First Cycle - 4 Weeks In
As of yesterday, I am 4 weeks into my first cycle. I thought I'd update where I am, what my plan was, and see if anyone had any input at this point. I'm aware that I haven't done everything absolutely correctly, but that's why I'm here, to learn and make sure it doesn't happen again.
I'm running 250mg of Test C twice a week, 300mcg of HCG every 4 days, and 1mg Anastrozole EOD. So far, I have gained 15 lbs (up from 186) in the first 3 weeks, although the gains have slowed over the last week. I upped the Anastrozole from .5mg to 1mg just last week after observing a fair amount of water retention around my legs where my ankle holster rides every day. Other than that, no signs of gyno.
I've learned that, although I was prepared to increase my caloric intake on paper, having the appetite to do so has been a whole different story. I'm struggling to hit 4000 calories a day with quality food, so I may have to resort to some sort of supplementation. BY the time I'm on my last couple of meals a day, I'm getting horrible indigestion that I suspect is just from volume. Any idea how to get more calories down my gullet without hurling?
My biggest mistake (in my opinion) has been not getting bloods before I started. I'm scheduled to get a mid-cycle test the weekend, and I'm curious to see the results. I'm planning on getting glucose, female hormone, lipid, liver & kidney panels. Is there anything else I would need in there?
Thanks in advance for any advice or ideas. Feel free to light my ass up, if you feel the need, I wouldn't have posted if I can't take it. I realize no pre-cycle blood work was a bad idea, but I didn't find this forum until shortly before I started, and didn't see the need until after I already had.
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I would agree that was a mistake ang you're taking hcg and arimidex not knowing your bloods....
There very good advice down below bro....
unreal89Ugl or not at week 4 you should be starting adex at .25 eod until you get bloods and go from there this is going to end up hindering your gains and causing non needed problems
Is a little water retention around the ankles a huge concern? I have no other signs of gyno, at all. The only reason I even notice is that I can see the size difference (about 1/4 of an inch, all the way around) when I remove my holster of an evening. I have no problem reducing my AI, as long as it isn't a problem...
unreal89I have never held water around my ankles like makwa said this is a bit unusal for 4 weeks in sounds more like your ankles are swollen
Only thing I can think of is that the HCG is aromatizing really bad. This is one reason why throwing all this shit into a first cycle is unwise. I never was fan of HCG for a test only cycle and especially for a first cycle. I personally don't feel it is warranted and there is to much other shit going on for a first cycle and now you have just entered in a new variable to make it even more complicated. Something definitely isn't going right here and to start out with a ton of adex from the get go and still bloating.....well there are definitely some issues to work out here and bloods ASAP are a must before you really end up in a world hurt. My advice right now would be to ditch that HCG.
I'm not disagreeing with you, but from the reading I've done, it sounded like taking HCG on cycle was actually a more conservative approach than blasting at the end of a cycle, or not taking it at all. I definitely want to take care of The Boys, and the small doses of HCG were sad to preserve their function, rather than trying to jump-start it later. Believe me, I'm trying to avoid complicating things, but all I can do is read and try to make the best possible decisions. Will I be able to tell from the blood test which compound is aromatising?
no
unreal89Agreed ive never used hcg and read alot of info that turned me off of using it unless im running a heavy prep cycle i would maybe blast before pct for 2-3 weeks but yeah using all cycle for test only is just asking for more side effects
Do you have any links to that particular info? Everything I cam across said otherwise...
19-nor or 20+ wk cycle is when I would really consider using it. May be an interesting compound to add in for a second test cycle if there were issues recovering from the first, but that is it.
unreal89Would you agree blasting before pct is better than running through the entire cycle? To minimize aromatization
Yep. If a long cycle I would get in some weekly doses on cycle but for the majority of 12 week cycles I think it is best to just blast before PCT to wake up the lyedig cells.
So when you personally say blast before PCT would that be doing it like this. 500IU twice a week for weeks 10 -13 then nothing on week 14 then starting PCT of Clomid / Nolva?
unreal89Roger that.
Unusual to bloating so much that early on in a cycle.
Go get bloods!!! that's a lot of an AI bro. Especially only 4 weeks in. A lot of people don't have issues with gyno under 500 mg of test a week. You need to severely cut back your AI.
How do your joints feel??
Other than a few nagging things that were around before my cycle, I feel pretty good. My back, neck, and shoulders have always had issues from years of jumping out of airplanes and off of cliffs with a substantial amount of camera equipment mounted on my head. I'm seeing my chiropractor quite a bit more while on cycle, because I'm definitely loading everything way more than I was before.
See my reply to Makwa regarding the AI...
Probably should have asked these questions before starting your cycle.
That is alot of ai to be taking. Really shouldn't start to need an ai until around week 4 using long ester test. I would get some bloodwork NOW to see what is going on with your estro. Especially since you are already complaining of water retention. Something seems out of whack here.
4-6 oz of fresh pineapple with every meal to help with digestion.
Big time mistake
Thanks for the heads-up on the pineapple, I've never heard of that.
I agree that's a lot of AI, but I also neglected to mention that it's UGL, not pharma. Just another move that I didn't realize was a mistake until I found this forum. I have pharma on the way, but it's still week or so out.My bloodwork appointment is the soonest I can make it, since I work during all of their weekday hours.
I definitely should have asked a lot of questions before I started. However, my first read through this forum made it seem pretty inhospitable to questions people had heard before, so I hesitated with a lot of them so I could scour the forum for previous answers.
Thank you for your input, it is appreciated!
Before you do anything bro do the research if you can't find the answer you're looking for certainly put it in the forums unless it falls outside of the rules. This is for YOUR health and nobody else's. Some people may gripe or give you some noise about it but you will always get an answer or at least pointed in the direction you need to be looking if it's a very simple question that could've easily been researched.
Nobody will ever be more concerned for your well being more than yourself but some of these guys come pretty close. Just don't be afraid to ask anything because someone may give your crap about it. From what I've seen everyone on here is always learning something even the vets.
Thanks, Joey. Research can be difficult when you never know what's bro science, and what's fact.I don't wish to be reckless with anything, that's not how I've survived this long with all of the other questionable shit I've done in life. Bloods are coming ASAP, and I hope that will tell the whole story.
Yea man just ask if you're not sure or if you think it's broscience. Whats the worst that happens someone gets mad and gives you an attitude? I catch crap all the time but whatever it helps me grow. Yea the bloods will definitely show whats going on.
Every time I see someone lose karma, my lower lip trembles with grief... ;)
Eh karma is karma bro. You live and you learn. The good thing is you can get it back.