IIRC you were complaining about low estrogen sides awhile ago here, what changed? If I've got you mistaken for somebody my apologies but I think it was you.
How do your joints feel on rock bottom estrogen? Mine always used to hurt and I couldn't train heavy because of it. And lost size...
I was more ripped than I've ever been on low estrogen and primarily DHT drugs, but now I keep estrogen raised with minimal AI and higher test with DHT drugs and I feel wayyyyyyy better.
Yes, I have complained about low e sides. Definitely been a Rollercoaster ride but the more I go at it, the more I learn. I operate more on theory as typical dosing protocols don't seem to work for me. Current theory I'm working on...that the low e sides I think I'm experiencing are actually the result of really high dht from using an ai and not being on a really low dose of test. Part of my theory is based on winstrol, known for drying people out and causing lots of joint pain. I don't believe winstol lowers estrogen, I tend to believe that dht is causing those sides. Where I tend to bail on an ai thinking my estrogen is low, things never really improve otherwise. Stop ai, might get an initial libido boost(I'll get that going back on ai too, think it's caused by hormone fluctuations) some muscle soreness will go away but then weight starts going up, pumps get intense, strength goes down, pumps seem to destroy my muscles and whatever muscle I work in the morning will cramp badly during the day. Eyes become puffy, constant look of tiredness in my eyes and well, I'll be constantly tired. With high estrogen, I can sleep all day, everyday.
Some things I've tried, dont have bloodwork for all trials as numbers don't seem to correlate anyways.
Where I first started, 250mg test c/week sub q, 6.25mg aromasin Ed. After 6 weeks, t level 500, e2 24.
Switched to IM, 250mg test c/week, 6.25 aro ed, t levels 1300, e2 24. Days were decent, I'd tend to crash at lunch, little caffeine would get me through.
200mg test/week, 6.25 aro, t levels >1500, e2 22. One month later did sensitive estradiol test, e2 22.
500mg test c/week, 12.5mg aro Ed. T levels 2400~, e2 27. Would do decent fairly decent but if I added anything, my energy would tank. This dosing leaves me bloated and tired now.
More recent.
125mg test u/week, no ai. Lack bloodwork, weight 208, sex drive next to non. Energy ok, appetite down. Best I've done off an ai.
250mg test u/week, no ai(also have ran this with 125u, and 125c). Weight 225, bloated, no appetite, summer heat kicked my ass like never before. Drop a pant size during the day in the heat, go back up pant size that evening. Swollen joints. Tired, no strength progression, shortness of breath.
500mg test c/week, no ai. T levels unknown, e2 mid 90s. Weight 235lbs. Super bloated, no appetite, no strength gains, tired(couldn't stay awake on a 45 minute ride to work, struggle to stay awake at lunch, couldn't stay awake on drive home.) No sex drive, shortness of breath.
I have never felt great off an ai, I have felt great on an ai but not consistently. I manage to catch a couple days here and there. Ive continued to cycle and chase gains while trying to figure this out which has made it almost impossible to figure out. I feel like I'm finally to the point that I'm done chasing gains and ready to sit at trt and get everything straight.
Those studies were done on natural people. I know ai's dont penetrate the testes well so natural will still produce estrogen in the testes where a trt user won't but it also seems that people tend to convert exogenous test to estrogen at a higher rate than endogenous test.
I could ramble on with more of my failed trials but I'll spare the members here, lol.