Labs on 260 mg Test C (105 E2)

[powerdiesel]

After running TRT for a while, I decided to try a 12 week mini-cycle of 260 mg/wk test C to see how many body handles it. I included my full labs below (taken at trough). The main "outlier" is my ultrasensitive E2 came back at 105 pg/ml. I am not experiencing any E2 symptoms, other than some slight water retention (no edema or anything obvious, just scale weight that can't be explained by fat or muscle gain). I'm 10-12%-ish body fat...some veins on abs visible.

I've been reading all the threads this morning on E2 management, and it seems like it's a hotly contested subject with no clear and obvious answers. But it seems like the general consensus is an E2 over 100 shouldn't be ignored, even if no symptoms. So, I took 0.25 mg arimidex this morning (first AI I've used) just as a test case to see if I can "feel" an improvement by lowering my E2. And I also changed my injection frequency from EOD to ED.

My plan is to go back to TRT for the summer, and then do another conservative mini-cycle in the fall. I'd like to use these next 6 weeks to get data to inform my fall cycle. With that in mind, what changes would you implement? I could see value in going up to 350 mg / wk test C with a little aromasin to see where that puts my E2. Or I could also see "admitting defeat", dropping down to ~240 mg and see if I can get my E2 to drop into the 70's/80's without an AI with daily injections.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance!!

 

[buck]

If you are using this a guideline for fall. Then run things more like you plan to then. Make adjustments as needed now. Then you have a base to work form then. If you just want lower E2 now then that is a different course. You are the only one that can decide which direction you want to go. If this is something you plan to do long term then you will be learning and managing all the changes that happen along the way. The more experiences the more data that can be used over time.

 

[powerdiesel]

Thanks, I think you're spot on...seems like I've hit my fork in the road between TRT+ and running legit cycles. In the same way that going on TRT opens the door to running supraphysiological test levels, adding AI's or other compounds opens the door to a slippery slope of more and more anabolics.

As it stands I'm leaning towards keeping the same dose and retesting E2 after 2 weeks with daily injections to see how that variable influences things. Then adjust course from there after spending some time thinking about where I want to take things.

I watched the Man Medicine videos where he advocates higher estrogen. But I think he's speaking to true TRT users who are unnecessarily taking AI's with E2 in the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Not mini-cycles where E2 is in the low 100's despite frequent injections and low body fat. But I'd be curious if anyone has any other viewpoints.