It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. Anyway, for the past 1.5 years I’ve been on Test Cyp and occasional stints of dbol and var. For the first year I ran 500mg a week (I know that’s a long time at 500mg), for 4 months I “cruised” at 250mg a week and now I’m back at 500mg a week. I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, the kind that affects your joint collagen. Gear is the only thing that helps strengthen the collagen and stop the chronic pain. Money isn’t an issue for me. I’m interested in what you guys think I should do from here. I don’t care about fertility (it’s probably beyond that point now). I was attempting to run EQ but after 4 weeks I realized I got what felt like the test flu after every injection. I switched bottles and everything. Boiled off the extra alcohol, everything. It just doesn’t agree with me. I don’t have any particular goals. I like being a guinea pig. I know my androgen receptors are fried. Not sure if there’s a way to “clean” them now. Any thoughts or insights? Just looking for ideas
I’ve always wondered whether anabolic steroids could have therapeutic benefit for people with Ehlers Danlos syndrome. EDS, being a connective tissue disorder, it is characterised by faulty connective tissue and a variety of other issues, it can be a very life draining and debilitating condition for those who have it. Physical therapy and various ‘low impact’ activities are recommended to strengthen muscles and potentially build lean mass in those with EDS, however given the limitations they are given building an appreciable amount of LBM would be very difficult if not impossible. With the introduction of AAS I had the hypothesis (this was an idea I had like one year ago), that people with EDS could push harder, build LBM and potentially live a more normal life.
Are you aware of which type of EDS you have (vascular, hypermobile type, myopathic etc?). The concern I have with anabolic steroids and Ehlers Danlos syndrome is the fact that cardiac complications are common in individuals with EDS, most commonly aortic root dilation or other congenital heart defects. Having a heart defect and using AAS could make you a ticking time bomb, most people who drop dead suddenly from AAS use have undiagnosed congenital heart defects (cough… Zyzz… cough cough). It’s possible you are willing to take that risk if the gear helps the pain so much you may perceive the benefit to be greater than the risk. I have benign joint hypermobility syndrome, nowhere near to as severe as EDS but I can do some cool shit with my joints.
Androgen receptor downregulation (fried receptors) is (in my opinion) a myth fuelled by broscience. Your receptors aren’t fried, you simply over time stop gaining as much from the 500mg as your body strives to obtain homeostasis regardless of what dose of hormones you are using, therefore people blast and cruise, after a certain point all you are doing is adding more side effects to deal with. If you are extremely muscular then it makes sense to cruise on a higher dose as higher than physiological levels may be required to maintain built up muscle mass that is well past one’s genetic potential. You’d be getting better gains if you dropped down to 200 for a while then bumped your dose back up to 500.
I do feel it is necessary to state that currently you are not a responsible user, this is especially apparent given the fact you say you don’t have any goals. For a competitive bodybuilder your protocol would make sense but given you are simply a regular Joe going to gym I don’t feel as if it is anywhere near necessary to be running 500mg for 1.5 years etc, it’s risky and counterproductive. While you do have a legitimate excuse with regards to your pharmaceutical ‘requirements’ (gear being the only thing to curb your pain), I think you should at least try to think about the long term, have you been monitoring your various health parameters (Cholesterol, Haematocrit/RBC count, liver and kidney function etc.), I would look into getting a phlebotomy or donating blood ASAP as your haematocrit may be very high. @hrdlvn, some people’s haematocrit barely budges on cycle, it’s all very individualistic in nature.
Other member stated that he took Carnitine for this issue. Specifically a certain brand that uses 4 types in 1. Don’t know if I can be more specific. But he said it was to “refresh” his receptors, I think that was his verbiage.
Nothing irresponsible about what he is doing, regardless of whether you agree with it or not. Is it the most healthy thing? Probably not. Is it allowing him to maintain a better quality of life compared to without AAS? Absolutely. If he’s got the money and it’s working for him, then have at it.
OP, have you looked into HGH for the same benefits? (Since you said money is no issue)
I don’t disagree with what the individual is doing, sometimes quality of life def trumps quantity of life however the individual should be monitering health markers, it is the absence of labs that makes it irresponsible. With periodic bloodwork the person can know when to donate blood/ get a phlebotomy, when to cease use, when it’s ok to add orals etc otherwise it just a guessing game.
It is up to the individual to choose what he runs, I don’t understand the point in running 500mg constantly when one could probably cruise on a lower dose and blast on a higher dose to make better gains. @boatguy
After say 5 months, is there really any benefit to sticking with 500mg weekly? Wouldn’t one make better gains from say cruising on 250mg for 3 months then bumping it up to 750mg? If someone could explain this to me I’d appreciate it, I always thought the school of thought was to blast and cruise so the body doesn’t attain homeostasis. I’ve seen data showing that after a certain period of time ON the rapid accumulation of muscle mass seems to slow down therefore whats the point of staying on with no extra accumulation of muscle mass, just worries about hematocrit, blood pressure etc.
appreciate the reply. I was diagnosed by a geneticist as hypermobile type with a crossover into the “stretchy skin” type. I had a lot of tests done for the vascular type (aortic dilation, ecg, heart monitor, etc.) which turned out all to be negative thankfully. Running test has helped via better joint stabilization and for some reason its killed the pain. I’ve concluded that it has something to do with water retention. The more the better for pain. interesting you say that about andro receptors, I haven’t thought about it like that. I realize i haven’t been responsible. My goal was to get to 205lbs, the heaviest I’ve been since I started 1.5 years ago was 195-197lbs. I have had a few blood tests, specifically monitoring RBC, its been on the high end but nothing dangerous. Interestingly enough, my free T3/T4 what ever one it is, was on the lower end of normal.
I’m not sure if it has to do with water retention or increased muscle mass/ strength. Joint stability can be increased via increasing the strength of the musculoskeletal tissues around the joints, people with EDS have really shitty joint stability and therefore tend to sub lax and frequently dislocate their joints. Same can be said for joint hypermobility symdrome.
EDS usually involves various gene mutations in fibrous proteins (collagen… derp) and enzymes, there are many different sub types of EDS, by “stretchy skin type” are you referring to the classical form of EDS or the vascular type. The average lifespan for an individual with vascular EDS is like super low as one with vascular EDS can have random arterial ruptures and even organ ruptures in the intenstines, lungs (collapsed lungs), uterus (but you aren’t a female so that doesn’t matter, I just put it in there for comedic relief) etc.
Anyhow if you have EDS type III it is the least worrisome type however is still very debhillitating, if AAS work for you then (I’m no medical professional) but i’d say the increase in quality of life is probably worth the rather minimal to moderate amount of risk AAS has (I say moderate as it is likely more dangerous for an individual with EDS). Try cruising on a lower dose though, say 200-300mg/wk, you should still be able to hold on to and even gain muscle mass at such doses without as much worry as to RBC count etc.