Hello everyone I’m currently 19 years old and I’ve had a herniated disc (L4-L5) for the past 3 years. I got this injury playing lacrosse and having years of bad posture previously. I had surgery (a microdisectomy) nearly 2 years ago, and have had 8 epidural injections thus far.
I have obviously not healed, and am becoming quite desperate for some kind of relief because - not to sound to dramatic - I really can’t live with this anymore. I had to withdraw from my college last year (a top school), and I have not been able to go back due to my inability to sit and study for long periods of time. Basically this is ruining my life.
I’ve been researching steroids recently, reading other forums, a steroid book I bought, various internet articles, etc. However, this seems to be the most intelligent forum on the matter and I’d like to present my case for your opinion. I want to try a cycle, probably just one cycle (my back has been improving a little bit since I quit smoking and using all drugs, but does not seem anywhere near full recovery).
What would you recommend? I was thinking Nandrolone Decanoate / Testosterone Enanthate stack for 12 weeks, with dosages about 100-200mg of each per week. I’m going to include an anti-aromatizer (probably nolvadex), an anti-estrogen (probably clomid), and perhaps a DHT-blocker. I’d like your opinion on the doses I should take, or if I should try a different stack entirely.
The reason I chose those two are because of Deca’s reputation as a good aid in injury recovery and the fact that it increases water in your joints, which is very important for disc problems.
Well I’ve decided to do Deca 200mg/ TestE 275mg a week. I know that isn’t very much, but I don’t want to really risk damaging my endocrine system and it comes out evenly at 3mg per injection. I’ll be doing basic rehab and I think the best part about this is that it has me excited/optimistic about my recovery, which is one of the most important aspects in recovery. I just need to get my needles and the side-effect stuff ordered and hopefully I’ll be ready to start in a couple weeks! (hopefully someone will decide to unleash some wisdom on me lol, I’ve been reading the stickies at the top for now).
OK… i’ll have a pop… although i will bow out gracefully when BBB shows up at it IS his field…
For starters… low doses that you speak of are just as likely or unlikely to “damage” your endocrine system as higher dosages.
I am actually a fan of low dose cycles for newbies to gear… and 300test and 200nandrolone is one of them, but understand that it is really just because little more is needed for great gains as a steroid novice… NOT because it will shut down your natural hormones any less. I will repeat that to make sure.
You WILL be as shut down from those doses as you would from any other dose imaginable(especially from the inclusion of nandrolone).
Next;
Nolvadex is not an Anti-aromatase drug, it is effectively an Estrogen blocker (i wont go into un-necessary details) - and there is not really a need to use it alongside clomid, they are both from the same class of drug and are for the most part interchangeable.
Some prefer tamoxifen, some clomid. I like the former.
It would be wise to use an AI mind you… Arimidex is fine.
You will gain alot of weight on Test and Deca… this is true… but if you arent lifting to build muscle, you wont build much muscle. The weight gained will be primarily water, which will drop right off post cycle.
I do NOT think that this cycle is going to do much for you… you mentioned the benefit of the water easing the joints - well that effect is unlikely to do much for you as the joint you have most trouble with is due to the reduced space between L4 and L5 due to the thin, dried herniated disc - and NOT a synovial joint. Deca cannot “load” water onto that joint sadly mate…
What exactly are you expecting or wanting to gain and achieve with an AAS cycle in your current rehab state? Are you thinking it can accelerate your rehab? Again, i would turn to BBB here, but from the little i do know as a Sports Injury Therapist, Steroids are not going to help your herniated disc… your disc has no “filling”, the inner pulp has been squeezed out and likely dried over 3 years.
Steroids will build tissues like muscle and even A-vascular tissues to a tiny degree too sometimes i believe (may be wrong) such as cartilage etc.
But no drug can rebuild the damage done to your back, it would only be a matter of strengthening the postural muscles… the spinae erector and multifidus - and i dont believe you need Performance Enhancing Drugs to do that really.
I DO understand the psychological need though… so maybe different AAS… oxandrolone or maybe a little test and Equipoise…
I dont think this cycle is a good idea… i think PEPTIDES may be a much better avenue for you - and i think tone bone may be able to help as i know he used one or two in his rehabilitation of his shoulder… which is totally different i understand!
