29 year old and making the jump to blast/cruise/TRT

[CAADsprint]

With the whole argument that some consider the best way to use AAS is to blast cruise and make the decision to TRT I have a couple questions.
Are there any athletes/lifters out there that are around my age younger or older that blast and cruise / TRT?
It's not that I've lost all my gains from my first cycle but while off I've been asking myself this question daily and my main arguments or pros to delving in are
Lyme disease robbed me of my naturally athletic body at the age of 20. I have never been the same physically since. While on Dbol I noticed my body fill in to what it was pre Lyme disease despite the water weight. Knowing that I can quickly "therapy" myself with safe aas practice is incredibly enticing for my situation.
Asthma. I'm off and on prednisone and I don't know if it's because my mind and body have been made aware of its effects but I lose so much strength on prednisone and get weak. It's so bad that I avoid taking it and only take anti biotics. For those that don't know it's a corticosteroid.

29 is a young age I know, but all of this combined with half a decade of severe alcohol abuse and a lackluster life I'm wondering if the returns I get are worth the negatives.

Really the last hurtle I'm struggling to jump is creating a family and conceiving children.

If anyone would like to jump in please do!! Negative or positive I'd like to hear it
Thanks all

[Brewster]

The only thing I will comment on is the family. I cruised for 5 years and ran cycles for 5 years prior to that.
Just used hcg, continued TRT and had a child. Had sperm tests etc and it never was a problem.

I knew I wanted to have a child so I was using hcg for those 5 years.

Thats just my experience

[Octaneforce]

Whata your bloodwork look like? If your natural test levels are very low then yes you should get a trt script.

Regardless, we are here for a good time, not a long time. If using test in moderation is what makes you happy and cures your issues, then by all means do it in my opinion. Stay on top of bloodwork, keep training and dieting, and i dont see a problem. Just dont abuse the gear. Again, thats just my opinion.

[Kyle1337]

I made the choice at age 25 to cycle. At age 27 I jumped to permanent TRT and blast/cruise. Wish I started sooner and didn't mess with PCT. Such a waste IMO to PCT. I lost valuable gains in those 3 yoyo-PCT cycles. Waste of money and time. I am not bothering with TRT DR until it's at the point I want to stop AAS use - then I will plan for that.

[Aerospace]

I started blast and cruise at age 25. I wish I started sooner.

AAS obviously effect your fertility, but I have never known a user that couldn't have children, that wanted children. I mean Arnold got his housemaid pregnant accidentally and he was on since what age 15? Tons of pros have kids. I'm sure it is harder, but not impossible.

[Fiskevatten]

I'm actually interested in this as well, I had to go through Dr.Scully PCT program to get "normal" again and it actually worked for me, but I will never reach 100%
Been looking in thos being able to afford that lifestyle here legally so I don't have to chase ug-counters.
Any other feeling/ possible issues doing this? If your bloods are stable that is

[ScotchGuard02]

Going on cruise/blast TRT is a personal choice. If you're tracking your blood work every 6 months, I don't see a medical reason why you can't do it.

Having kids is a life changing choice. Having children is wonderful. You can definitely have kids during your cruise phases. It may be more difficult during your blast phase.

Good luck.

[mac34]

I'm 23 and on TRT. I think that 29 is not a super young age. About children, my buddy is 25, he has been Blasting (that's with a capital B) and cruising for 3 years. He has trouble getting his girl pregnant for some 2 months. But then you hear a lot of people on gear got children, so if you plan to use HCG from the start, perhaps you have much bigger chances.

Me personally I don't care. I don't plan to use HCG unless my balls were getting sucked in.

These are the pros for me:
* looks - I have weird bone structure, big legs, big hips, narrow shoulders and smaller upper body. Kinda like a woman. Being more muscley and choosing the right clothes helps me to not only cover it up, but look pretty good as well.
* libido - coming from a place of low T, I can't say how much I appreciate it after having lost it
* more energy
* I can get away without going to the gym for a month and sometimes doing some pushups at home and I still have some mass. More mass than I ever had without gear, eating right and hitting the gym 4 times a week.

Cons:
* sometimes balls get small. If you use HCG, then it won't be a problem
* managing estrogen levels - I'm trying to find the sweet spot for me where I can have high T and tolerable E levels and keep the libido up and not get bloated. Still working on it. I don't want to take cancer pills till the rest of my life. Although maybe it's healthier than running with above the average E.
* travel - I still wonder how I'm going to board an international plane some day in the future. And yes, I run the TRT myself. The industry sucks in my country.
* risk of infection - nasty crap, though rarely occurs. I might just have it now in 2 thighs :|

For me, the pros far outweigh the cons. I'm just getting started, so my opinion could change later. My attitude is to try and experiment. Whether it's good or bad, I'm not going to know unless I try it. I screwed up my hormones with my first cycle, maybe that was bad. Or maybe in the end that was good because now I have no choice but to cruise.

