Low E2 for 6 months.

[tengounapregunta]

Hey everyone,

I'm the guy who crashed his estradiol with an OTC AI by the name of Elim1nate. I have never been on exogenous test or any of the sort. I took the drug because it was recommended to me (by a PhD in physiology, nonetheless) and crashed my estradiol. I crashed it in March and still have symptoms. I urinate a lot, brain fog like crazy, sore joints, lost muscle, look less "full", can't achieve a pump, I have huge fatigue, and loss of libido and erectile dysfunction. I'm 22 @ 160 lbs. Used to be completely healthy and have a huge libido. A major mistake in not doing research on what I take has led me here

Testosterone levels have been at 600-700 ng/dL since April, when I took my first labs. Free T has been in the middle along with SHBG.
In April, Estradiol was at 21, but on the non-sensitive assay. 17 pg in the sensitive assay. I just received labs at 700 T and estradiol is <20 on the non-sensitive assay. I believe my estradiol is still low! But even though my estradiol is low, I have developed Gyno in my right breast. The nipple is puffy and looks more protruded than my left nipple. I also have burning nipples from time to time. How is this possible?

I need help, guys. I can't keep living in this fatigue and erectile dysfunction. Morning wood is weak and erections without viaga are soft. I haven't gotten better yet, really.

A doctor recommended Clomid treatment for me back in April but I declined out of fear of side effects. But now, I bought Clomid to raise my testosterone which will in turn convert to Estradiol. I was thinking of a protocol of either 6 mg/MWF or 12.5mg/MWF. I'm not trying to get on a yo-yo of estradiol levels, so I also bought Arimidex JUST IN CASE. I know Clomid has side effects, but at this low level, I think it would actually raise my libido and erections.

I need your help guys. Should I take the Clomid 6mg/MWF or 12 mg? Should I even take it all or keep playing the waiting game? I don't want to take test because I don't want my HPTA to shut down when I have perfectly good levels. I believe Clomid would be the safest route to raise my test and therefore my Estrogen... What do you think?

 

[lowe2sucks]

imo don't use arimidex...
you crashed your estradiol man by an OTC AI.. that probably means that you didn't have estradiol problems to begin with why would you buy arimidex?

 

[Vince]

Why don't you get a complete testosterone panel and post your results.
Suggested Lab Tests and Questions Before and After Initiation of Testosterone Replacement
https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...-After-Initiation-of-Testosterone-Replacement

 

[CoastWatcher]

Why don't you get a complete testosterone panel and post your results.
Suggested Lab Tests and Questions Before and After Initiation of Testosterone Replacement
https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...-After-Initiation-of-Testosterone-Replacement

This is excellent advice. Nipple sensitivity is not synonymous with gyno - with your serum levels in flux, falling and now rising, some sensitivity is to be expected.

Why are you even thinking of taking a prescription AI?

 

[tengounapregunta]

Test Taken 8/14/17
Total T: 698 (300-1080 ng)
SHBG: 45 (11-80)
Free T: 116 (47-244)
Estradiol: <20 (males: <45)

The arimidex was just incase the Clomid brought my e2 levels sky high. Not expected to happen, but I wanted to be safe.

 

[tengounapregunta]

What are your thoughts on my Clomid use? Would it be safe? I've never taken steroids, test, or prohormones before. The entire purpose of the Clomid is to bring more estradiol life via conversion.

 

[tengounapregunta]

Why don't you get a complete testosterone panel and post your results.
Suggested Lab Tests and Questions Before and After Initiation of Testosterone Replacement
https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...-After-Initiation-of-Testosterone-Replacement

Test Taken 8/14/17
Total T: 698 (300-1080 ng)
SHBG: 45 (11-80)
Free T: 116 (47-244)
Estradiol: <20 (males: <45)

The arimidex was just incase the Clomid brought my e2 levels sky high. Not expected to happen, but I wanted to be safe.

 

[Vitamin_C]

17 on the sensitive assay is not a terrible number, I think your symptoms may be somatic . I crashed my e2 to 5, that is a legit crash bro and I had some real deal symptoms. At 5 I had a noodle penis but still could get it up over time, joints were dry, libido slashed in about half and I was very vascular. My last reading was 9, and just from going from 5 to 9 my ED has pretty much vanished and libido is returning. Joints are still clicking though and anxiety is there a little.

 

[James]

I've been there. When you see "< 5" it's time to lay off the AI.

 

[Vince]

Most TRT doctors will not or should not prescribed an AI, without knowing your levels.

 

[tengounapregunta]

It's not somatic. Urinating all day isnt somatic. Waking up to half a morning wood is not somatic. Not feeling the need to masturbate for a month is not somatic.

Don't some people need their E2 higher; like around 25 to function? Could that be me? I'm super lean and maybe that's why I haven't regenerated aromatase yet.

 

[user_joe]

Go see an endo or start taking dhea with e2 testing before and after. See how you feel. That's how I'd approach it.

 

[tengounapregunta]

Go see an endo or start taking dhea with e2 testing before and after. See how you feel. That's how I'd approach it.

Endo recommended Clomid. He wanted me to use 25 mg daily and that's way too much, in my opinion. That dosage comes with side effects and tapering would take too long.

I tried DHEA, and even in minuscule doses, it made me feel like I injected shark adrenaline into my jugular. I was wired like crazy. It felt good at first, but after a while my heart couldn't stand it.

 

[tengounapregunta]

Update: I took 12.5 mg yesterday morning. Didn't feel anything until I was going to bed. I was casually playing with my junk and it started getting hard. One minute later, I was rock. hard. With full girth and everything. I haven't been this hard in over 6 months, even with cialis or viagra!!! I freaked out and checked it out in front of the mirror and there it was... full erection!! It felt soo good to know that my member wasn't completely broken.

