Three weeks on Letrozole

[mcr]

I've been on letro 2.5mg twice a week for three weeks, a few remarks on my experience so far:

- improved sense of well-being
- big appetite, much bigger than usual
- the drive to go to the gym is back
- gained about 5 lbs, but not much fat gain around the midsection (note: I used to be 20 lbs bigger, so I may be gaining some muscle back)
- I had gyno surgery but I kept getting fat accumulation around the chest anyway because of high estradiol, and it seems to be very slowly reducing that. we'll see if it gets rid of it completely.

on the other hand:

- my face is a bit swollen, might be an allergy, though most medications do this to me
- sex drive completely gone. haven't had the desire to do anything sexual since I started. can't even get hard really when looking at a picture of a naked woman. I think about sex zero times per day.

I will have blood results soon, but I suspect low estradiol and T in the upper range.

 

[AnabolicGuru]

Why letro? You most likely crashed your e2

 

[CatSnake]

I've been on letro 2.5mg twice a week for three weeks, a few remarks on my experience so far:

- improved sense of well-being
- big appetite, much bigger than usual
- the drive to go to the gym is back
- gained about 5 lbs, but not much fat gain around the midsection (note: I used to be 20 lbs bigger, so I may be gaining some muscle back)
- I had gyno surgery but I kept getting fat accumulation around the chest anyway because of high estradiol, and it seems to be very slowly reducing that. we'll see if it gets rid of it completely.

on the other hand:

- my face is a bit swollen, might be an allergy, though most medications do this to me
- sex drive completely gone. haven't had the desire to do anything sexual since I started. can't even get hard really when looking at a picture of a naked woman. I think about sex zero times per day.

I will have blood results soon, but I suspect low estradiol and T in the upper range.

interested to see your blood work.

 

[mcr]

Why letro? You most likely crashed your e2

I have post-finasteride syndrome. stopped fin years ago, but low T and high estradiol persist. doctor said i need to be on letro for a couple of years to reset my endocrine system.

 

[AnabolicGuru]

I have post-finasteride syndrome. stopped fin years ago, but low T and high estradiol persist. doctor said i need to be on letro for a couple of years to reset my endocrine system.

I don’t think an aromatize inhibitor will do a whole lot by itself in regards to rebooting your endocrine system; but by combining a serm with an ai would. Have you tried/mentioned aromasin? It’s less harsh on the estrogen and more lipid-friendly. I remember you mentioned having a bad experience with arimidex, so that’s out of the equation haha.

 

[mcr]

I don’t think an aromatize inhibitor will do a whole lot by itself in regards to rebooting your endocrine system; but by combining a serm with an ai would. Have you tried/mentioned aromasin? It’s less harsh on the estrogen and more lipid-friendly. I remember you mentioned having a bad experience with arimidex, so that’s out of the equation haha.

yep! it was the first thing we tried but it didn't sit well with me

are you sure letro by itself wouldn't do much good? i don't want to waste two years only to be at square one

 

[AnabolicGuru]

yep! it was the first thing we tried but it didn't sit well with me

are you sure letro by itself wouldn't do much good? i don't want to waste two years only to be at square one

Running a serm like clomid at a lower dose for a few months would definitely speed up the process imo; but im not a doctor and that’s something I’d just consider mentioning to him if your goal is to reboot your system

 

[mcr]

Got blood results

T level: 988ng/dL (ref range 250-827)
Estradiol level: 18 (ref <29)

The T level isn't surprising, my natural T level was around there before i started fin

the estradiol seems normal to me too, or is that still a bit elevated?

 

[AnabolicGuru]

I’d also get free test, shbg and prolactin tested. Your estradiol is also within range, but it’s somewhat low in comparison to your total test; not entirely sure if this would cause low test symptoms, but if your free test and prolactin look good, then it could be a possibility. Just my opinion, I’m obviously not a doctor; this is just something worth considering/mentioning to your doctor.

 

[mcr]

I’d also get free test, shbg and prolactin tested. Your estradiol is also within range, but it’s somewhat low in comparison to your total test; not entirely sure if this would cause low test symptoms, but if your free test and prolactin look good, then it could be a possibility. Just my opinion, I’m obviously not a doctor; this is just something worth considering/mentioning to your doctor.

got SHBG done as well, here are the values

SHBG 27 (ref range 10-50)

Free estradiol 0.43 (ref range 0.45)

also, bioavailable T is around 620 ng/dL

are these good numbers?

 

[AnabolicGuru]

got SHBG done as well, here are the values

SHBG 27 (ref range 10-50)

Free estradiol 0.43 (ref range 0.45)

also, bioavailable T is around 620 ng/dL

are these good numbers?

Not too familiar with the bio available test. But im guessing that your free test is good with your shbg being in check. If you’re having symptoms of low test, my guess is either prolactin or that your estrogen is too low. Yor estradiol was within range, but it’s relatively low in comparison to your test imo.

 

[CatSnake]

Not too familiar with the bio available test. But im guessing that your free test is good with your shbg being in check. If you’re having symptoms of low test, my guess is either prolactin or that your estrogen is too low. Yor estradiol was within range, but it’s relatively low in comparison to your test imo.

kinda what I was thinking, too.

a lot of stuff I've read suggests that the optimal levels of E2 around between 20-30. while 18 isn't too far off, everything else looks good...

and prolactin's kind of the wildcard right now, too.

 

[mcr]

kinda what I was thinking, too.

a lot of stuff I've read suggests that the optimal levels of E2 around between 20-30. while 18 isn't too far off, everything else looks good...

and prolactin's kind of the wildcard right now, too.

20-30? the ref range says normal E2 is 29 or below, so i thought 10-15 would be ideal...