[Ephemeral]

I'm 23 and on TRT. I think that 29 is not a super young age. About children, my buddy is 25, he has been Blasting (that's with a capital B) and cruising for 3 years. He has trouble getting his girl pregnant for some 2 months. But then you hear a lot of people on gear got children, so if you plan to use HCG from the start, perhaps you have much bigger chances.

Me personally I don't care. I don't plan to use HCG unless my balls were getting sucked in.

These are the pros for me:
* looks - I have weird bone structure, big legs, big hips, narrow shoulders and smaller upper body. Kinda like a woman. Being more muscley and choosing the right clothes helps me to not only cover it up, but look pretty good as well.
* libido - coming from a place of low T, I can't say how much I appreciate it after having lost it
* more energy
* I can get away without going to the gym for a month and sometimes doing some pushups at home and I still have some mass. More mass than I ever had without gear, eating right and hitting the gym 4 times a week.

Cons:
* sometimes balls get small. If you use HCG, then it won't be a problem
* managing estrogen levels - I'm trying to find the sweet spot for me where I can have high T and tolerable E levels and keep the libido up and not get bloated. Still working on it. I don't want to take cancer pills till the rest of my life. Although maybe it's healthier than running with above the average E.
* travel - I still wonder how I'm going to board an international plane some day in the future. And yes, I run the TRT myself. The industry sucks in my country.
* risk of infection - nasty crap, though rarely occurs. I might just have it now in 2 thighs :|

For me, the pros far outweigh the cons. I'm just getting started, so my opinion could change later. My attitude is to try and experiment. Whether it's good or bad, I'm not going to know unless I try it. I screwed up my hormones with my first cycle, maybe that was bad. Or maybe in the end that was good because now I have no choice but to cruise.

There are other reasons to use HCG than just to stay fertile and avoid testicular atrophy. For example:

1. To produce Pregnenolone; hCG activates the p450 side chain cleavage (p450scc) enzyme which converts cholesterol to Pregnenolone
2. To produce the precursors for DHEA, Estrogen, Cortisol, Testosterone and DHT...back filling the pathways (See #1 above)
3. For proper and normal brain function

https://forums.steroid.com/hormone-r...ould-know.html

[EDCG19]

I'm 23 and on TRT. I think that 29 is not a super young age. About children, my buddy is 25, he has been Blasting (that's with a capital B) and cruising for 3 years. He has trouble getting his girl pregnant for some 2 months. But then you hear a lot of people on gear got children, so if you plan to use HCG from the start, perhaps you have much bigger chances.

Me personally I don't care. I don't plan to use HCG unless my balls were getting sucked in.

that's bullshit, late 20s-40s is still a good young adult range. (We're not old yet)

I also started without HCG because it was too hard to figure everything out, after a few months of shrunk testicles I jumped on the HCG band wagon and it is something I wouldn't go without

The fertility issues I think are almost always genetics. I've read stories of guys who have been b/c for years and once they decided to have kids it was not hard to get fertility working and I've read other stories of guys who seem to never get their sperm fertile again and they've spent years trying..

I think the fertility issue has to be genetics rather than just the gear use over the years. Everyone is different and some people can still remain fertile with HCG /HMG

[Ephemeral]

With the whole argument that some consider the best way to use AAS is to blast cruise and make the decision to TRT I have a couple questions.
Are there any athletes/lifters out there that are around my age younger or older that blast and cruise / TRT?
It's not that I've lost all my gains from my first cycle but while off I've been asking myself this question daily and my main arguments or pros to delving in are
Lyme disease robbed me of my naturally athletic body at the age of 20. I have never been the same physically since. While on Dbol I noticed my body fill in to what it was pre Lyme disease despite the water weight. Knowing that I can quickly "therapy" myself with safe aas practice is incredibly enticing for my situation.
Asthma. I'm off and on prednisone and I don't know if it's because my mind and body have been made aware of its effects but I lose so much strength on prednisone and get weak. It's so bad that I avoid taking it and only take anti biotics. For those that don't know it's a corticosteroid.

29 is a young age I know, but all of this combined with half a decade of severe alcohol abuse and a lackluster life I'm wondering if the returns I get are worth the negatives.

Really the last hurtle I'm struggling to jump is creating a family and conceiving children.

