Lastly, the most important part is your blood work. Steroids will wreak havoc on your blood levels. So you need to have panels ordered before, during and after your cycle. This will identify many things so that you can succeed and maintain a good state of health.
Blood work you need (at minimum):
1. Testosterone, Total
2. Testosterone, Free
3. Sensitive E2 Assay (Not basic estradiol, that's for women)
4. CBC (Compete blood count)
5. CMP (Comprehensive metabolic panel)
6. Lipid Profile (post cycle is fine)
7. LH and FSH (pre-cycle and post PCT)
These panels need to be done pre-cycle to ensure that your internals are ready for this ride. Mid-cycle to verify that your estrogen blocker dose is working, your blood isn't too thick, your liver is still safe and that your gear is legitimate and not fake or underdosed. Post cycle so that you can verify that you've completed your cycle safely and no issues need attention.
Here is your blood work timing:
Pre-Cycle blood work: 2 weeks prior to cycle.
Mid-Cycle blood work: 7 to 8 weeks into a 12 week cycle. Or 5 weeks into an 8 weeker.
Post-Cycle blood work: 6 weeks after PCT.
Thickening of the blood is very dangerous and steroids will thicken your blood. The increased RBC production will result in higher hematocrit levels. This number comes back with your CBC panel. It is best to keep this close to 50%. Once it reaches 55% or higher, you're at risk of a blood clot, extreme fatigue, high blood pressure, headaches and a host of other concerns. To resolve this issue, you'll need to donate blood. This will lower your hematocrit levels. Be very cautious, because if your level reach 55%, most donation centers will reject/refuse a donation from you. Then you'll have to get a prescription from a doctor for a therapeutic phlebotomy. This is why mid-cycle blood work is important.
Take a look at this thread; courtesy of
Docd187123:
How to get accurate testosterone level results on blood work.