Hey everyone. Looking for some smart folks to offer additional perspective on my situation.
(Warning, long post.)
TL,DR: had some issues that got worse with aromasin (and some herbs), then got a tad worser after my attemps to fix it, and now here I am a bit confused with some labs that might give some clues on what to do :)
For the last 1.5 years I've been struggling with some health issues that worsened severely 8 months ago, and as of today I'm at a point where I think I understand some of the potential root causes of these issues but I'd like someone more knowledgeable offering their opinion as well before I start my protocol. In a nutshell, my story: after the covid vaccine and the whole quarantine thing I struggled with sleep, 0 libido (I mean, seriously, a proper asexual boi), fatigue, decreased motivation/drive. Wasn't that bad but I had just met a perfect girl and the asexuality thing suddenly became a huge obstacle. So I did many blood tests and ended up believing high prl and high e2 levels were to blame. After much naive experimentation I've found that inhibiting aromatase is a good way to get a libido spike for a few days. That was, until I've very stupidly and naively tried aromasin (pharma grade AI), combined with NDs tongkat ali, tribulus, cistanche etc. (jesus christ, why I am so stupid). This worked until I went a tad overboard and craaaasheeeed. This is where the worsening of my health condition had started.
In a nutshell, my situation after the crash:
I've developed classic low E2 symptoms (see below). And some additional ones that remind me of PFS. Lots of ppl experience such symptoms after crashing E2, nothing special (it's terrible but it passes) BUT, in my case, these symptoms simply refused to go away. They improved, sure, but after 2 months I was still in a condition that could not be fairly compared to what I was before. Because of some important life events I wanted a quick fix (a mistake if there ever was one) so I tried HCG monotherapy (not under docs supervision; I haven't even done proper blood tests beforehand
). It made some symptoms better, some worse (I got a bellybutton infection on it, the ****; also, mood-wise I was rollercoasting from feeling happy to feeling like life cannot be justified lol). 1.5 months later, still very impatient (as if nothing could teach me a lesson) and seeing my relationship with the girl slowly deteriorate I went on a lower dose TRT (20mg of test E EOD), hoping I get better faster. On this, my energy improved, my sleep improved, my mood improved but chest tightness got uncomfortably worse. After a lot of reading I decided, after 2 months on it, to stop this and attempt a natural recovery from the AI crash (and potential vaccine dmg). I didn't want to use SERMs because I suspected my estrogen receptors were already not having a grand time, and so I opted for the infamous cold turkey approach. 4 months later, I'm here writing this, feeling a bit better but being regretful for being impatient and ignorant (seriously, life took a nosedive because of my very uncharacteristic impatience this last year).
So I turn to this forum, hoping that some open-minded and knowledgeable folks might offer some advice about my health situation. Before I attempt any kind of protocol, I need to be sure of what I am doing, so for anyone willing to offer any advice regarding how I should approach my health issues and what the core underlying issues might be, I also ask you to provide the logic behind your advice. I have some background in biochemistry and endocrinology but obviously not enough, otherwise I would've already solved this, ha. Currently I'm considering some sort of HTMA based program (ala TEI or ARL). But am open to anything - diet/lifestyle changes, noots, supps, peptides, hormones, meds etc.
Symptoms:
- low mood/depression (never in my life was I depressed in this way or had a longer period of more frequent "doomer" mood days)
- low grade anhedonia or emotional blunting ("emotions" lack depth and character to some extent)
- decreased motivation/apathy (usual hobbies don't attract me anymore)
- chest tightness (now off everything this got much better but still present to some extent),
- low energy/occasional fatigue (but still intact cognitive function/0 brain fog),
- gut/digestion issues (floating stool)
- dark purple-ish circles under eyes (nothing too bad but noticeable to me)
- persistent belly button infection (likely fungal?)
- dry mouth (this is weird - as if I was dehydrated?)
- cracking joints (annoying af)
- sleep issues (nothing major as this was happening before the crash, mostly waking up too often during the night)
- muscle twitching (especially eyelids; got better with time)
- low libido, watery semen, low ejaculate force, weird looking flaccid/kinda hard-flaccid/hourglassing thing going on (but no ED, sensitivity etc. issues, also have good morning wood)
- no issues with hairloss, muscle wastage (still quite lean, no noticeable fat anywhere), dry skin or hair or things like that; still very functional but just with way less gusto than before.
Below are my labs before my AI use, during HRT and 3 months after being off it. So - anyone wanna have a(n argumented) stab at it? Please and thank you!