If anyone would like to jump in please do!! Negative or positive I'd like to hear it
Thanks all

I'd do a couple more cycles before I'd make a lifelong decision. Dont judge AAS based on your first cycle, your perspective might change in a year or 2.
You say you have a history of alcohol abuse and a lackluster life so it seems like there are some deeper issues there to work on in the meantime.
I totally get the allure of it though, I have a chronic illness that destroyed my quality of life, and I'm on TRT, but I also had lowish T and some symptoms.
Though TRT has helped me a lot, I can tell you that it sucks big time to think about how I'm dependent on yet another drug for life, I need to hide it from people coz they wouldn't get it etc.
It can also get expensive over a lifetime. Even at just 40$ a month it's 20k in 40 years.

[mac34]

Yes but I think the modern lifestyles and food, I think there are many men under 29 who could use some additional test. I definitely belong to that group.

Overall that was just my opinion. I'm getting started. Thanks for the mention about HCG. Perhaps I will re-consider it some day.

[Test Monsterone]

You know, it's all a yin-yang at the end of the day. I never cycled, but I jumped into a cycle/TRT about 6 months ago. I'm 32. Before I started I was not well mentally (depression issues, suicidal thoughts, etc.). I did bloodwork twice and found my testosterone levels to be on the lower side, but still within range (470 ng/dl). I think that because of that number, I sometimes still get a little anxious thought, like "what am I doing?" but overall I feel much better mentally and physically. I try to donate blood, do bloodwork, and eat as clean as I can. I take HCG to keep my boys working.

I think when people talk about the age thing, it's mostly about maturity and fertility. If I got on steroids at a young age, I don't know how I would handle it. I have found that maintaining stable blood levels (meaning, injecting at 3.5 days, a very small amount without cheating) is very important to my mental wellbeing and overall health. I started at a 200 mg/week TRT dose and went all the way to 100-125 mg/week because I was having estrogenic sides. At a young age I think I would have had a harder time being on point with doses and being able to restrain myself from blasting longer.

Overall the benefits have been: feeling better mentally (might even be a placebo as I know I'm not 'deficient' anymore, who knows?), having more energy with less sleep, keeping my body fat a little lower, and a slightly more muscular build.

Negatives: Trouble with estrogen at high TRT dose, acne, cholesterol went to shit (on a bad diet and having not worked out for a month), mood issues when changing doses or going into/coming down from a cycle, having to inject something 4x a week (2 testosterone, 2 HCG), keeping up with blood work, afraid/not able to travel because I'm on a homemade TRT plan and I can't be gone for more than a week, having poor reliability with underdosed/overdosed gear (keep up with bloodwork to check when you change brands/batches).


In your situation I see why you want to get on TRT. I think you should check your bloodwork for total/free testosterone. Check all the markers while you're at it (cholesterol, thyroid, RBC, PSA, etc.) to get a decent baseline. If you check your testosterone twice, a month apart, and it's low both times, you can say you have low T. Then, think about and realize that while the excitement of being able to maintain higher than average testosterone levels for gym/aesthetic purposes seems very important now, one day it will be just another thing you have to do to feel good and stay alive. You have to become your own doctor when self-administering TRT. You have to be responsible to not overdo it and cause long-term damage. Remember when asking for advice on forums: nobody dead is posting. Get the bloodwork and make sure you are deficient before starting, because this is a life-long and life-altering decision.

[CAADsprint]

Last test post cycle BUT it was taken right after prednisone use. I tried educating my doctor that the prednisone would effect my levels but the only way I could get a referral for an endo was if I took this test for him. In short my levels were "normal" and I had to fight tooth and nail to get the referral for the endo. It's things like these that are forcing me to move out of the Midwest and into Massachusetts. Over there they are much more lenient and don't mind putting the health decisions into the patient. My doctor there supported me seeing an endocrinologist and wanted to experiment with HRT post alcoholism but again I passed with flying colors, all of that testing years ago happened WWWAAAYYY before I even know what HRT was.

Testing post cycle, post PCT but within 48 hours of a prednisone blast
Total 688
Free 97

My free is low compared to prior blood work but I can't tell if it's from cycle use or the prednisone.

Before any cycling
Total 940ish
Free 290ish+ in the high 200s.

My free was in fact above the range you are reading that right.

Based on these results on my own person that is a substantial drop. But I can't tell, again, if the prednisone use messed with my levels or if that's post cycle damage.

Regardless of my levels I'm taking TRT for my OP mentioned reasons. I have zero idea what my levels were pre Lyme disease but I have never been able to recover my original strength and size, period.

