a week + 50mg EOD sublingual Winny Lozenge. This is my first cycle. The results, even after only 2 weeks are nothing short of staggering. That said, right out of the gate I had sides and I'm just a little worried about how much Adex it seems to be taking to keep me even keel. My sides in particular are: sore nips, bloating, and brain fog.

3 days after my first pin, my nips became sensitive and sore, and upon waking I felt like my head was in a bubble. I couldn't think. Brain fog! It was so strange. I consulted my source and he said to take 1mg of Adex twice a week. So I took it on Tuesday (8/25), then on Friday (8/28), and I felt so good I didn't take it again until Wednesday (9/2)! And I only took .5mg Wednesday. I'd read a lot about how everyone's different, but it's been a struggle to find the right dose, and now I'm just a little worried about taking too much. What seems to be keeping me feeling right is anywhere between .5mg and 1mg ED. Are these unusually high doses?

It's only been 2 weeks, and while I'm fine with forking out $ for a blood panel, I don't want to do one prematurely. Mainly I'm just worried because a lot of the posts on here I see show guys taking Adex EOD and then only .25 or .5mg.

I'm probably victim of information overload. Just looking for a little reassurance or guidance on how you - someone with experience - might proceed if you were in my shoes.

Thanks

[thephoenix25]

Yes that dose is unusually high, a typical dose is 0.25mg eod increasing to 0.5mg eod as needed. Adex has a half life of ~48 hours, hence it should be taken eod, waiting 3.5 days between will mean your Estrogen values will fluctuate.

It is also surprising so early on in the cycle to be experiencing estrogen related issues. Estrogen is notoriously difficult to gauge without blood work, some people with very high e don't even notice and others with moderately high e react strongly to it. Trying to gauge it at this point is a bit of a crap shot, this is why it is recommended to start at a moderate dose of 0.25mg eod and then mid cycle get bloods and adjust the adex accordingly. If you are concerned, the only sure way to get a handle on it is to get blood work, but this early on it is probable that your rate of aromatising will increase towards weeks 5-6 (I'm assuming you are using Test Enanthate).

On your first cycle you should really only be using Test (with AI, HCG and proper PCT after) as adding other compounds makes it difficult to judge how your body reacts to each compound.

If it were me, I'd drop the winny, use adex at a moderate 0.25mg eod dose and let your levels stabilize and get blood work at the mid point of your cycle. (assuming your sides dissipate with this plan)

[GuyFawkes]

Sounds like good advice. I'm taking test cyp, BTW. I'll shelve the winny and forge ahead. Thanks!

[Mr.BB]

Sticky to a steady dosage, e2 rollercoasters are not good.

Then have some bloodwork to check if dosage is correct amd titrate from there.

[212OlympiaBound]

I'd just bomb 1-1.5mg letro a day. Most people do fine with crashed estro, there are a select few that don't; however.

[GuyFawkes]

I tried to forego my Adex today and I literally felt retarded. Like I couldn't remember shit, couldn't think, and it felt like my body had been hooked up to a garden hose and filled. Took the adex and within an hour I was fine. I'm still holding a bit of water but I'm just going to keep on this dose. I know relatively speaking it's a lot, but I'm going to get bloodwork tomorrow to see where I am. I feel fine. *shrug*

[eimajjjj]

I'm curious to see your bloodwork if you could get some. I'm also going through the same problem. I started with 0.5 eod but the bloat just got too bad so I started taking 1mg eod and the bloat started to go but then the other day, BAM, I just felt incredibly low, lethargic and depressed. Trouble is, these are symptoms of both too high and too low. So yes, you MAY have crashed your E by being over-zealous or maybe you're someone that needs a lot of it to keep in the right range.

[GuyFawkes]

Yeah I know...I was supposed to go to the doc today but I felt like such shit I couldn't do it. I still don't feel right. Highly possible I've crashed my E2.

Have bloods scheduled for 9AM tomorrow. Will post results. Thanks for all the replies.

[GuyFawkes]

Got bloodwork back

[GuyFawkes]

I hadn't taken any AI for 24 hours, and prior to the test I'd taken 1mg Adex ED for the last 9 days, with the exception of a couple days I took .75 and .5. In any case, I've been feeling steadily better, and today I feel nearly 100%. I haven't taken an AI for 48 hours and keep feeling better and better. I'm going to skip my AI today and then start .25mg EOD tomorrow and stay on that dose unless high E2 symptoms appear.

Best $66 bucks I've spent was that test!

Thanks to everyone again who replied. This definitely is part art part science. Glad I've logged everything meticulously to try and figure out what's going on.

[thephoenix25]

I hope this doesn't sound like I'm being a dick but I suspect that what ever symptoms you felt in the beginning that tempted you to increase your AI were not related to E2 and that when you upped your AI dose the placebo effect eased those symptoms.

During my first cycle I experienced a whole lot of "weird" symptoms I couldn't explain which I now with hindsight think was just me overreacting or being a bit panicky. It's all part of the process and this is exactly why test only is recommended for the first cycle, so you don't have too many compounds and complicate the diagnosis process.

I found through a process of trail and error that I aromatize a little more than most which for me results in using a little more than average 0.33mg eod to keep everything in range. As you say, keep your dose as a typical 0.25mg eod and get more bloods at the mid point of the cycle and adjust if needed when you have the results. Good luck

[GuyFawkes]

I hope this doesn't sound like I'm being a dick but I suspect that what ever symptoms you felt in the beginning that tempted you to increase your AI were not related to E2 and that when you upped your AI dose the placebo effect eased those symptoms.

During my first cycle I experienced a whole lot of "weird" symptoms I couldn't explain which I now with hindsight think was just me overreacting or being a bit panicky. It's all part of the process and this is exactly why test only is recommended for the first cycle, so you don't have too many compounds and complicate the diagnosis process.

I found through a process of trail and error that I aromatize a little more than most which for me results in using a little more than average 0.33mg eod to keep everything in range. As you say, keep your dose as a typical 0.25mg eod and get more bloods at the mid point of the cycle and adjust if needed when you have the results. Good luck

Not only are you NOT being a dick I agree with you 100%! The placebo effect is indeed powerful. This is a learning process. I'm just glad this board is here and guys like you have been so cool to step up and offer your experience. I feel completely fine now and plan on proceeding as you all have suggested.