Honestly man....that is a hard question. A lot of things depends upon your age. I think I was 28 years old when I started taking these things. By that time...I had already had a vasectomy, and knew going in that I would never have any more kids and that I would probably end up going straight to TRT.
Most mg wise I have ever done is actually what I'm doing now. And that is Test at 250mg/ Primo at 300mg.
In the past...I think my first run was 300mg of test. I would run a cycle...go back to TRT levels (125mg) and just cruise at that. Always making a point to get blood work. I never really used any crazy compounds except for Tren two different times...and I swore it off. I've ran GH at 2-3iu's a day for extended periods of time as I got older...but always kept a watch on my A1C and Glucose numbers.
I don't consider my build anything great. I found out early on that my body loved low rep, high volume, heavy weight work. I would use just enough supplements to keep progressing with my logbook, and I did the same with diet and calories. When trying to build...eat just enough extra to keep things moving forward. When trying to lean up.....try to keep as much food in as I could and fight like hell to not let my strength go down.
The last couple of years I am a big fan of doing faster acting compounds. I do Test at 100mg a week when on TRT, and when I do add something in I will usually add in something like Test prop and NPP or Mast A...and usually at a total of around 400mg a week...and no longer than 8 weeks. After that it's back down to 100mg a week or test.
I have a script for test. Awhile back it was for 125-150mg a week...but that number put my estrogen levels almost to a point where my doctor suggested an AI. He had me on one shot a week.
It was then that I started reading about pinning everyday and being able to use less. So I brought it up with my doctor..and he Said lets go try it. So we dropped back to around 100mg a week and I pin everyday with a slin pin.
Granted my total test dropped a little, but my estrogen dropped a good bit. I felt better...and I would much rather give up a few points on my total test score than to have to use and dial in an AI.
There are others on here far more versed in PCT as I went into this knowing I wouldn't be coming off. And you are correct..ga (gauge) does mean diameter of needle. When we say we backload...we are pulling test from a bottle with a 22-25 ga needle, and then filling up an insulin syringe that may have anywhere from a 27-31 ga needle on it. So pinning with that smaller needle leaves less scar tissue, and is not as daunting to someone who may have never injected before. There are some great stickies on here about how to inject.
As to where you go from here....I can't answer that for you. From reading the thread, it seems like you also have some other issues going on that I would want to have checked on first. I know personally I would not be on any orals that long..or even think of extending them.
I would never start a cycle without having supporting blood work before...and even during so that you can see what is going on with your body. That way you know if something is not right, you can stop.
Another thing...I have never used an oral in my life. I don't even use over the counter pain meds as I feel your liver has enough work to do with just the general day to day toxins we encounter.
Everyone here will tell you that diet and training are the most important parts of this process...but they are nothing without consistency. Once you have that down...then you can add in your supplements. But I have always looked at it like this.....your body isn't going to change overnight. Go into this with a long term plan, and with smaller goals set along that plan.
To me...that means being healthy enough to be able to be doing this for many years to come.
It really doesn't take a lot of "help" to keep progressing. I look back and most of the time I could have tweaked my diet or training to illicit progress again instead of adding more hormones. Now I look at that like it's a last resort. I exhaust everything else...and only then do I consider changing up something that I am taking.
But take this as you wish......I am for the most part very conservative. I trained for years with a guy who wouldn't even consider taking a shot unless the barrel was full...and he didn't care what was in it. And even when on ungodly amounts of stuff...his blood work would come back stellar. I witnessed it many times.
But at some point regardless...I feel like it will eventually catch up to him.
Just keep in mind that this is a lifelong endeavor if you share the passion that most of us here do. Plan for the long haul and be safe. You only get one body.
Again...this is only my opinion and the way I go about it. I graduated high school barely weighing 140lbs. I know sit around 195 lbs. It's taken me years to get to that point.....but crazy enough I know that I can still improve.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Hi rmtt,
nice to meet you, read a topic that you have made about your "comeback" with low dosages and i really like what ive seen.. very low dosages and yet great body, congratz!
you have "built" most of your mass with higher dosages or have you ever been a low dosage guy?
i am not sure what that ga means in measurement (diameter of needle i guess?), have to google first, hehe
I guess i have to dig deeper into real AAS for the future, you guys are right..
what do you think about my current cycle? 11 weeks done, now i have some options
- drop everything and go on PCT (got everything on hand)
- go to "cruise dosages" (maybe 40% of current dosage)
- keep going with current dosages and extend
- increase dosages for another few week
What would you do rmtt? really apprecite your opinion since you are def one of the more conventional guys..
thanks alot!