I am 49 years old and using the following TRT protocol:
Depo-Testosterone: 100 mg/ml – sub-cu injection of .7 ml 2x weekly
HCG: 10,000 units diluted in 5 ml dilutent – inject .15 ml 2x weekly
Arimidex: 1 mg tablets – .5 mg 2x weekly
I have noticed a sigificant lack of energy and more importantly, a marked decrease in sexual desire and function. When I first began TRT things, uh, stiffened with a change in the breeze. Now, it is more hit and miss and there have been some major misses that have left myself and my wife most frustrated.
I need to get a new set of labs, but I suspect that the current Arimidex protocol has driven my E levels too low, causing some ED. I had previously used .25 mg 4x weekly but found my E levels were creeping up too high. However, I would rather have them too high than have this problem!
could be estrogen, but have you ever checked your Thyroid values, Cortisol, Vitamin D, ferritin? All of those play a pretty critical role and influence hormones as well.
Those were all normal as of my last check up. The only major change has been taking these big doses of Arimidex (which I tend to take a night although I inject my T in the morning.) My last E level was not even readable, so I really do suspect it is the culprit.
I am thinking dividing doses into 1/4 tabs 4x weekly might work. But am hoping for some help here as well.
Arimidex twice a week will take E2 too low then let it start to climb higher before the next dose. You seem to have a good idea about what to try. With two doses per week, E2 labs would be useless as the reported levels would be mostly determined by when you did the lab work.
Thanks for the input. I will hold off on getting labs for a couple of weeks and try changing my Arimidex protocol. If I go for .25 mg 4x weekly, I assume it makes sense to take it on the days I do my T injections (Monday/Thursday) and then to add in 2 other days. Right now, I am thinking Wednesday and Saturday since it is impossible to get in 4 times a week and not have consecutive days. Wednesday makes sense since that is the day I inject my.15 HCG.
And then test in maybe 2 weeks? I am taking it that too big a dose at any one time or on consecutive days will drive E levels too low. Thus, even a bit less Arimidex, taken on an EOD basis will provide good coverage?
Testing in two weeks might be a bit soon, can you manage 3 weeks? More importantly, you want to find something that feels better, then test and dose refine. Not much value is knowing the lab number from when you still feel crappy.