Seeking Advice on Crashing T and Recovery

Hey all, long time lurker, first time poster.

So here is my situation, and the difficult choice I need to make. First, stats, I’m a dude, 37 years old, 215 lbs, 6 foot 3.

After years (18!) of alcohol abuse, a few years ago I decided to get sober, and I’m coming up on 2 years soon. Part of what led to that has been underlying depression, lethargy, etc. My doc put me on anti-depressants, and while they help, it still hasn’t helped THAT much (after 2 years). About a year ago my doc measured my T levels. I came in at 341. Fairly low for a 35 year old (at the time i was 35). I got active, workout 4-5 days a week, and otherwise live cleanly. I had my levels checked again 6 months ago and they had only increased marginally (380). While I continued to be a bit depressed, natural depression, coupled with being a very busy father and also in a unhealthy relationship, I decided to do something about my T levels. My doc wouldn’t help and suggested that I start working out (ha!). Instead of hunting for a new doc, a friend of mine offered some of his T injections (long story, recovering cancer patient, still gets T but doesn’t use it)

So I started at 200mg a week. After 3 weeks of Test E, everything changed. That brain fog? Gone. My energy levels were way up, I felt like I was 20 again. Most importantly, the depression I have had for years started to disappear.

Against better judgement, I also decided to start a 400mg cycle, which lasted for 6 weeks. It was awesome, but I’m not looking to compete. Now let me get to the point. I’ve found a doctor here in the bay area that is willing to help me. However, they need a natural T reading. I’ve been up front and honest about my use of non-prescribed T. She has told me I’ll need to come off to get a reading, and then she will get me back on, but she needs the lower levels for documentation and insurance.

So… here is my dilemma. Do I just stop cold turkey and let my levels fall before i give blood? (21 days after last pin). Do I give blood and then either pin again, or give blood and start with PCT? (She told me not to use clomid as it could artificially inflate t levels for the bloods).

Basically I’m looking for advice on how to get a lower t reading without being completely crashed for a while. It’s been 1 week since my last pin, and according to calculations it should be at 20mg in the blood at 21 days, which is the latest I want to wait before either pinning or starting PCT. Any advice would be appreciated!

Three days prior eat nothing with cholesterol in it, do not sleep 24 hour before test, drink a lot of beer, jerk off as much as possible,

Personally I would wait 3 months. Read up and perform a normal steroid post recovery protocol. I don’t know exactly what that is because I don’t use or advocate the use of T at that level but I’m sure its the same as an HPTA restart.

Thanks @strongmanjoe. Lets assume I go give blood… then I feel like absolute trash and my gains are starting to disappear. At this point I have 4 options:

A) Pound some clomid, keep eating and training and hope to keep gains and NOT fall back into depression

B) Pin Test E again (but wouldn’t the ester chain mean it wouldn’t really be effective for another few days?)

C) Accept the depression, but take ostarine in an attempt to hang on to physique, and wait for proper script (maybe put clomid and ostarine together??)

D) Do nothing and just wait it out.

Thanks for any and all advice.

Seriously, if you want to be on TRT for medicinal purposes don’t mess around. You need to find the balance that’s right for your natural starting point. If you are seriously considering the prior advice then read no further as this is a joke. To clear your system of the exogenous T, you should perform a restart immediately after stopping your cycle → clomid and HCG. Prob 2-4 weeks. Then wait 2 months and get a baseline blood test.

If the objective is to get a low T lab level, you do not play the recover game.

Read these stickies found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman

  • advice for new guys
  • things that damage your hormones
  • protocol for injections
  • finding a TRT doc

You cannot be doing that much T for the rest of your life. Just because you can get that shit does not mean that you should give yourself that permission.