I can try to order another test, my doctor is an IDIOT he won't understand why I want another and my endo appointment is 5/22/19. Keep in mind I might be back in Massachusetts (thank god)before that date.

I don't know if my pre Lyme body came from my genetics (pretty sure it did)or if my blood work pre cycle had anything to do with it either. Non the less it doesn't matter anymore I'm living in the present.

[Test Monsterone]

Well 688 is well within the normal range. I don’t know what numbers you are using for the free testosterone. It should be between 8-24 pg/mL.

You don’t have to go through your doctor for bloodwork. You go to privatemdlabs.com or discountedlabs.com, order a male hormone panel, then go to lab and they take your blood and you get results within a week.

At your levels I would think you are doing this for aesthetic purposes not health. It’s fine, but TRT is not a game.

[CAADsprint]

Aesthetic is one reason yes. But my strength and overall body composition has change mentally that does mess with me. going into a cruise or trt will be for aesthetics and overall well being. I never got to go through my peak. Never got to experience my natural peak in strength and physical growth. As aesthetic as that is the peak strength part is important to me. Can I do it naturally, maybe, some days are tougher then others, being willing to do this would mean having to get my life in order and dial in my diet even more. Maybe take some classes or some good reads. If one were to jump into trt tomorrow it would be a super hot mess right now no doubt

[Test Monsterone]

I totally get what you intend to do, but here is one thing to keep in mind. Even on a high TRT dose you won’t see any difference (or barely noticeable), compared to your current testosterone levels, regarding body composition. If you go for a test level of 1500, for example, your estrogen can and most likely will be very high, causing water retention, acne, high blood pressure, prostatic hyperplasia (leads to cancer), among other things. Like you, I thought I could take 200 mg/week and be cool - nope. My estrogen was double the highest acceptable with a total test of 1600. So I cut my TRT in half and will be getting bloodwork soon to see where I stand. At my current 125 mg/week of test, I am maybe 5% better than when I was at a total test of 470, in regards to body composition. You will probably not notice any difference since you’re already in a good range. So it’s your choice, but it’s something to keep in mind.

[Chrisp83TRT]

I totally get what you intend to do, but here is one thing to keep in mind. Even on a high TRT dose you won’t see any difference (or barely noticeable), compared to your current testosterone levels, regarding body composition. If you go for a test level of 1500, for example, your estrogen can and most likely will be very high, causing water retention, acne, high blood pressure, prostatic hyperplasia (leads to cancer), among other things. Like you, I thought I could take 200 mg/week and be cool - nope. My estrogen was double the highest acceptable with a total test of 1600. So I cut my TRT in half and will be getting bloodwork soon to see where I stand. At my current 125 mg/week of test, I am maybe 5% better than when I was at a total test of 470, in regards to body composition. You will probably not notice any difference since you’re already in a good range. So it’s your choice, but it’s something to keep in mind.

There has been no proof to show testosterone plays with the prostate.

It has been proven low testosterone increases risk for prostate cancer.


It has been debunked a billion times.



Let's just speak logically , your body will do what it wants to do based on poor choices , genetics and or old age, but in no way shape or form that higher test levels cause for risk of prostate cancer.

Sent from my JSN-AL00 using Tapatalk

[Test Monsterone]

I sure hope you're right! I was only going by what I've been reading online and a very close family member who has been an endocrinologist for 20 years. I also found an article about a study that said:

"Hyde and colleagues analyzed information from about 3,600 older men living in Perth, who had blood samples collected between 2001 and 2004. Levels of testosterone in the blood were analyzed, and men were followed for an average of 6.7 years.

During the study period, about 300 men developed prostate cancer. The higher the men's levels of free testosterone, the greater their risk of prostate cancer. (Most testosterone is not "free," but is bound to a protein. The "free" portion is thought to have the greatest influence on the body.)

The link held even after the researchers took into account factors that could affect prostate cancer risk, such as age, smoking habits, alcohol use and previous diagnosis of cancer.

No link was found between total testosterone (free and bound) and prostate cancer risk."


It said that the positive correlation between high free testosterone and increased risk of prostate cancer exists, but that it is associative, rather than causal. This basically means they didn't find a direct cause for testosterone increasing the chance of cancer, but that the two markers happened to coexist.

A lot of people are saying that it's not testosterone that is causing the hyperplasia/cancer risk, but the estrogen (and I believe, more specifically, the ratio of T to E). Now, if the testosterone is higher, I would assume that estrogen was also higher, but if the ratio is consistent, then theoretically it shouldn't matter.

