I personally use Test P, and pin ED. I like it, and I like knowing that I can adjust quickly if I need to, in either direction. Pinning daily is easy these days, get yourself a peptide pen and some 3mL carts. Do NOT go for a pellet - they push those HARD at the medspas, and that’s how I started, but once they’re in, they’re in, and you have NO control over how they are absorbed in your body. It’s a $$ racket preying on women who desperately want to improve quality of life with respect to their hormones. It’s a very straightforward process to safely dilute a vial of T, if you can’t find it available in a 50mg/mL concentration.
I use var, 2.5mg/day, and despite what another member has stated, it’s a FINE dose to start with and then go from there. It’s been GREAT for me. My normally dry skin now produces oil (I used to not need to shower hardly ever, now I’m a normal skin type that needs to wash my face). My Reynaud’s has largely subsided, and that made this past winter SO much nicer. My libido was pretty good on T alone, getting estrogen levels dialed in actually raised it quite a bit, and the var raised it more. Hubby can’t keep up, so, careful what you wish for there, gentlemen.
While the above is HRT for me (I also use estrogen and progesterone), I *am* training for a Wellness Competition later this year. I have no plans to go pro or anything but will enjoy a few competitions in the Masters categories as well as True Novice or whatever. Even at HRT/TRT doses I’m gaining plenty of lean mass (gained 9lbs lean mass, mostly in lower body, from Jan-June 2025). I lift 5-6 days a week with 3 leg days in there.
Back in 2024 I finished up my last T pellet before moving to injx. That last pellet coincided with a massive loss of fat as I finally got serious about leaning out. The loss of all the fat also seemed to accelerate perimenopause (fat holds estrogen, so, no surprise there), and also accelerated mild sides, none of which bother me or hubby. Switching to injx and getting E and P dialed in has seemed to have halted those mild sides - however, some of them tend to hit ladies as we age anyway. I may be aging strong, but I’m still aging, nothing will stop that
Best of luck to ya