I’m new here guys and hate to start off with a question, but I’m kind of desperate. About 6 months ago I was diagnosed with low testosterone, and hypothyroidism (I am 36 years old). I was started on 200 mg of testosterone cypionate a week, which I split into bi weekly injections. I was also started on 60 mg daily tablets of Armour Thyroid. I immediately began to feel amazing. Everything about my life improved. After my next round of blood work my Armour Thyroid was bumped to 120mg daily, my testosterone cypionate injections remained the same, but I was given .5mg Anastrozole twice weekly at time of injections. Everything for the most part is still going very well, minus some joint pain that we’re trying to figure out in my next visit. Now for my question. I am apart of an emergency response team at my work, and I was just informed that I am going to get a very detailed health screening tomorrow morning. I’m going to receive a urine drug test, blood test, ekg, stress test, breathing test, sight test, and some other tests. My issue is, that they want me to disclose any and all prescription medications. The problem with this, is that I also have what they call a “safety sensitive job”. Certain medication will disqualify me from my job. Obvious medications are anything that will prevent me from being able to do my job safely, like pain killers and what not. I’ve looked and researched until my eyes hurt, if any of my medications will be a deal breaker for my job. Does anyone know wether or not testosterone cypionate, Armour thyroid, or Anastrozole would possibly keep me from being able to do my job safely? I mean I feel better right now than I have in 20 years. I know personally that I am more than capable of doing my job, but they dont mess around with medications at my job. I’d rather just not tell them if it’s going to get me fired. I’m not sure what to do, and I’m hoping someone out there with more information than myself can help me out. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
You are good. Low t would make performing your job dangerous. I work in a dangerous field and have been dot tested. Been tested for military bases and high tech military weapons manufacturing plants. Background tests are rediculous but they are just looking. For the usual. I take methadone and its illegal for the DOT to even test for it. As long as you are physically healthy otherwise you will be fine. Oh and if you did get in trouble you just threaten to sue. You could drop the A.I. and then you would technically not even be taking unnatural chemicals. Thyroid is bio identical correct?
Thanks for the reply. It puts me a little bit more at ease. I want to be honest with my employer, as this is the best job I’ve ever had or will ever have. I just didn’t want to screw it all up by disclosing information that might make me lose it. I guess I will just put it all out there in the open, so I don’t get in trouble on down the road. Thanks.
It would probably be a good idea to bring your pre TRT labs with you just so they can see you are on it medically and not for bodybuilding with some shady Dr. However they may just check the prescription drug monitoring database and see that you have a legit rx and tell you they dont need to know anymore.
Great idea.
You didn’t post labs. Nothing that you are on should pose a problem for you as far as the drug test - that’s usually stimulants and opioids and that sort of thing (Adderall could be a problem for instance). Your joint pain is most likely low E2 and you probably need to stop taking the anastrozole altogether. Labs will tell.
He should have cut your dose a little, not added the anastrozole. You are probably an “over-responder” to the AI. Cutting you back to 170 a week would probably have made the numbers good and left you feeling great.
Let me go ahead and give you some really good advice. Low e2 causes joint pain. Keep using the Anastrazole and youll end up with chronic joint pain, almost debilitating if you let it get bad enough. I am STILL in recovery after fucking up my joints from anastrazole and other e2 control.
The more important question here is. How did you feel? Were you given Anastrazole just because of a high number?
Your Total test is really high, your e2 is going to be high. As long as you don’t have side effects, don’t fuck with your e2.
Thanks for the responses guys. So I’ll back up a tiny bit. After 8 weeks of being on just thyroid and test, I was feeling great, joints were feeling great, and just about everything was good. However at around week 7.5 I had two episodes where I woke up in the middle of the night hotter than hell, sweating, and full blown panic attacks. Not anxiety attacks, but scary as hell panic attacks. After my blood work at week 8, he said my estrogen was too high and probably the culprit for my panic attacks. After I was put on Anastrozole, the panic attacks went away. I still felt good, but my joints almost immediately started to hurt. In fact, I tore my mcl slightly 2 weeks after being on the Anastrozole. That has since healed, although a bit sensitive, but my shoulders hurt so bad I can’t sleep some nights. My test levels were high on those labs, I think because I had just injected the day before. My schedule was screwed up and I had to get my blood taken 2 days earlier than originally scheduled. Hope this helps.
Ok got it.
So your levels are sky high, you have PLENTY of room to lower your dose.
Usually people start out at 100mg a week and work up from there. You have lots of room to lower your dose and still feel great.
So do you think I should lower the test and stop the Anastrozole? And then just tell my dr. what changes I’ve made the next time I see him? I want to stop my joint pain but I do NOT want to experience another panic attack.
That’s what I would do. I would take a lower dose on my next couple of shots, to lower e2 to a normal range. then start back at maybe like 150 or so a week.
This board is full of peoples stories that all start the same way “I felt amazing, then I started taking anastrazole” Lots of people will argue that lowering e2 if done correctly is not a big issue, but its actually what anastrazole does to the rest of your body that makes it disgusting. Fucks with lipids and your brain in short.
Ok sounds good. I guess I ll stop the Anastrozole, and lower to 50mg of test twice a week, for one week. Then bump back up to 75mg twice a week until i see my Dr. and do blood work again. I believe i go back June 28th.
Is there anything else I can recommend to my Dr., to replace the Anastrozole with, if he wants to keep me on something to block the estrogen?
Just lie to him and don’t take it.
Lol. Ok. I just dont want my e2 going too high again. I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced a panic attack or not, but they are not fun. I was sitting outside in my underwear, in a foot of snow, thinking I was dieing, and sweating all at the same time. They lasted like 3 hours each. Not fun at all. Haha.
Lose weight, Cruciferous veggies, warm lemon water.
DIM and Calcium D glucarate work also.
Vitamin D helps your body metabolize e2.
My wife gets them frequently. I have not had the pleasure. You could grind up a pill and dissolve it in vodka for smaller dosing if you absolutely need it. The need usually goes a way with a little time - your body adjust.