So I won't say I agree or disagree - like I said, I hope you're right. I've been having some stabbing pains in that area over the past month and a half - had them when I was in my early 20's also, which makes me wonder.

[Ephemeral]

Last test post cycle BUT it was taken right after prednisone use. I tried educating my doctor that the prednisone would effect my levels but the only way I could get a referral for an endo was if I took this test for him. In short my levels were "normal" and I had to fight tooth and nail to get the referral for the endo. It's things like these that are forcing me to move out of the Midwest and into Massachusetts. Over there they are much more lenient and don't mind putting the health decisions into the patient. My doctor there supported me seeing an endocrinologist and wanted to experiment with HRT post alcoholism but again I passed with flying colors, all of that testing years ago happened WWWAAAYYY before I even know what HRT was.

Testing post cycle, post PCT but within 48 hours of a prednisone blast
Total 688
Free 97

My free is low compared to prior blood work but I can't tell if it's from cycle use or the prednisone.

Before any cycling
Total 940ish
Free 290ish+ in the high 200s.

My free was in fact above the range you are reading that right.

Based on these results on my own person that is a substantial drop. But I can't tell, again, if the prednisone use messed with my levels or if that's post cycle damage.

Regardless of my levels I'm taking TRT for my OP mentioned reasons. I have zero idea what my levels were pre Lyme disease but I have never been able to recover my original strength and size, period.

I can try to order another test, my doctor is an IDIOT he won't understand why I want another and my endo appointment is 5/22/19. Keep in mind I might be back in Massachusetts (thank god)before that date.

I don't know if my pre Lyme body came from my genetics (pretty sure it did)or if my blood work pre cycle had anything to do with it either. Non the less it doesn't matter anymore I'm living in the present.

If u just finished PCT then quite possibly u haven't fully recovered yet, and your lower numbers don't indicate any damage. Full recovery can take a lot longer. Also, always include ranges because 688 in a 300-1200 range is not the same as in a 200-900 range. I doubt TRT alone would help u, the blasting part obviously would, but u can't blast all the time due to health risks, so assuming u recover fine with PCT u could just cycle and reevaluate later. It might not be as effective as blast and cruise, but safer.

[Test Monsterone]

If u just finished PCT then quite possibly u haven't fully recovered yet, and your lower numbers don't indicate any damage. Full recovery can take a lot longer. Also, always include ranges because 688 in a 300-1200 range is not the same as in a 200-900 range. I doubt TRT alone would help u, the blasting part obviously would, but u can't blast all the time due to health risks, so assuming u recover fine with PCT u could just cycle and reevaluate later. It might not be as effective as blast and cruise, but safer.

I agree - I was going to say the same thing; he probably hasn't recovered fully. I would wait 6 months - 1 year before I would assess the "Damage" done to the HPTA. About blasting and cruising, I found that after my initial cycle, I returned to what I used to look like before the cycle (and that's on TRT). Of course if I never reached my genetic potential before beginning TRT/steroids, then I would probably have kept more.

[DeeCee112]

You've been given some great advice here but it seems like you've already made your mind up man. I don't know much about TRT but here's my two cents:

Your problem is with strength and body composition and how you did not maintain gains from your first cycle.

Your solution is to commit to a lifetime of self administered endogenous testosterone however bloodwork confirms you should have had and still have sufficient levels of test to achieve your goals.

Again, not an expert here but your problem may not get solved with this solution and the side effects and repercussions are not to be taken lightly. There are many other things to check or improve before resorting to this:

Diet and Nutrition
Vitamin mineral ect deficiencies
Training regimens
First cycle and PCT quality
Length of time after cycle to fully recover before assessing low t forever
Mental Health issues to address (depression, anxiety, excessive stress ect)

If the above are issues you can jam all the test you want but you won't get where you want anyway. I'd listen to the dudes on TRT here. Goodluck

[CAADsprint]

Yeah I feel it man I really do but without trying to over explain even at my peak on my first cycle I didn't hit my physique pre lyme disease. When it hit my weight went from 180ish pounds with visible veins on my obliques and abs (12%-16% BF??) And dropped to 130 pounds in the matter of two months. Currently I'm 200ish but uhh... no visible vessels on my abs lol. I cant explain nor do I know what the type of damage that happened and I think unless I intensely study on lyme and revisit my infectious disease doc, which I should at this point I cant put a finger on it.

I'll be cycling in the next coming months and am curious what my pre cycle bloodwork will look like. I feel like this thread has been exhausted, thanks everyone for your input, opinions and help. This is a tough decision and the comments won't go unforgotten