Whether this was placebo or not is unknown. But it happened and that's all I care about.

I couldn't sleep much because I was so excited, but today I had more energy than I can recall in the last couple of months. I'm in grad school. I was actually attentive and focused in my laboratory today! I was also kind of horny, but not with a full blown libido. This girl that works with me was kind of turning me on... it felt awesome. I also noticed my muscles felt a little more pumped up.

I'm still peeing a lot and have brain fog. I attribute the previous wins to an increase in test, but probably not estrogen at this point.

I'm going to take another 12.5 mg tomorrow. Then, I'm going to take 6 mgs/eod for the rest of the month. I don't want to bring my test too high and then be on the other side of estrogen. It's super tempting to rev up my test, but no way in hell do I want to cause extra problems. If the 6 mgs/eod isn't enough, I'll try 12.5 mgs e3d. Then 12.5/eod.

Just wanted to share this little update with you all. If you look at my post history, it isn't too happy these last 6 months. I've been depressed to the point of suicidal thoughts. Today was easily the best day I've had in half a year. I forgot what joy felt like. I literally stopped to smell flowers today and I even talked to strangers at the gas station. I have so much good stuff going on in my life right now, but I've been too depressed to feel it. I hope this continues and I can bring my E2 up to a healthy point and move on from this nightmare. It's nowhere near over yet, but today certainly gave me hope

 

[nurselyfe]

Update: I took 12.5 mg yesterday morning. Didn't feel anything until I was going to bed. I was casually playing with my junk and it started getting hard. One minute later, I was rock. hard. With full girth and everything. I haven't been this hard in over 6 months, even with cialis or viagra!!! I freaked out and checked it out in front of the mirror and there it was... full erection!! It felt soo good to know that my member wasn't completely broken.

Whether this was placebo or not is unknown. But it happened and that's all I care about.

I couldn't sleep much because I was so excited, but today I had more energy than I can recall in the last couple of months. I'm in grad school. I was actually attentive and focused in my laboratory today! I was also kind of horny, but not with a full blown libido. This girl that works with me was kind of turning me on... it felt awesome. I also noticed my muscles felt a little more pumped up.

I'm still peeing a lot and have brain fog. I attribute the previous wins to an increase in test, but probably not estrogen at this point.

I'm going to take another 12.5 mg tomorrow. Then, I'm going to take 6 mgs/eod for the rest of the month. I don't want to bring my test too high and then be on the other side of estrogen. It's super tempting to rev up my test, but no way in hell do I want to cause extra problems. If the 6 mgs/eod isn't enough, I'll try 12.5 mgs e3d. Then 12.5/eod.

Just wanted to share this little update with you all. If you look at my post history, it isn't too happy these last 6 months. I've been depressed to the point of suicidal thoughts. Today was easily the best day I've had in half a year. I forgot what joy felt like. I literally stopped to smell flowers today and I even talked to strangers at the gas station. I have so much good stuff going on in my life right now, but I've been too depressed to feel it. I hope this continues and I can bring my E2 up to a healthy point and move on from this nightmare. It's nowhere near over yet, but today certainly gave me hope

Please continue to share man

 

[tengounapregunta]

Hey everyone!

I have a huge update. I took Clomid at 8 mg EOD for about two weeks. I could feel my strength going up and erection quality too. But something was still... off. That's when I began to dig deeep into the drug I took.

The drug I took goes by "arimistane." It's an OTC AI. I found about 6 forum posts from people who have taken the drug and had averse effects. They took this drug that claims to be an "AI" but found themselves developing gyno. What the hell, right?

Turns out, this drug was raising prolactin in some people. It was barely lowering estradiol, but raising prolactin. I've had itchy, burning nipples. Some discharge, too. They've also puffed up a little bit. I tested my prolactin levels, and lo and behold, they are high: 17 ng (<15 male). I just took my first dose of prescribed cabergoline today at .25 mg twice a week.

For the last 6 months, I thought my E2 was crashed. Wrong. It was high prolactin. God knows how high the prolactin was right after I quit the drug. I believe my low libido and extreme fatigue stems from the fact that high prolactin inhibits dopamine.

I have never taken testosterone or any steroid. I made a horrible mistake and took this drug because a man I trusted and happened to be a physiology PhD recommended it to me. From the posts I see on here, it doesn't look like all of you test prolactin. Perhaps testing it could eliminate/deduce some of the reasons for feeling poor on TRT.

I'll continue updating this thread. It's been a wild ride. I hope it helps someone down the road.

 

[Scenmed]

tengo - Any updates on this approach since September? I have been using 12.5 mg daily DHEA to raise E2 and am interested how effecitve the Clomid 8mg EOD is working out for you? thanks.

 

[Titus1531]

Hey man, when you crashed did you get a headache at all? Trying to figure out why I have such a headache all the time. I got down below 5. I am at around 20 now.

 

[ThatguyRy]

17 on the sensitive assay is not a terrible number, I think your symptoms may be somatic . I crashed my e2 to 5, that is a legit crash bro and I had some real deal symptoms. At 5 I had a noodle penis but still could get it up over time, joints were dry, libido slashed in about half and I was very vascular. My last reading was 9, and just from going from 5 to 9 my ED has pretty much vanished and libido is returning. Joints are still clicking though and anxiety is there a little.

How long did you have low E2 for? And once you got your T levels up did your E2 rise? Mine has been at 8 of/mL and it’s brutal

 

[Fortunate]

Hey man, when you crashed did you get a headache at all? Trying to figure out why I have such a headache all the time. I got down below 5. I am at around 20 now.

Did you ever figure out your headaches?