(Warning, long post.)
TL,DR: had some issues that got worse with aromasin (and some herbs), then got a tad worser after my attemps to fix it, and now here I am a bit confused with some labs that might give some clues on what to do :)
For the last 1.5 years I've been struggling with some health issues that worsened severely 8 months ago, and as of today I'm at a point where I think I understand some of the potential root causes of these issues but I'd like someone more knowledgeable offering their opinion as well before I start my protocol. In a nutshell, my story: after the covid vaccine and the whole quarantine thing I struggled with sleep, 0 libido (I mean, seriously, a proper asexual boi), fatigue, decreased motivation/drive. Wasn't that bad but I had just met a perfect girl and the asexuality thing suddenly became a huge obstacle. So I did many blood tests and ended up believing high prl and high e2 levels were to blame. After much naive experimentation I've found that inhibiting aromatase is a good way to get a libido spike for a few days. That was, until I've very stupidly and naively tried aromasin (pharma grade AI), combined with NDs tongkat ali, tribulus, cistanche etc. (jesus christ, why I am so stupid). This worked until I went a tad overboard and craaaasheeeed. This is where the worsening of my health condition had started.
In a nutshell, my situation after the crash:
I've developed classic low E2 symptoms (see below). And some additional ones that remind me of PFS. Lots of ppl experience such symptoms after crashing E2, nothing special (it's terrible but it passes) BUT, in my case, these symptoms simply refused to go away. They improved, sure, but after 2 months I was still in a condition that could not be fairly compared to what I was before. Because of some important life events I wanted a quick fix (a mistake if there ever was one) so I tried HCG monotherapy (not under docs supervision; I haven't even done proper blood tests beforehand
). It made some symptoms better, some worse (I got a bellybutton infection on it, the ****; also, mood-wise I was rollercoasting from feeling happy to feeling like life cannot be justified lol). 1.5 months later, still very impatient (as if nothing could teach me a lesson) and seeing my relationship with the girl slowly deteriorate I went on a lower dose TRT (20mg of test E EOD), hoping I get better faster. On this, my energy improved, my sleep improved, my mood improved but chest tightness got uncomfortably worse. After a lot of reading I decided, after 2 months on it, to stop this and attempt a natural recovery from the AI crash (and potential vaccine dmg). I didn't want to use SERMs because I suspected my estrogen receptors were already not having a grand time, and so I opted for the infamous cold turkey approach. 4 months later, I'm here writing this, feeling a bit better but being regretful for being impatient and ignorant (seriously, life took a nosedive because of my very uncharacteristic impatience this last year).So I turn to this forum, hoping that some open-minded and knowledgeable folks might offer some advice about my health situation. Before I attempt any kind of protocol, I need to be sure of what I am doing, so for anyone willing to offer any advice regarding how I should approach my health issues and what the core underlying issues might be, I also ask you to provide the logic behind your advice. I have some background in biochemistry and endocrinology but obviously not enough, otherwise I would've already solved this, ha. Currently I'm considering some sort of HTMA based program (ala TEI or ARL). But am open to anything - diet/lifestyle changes, noots, supps, peptides, hormones, meds etc.
Symptoms:
- low mood/depression (never in my life was I depressed in this way or had a longer period of more frequent "doomer" mood days)
- low grade anhedonia or emotional blunting ("emotions" lack depth and character to some extent)
- decreased motivation/apathy (usual hobbies don't attract me anymore)
- chest tightness (now off everything this got much better but still present to some extent),
- low energy/occasional fatigue (but still intact cognitive function/0 brain fog),
- gut/digestion issues (floating stool)
- dark purple-ish circles under eyes (nothing too bad but noticeable to me)
- persistent belly button infection (likely fungal?)
- dry mouth (this is weird - as if I was dehydrated?)
- cracking joints (annoying af)
- sleep issues (nothing major as this was happening before the crash, mostly waking up too often during the night)
- muscle twitching (especially eyelids; got better with time)
- low libido, watery semen, low ejaculate force, weird looking flaccid/kinda hard-flaccid/hourglassing thing going on (but no ED, sensitivity etc. issues, also have good morning wood)
- no issues with hairloss, muscle wastage (still quite lean, no noticeable fat anywhere), dry skin or hair or things like that; still very functional but just with way less gusto than before.
Below are my labs before my AI use, during HRT and 3 months after being off it. So - anyone wanna have a(n argumented) stab at it? Please and thank you!
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