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Sparkss journey to recovery

Sparkss said:
It's beautiful down there, right around Deersfield and Pompanoo Beach areas :). We like to visit there at least once a year, if/when we can swing it :D

I am feeling pretty good (overall), so these T levels are OK for me, but it will be good to know what the levels actually are. My doc may even be willing to add another pellet next time round if they are lower than he is shooting for :). I will have that conversation after next week :)
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I'm in pompano technically but don't know when you come lmao we got two temperatures scorching hot and muggy or raining lol .

But sounds good brother good luck ! I'll be waiting for the celebratory "got to up my dose" post haha
 
10/29 Arms

BB Curl............................................45x20, 65x14 (x3), 65 x15
..Superset
BB Skull Crushers............................45x20, 65x14 (x3), 65 x15

Hammer Curls..................................30x16 (standing), 30x11 (seated), 30x14 (seated), 30x15 (seated)
..Superset
Overhead 1 ARM DB Extensions.....30x15, 30x12, 30x12, 30x15

Great short but sweet workout today. Supersetted all 4 exercises (pairs of 2). I got such a massive arm pump I cannot touch my shoulder with my hand right now. I also caught a 2nd wind on both of my bicep exercises, on the last couple of sets. It was really weird. I did pause a little longer between sets since they were super sets and I was pretty drained after pushing through each one. I also switched to seated hammer curls because I felt I was putting too much "body English" into the lifts, taking the focus off of the biceps. I basically went to failure on every set, except for the 1st ones of the day.
 
So, I have been posting scale #s but no pictures to show what I am talking about (although not all of it is something to be proud of, my waistline for example.. *sigh*) I just looked back at some earlier posts, including my started post pictures, and I have come a long way over the last year and a half, and I do not want to give up my upper body gains, but do so miss my waistline and abs :D

I liked this pose because it helps to hide my love handles (hidden by my arms holding the camera :)).

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This one shows how much I have back slid on the flanks.

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Here is a nice side pose. I just finished an arm workout (posted just above), so take the arms size with a grain a salt :). although I am not flexing in the picture (with the arm pump I had going I am not sure there would have been a discernable difference between flexed or not)

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My back and traps seem to be coming along. I feel that I look thicker along the back and rear shoulders.

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Sparkss said:
So, I have been posting scale #s but no pictures to show what I am talking about (although not all of it is something to be proud of, my waistline for example.. *sigh*) I just looked back at some earlier posts, including my started post pictures, and I have come a long way over the last year and a half, and I do not want to give up my upper body gains, but do so miss my waistline and abs :D

I liked this pose because it helps to hide my love handles (hidden by my arms holding the camera :)).

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This one shows how much I have back slid on the flanks.

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Here is a nice side pose. I just finished an arm workout (posted just above), so take the arms size with a grain a salt :). although I am not flexing in the picture (with the arm pump I had going I am not sure there would have been a discernable difference between flexed or not)

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My back and traps seem to be coming along. I feel that I look thicker along the back and rear shoulders.

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Awesome work man! You're showing some great progress and you're adding some dense mass. Don't worry, you can still see some abs there too

I'm getting tired of having to do the "upkeep" to stay really lean, so I'll probably stop being super strict on the diet here soon and allow more cals. Enough about me though; you're looking absolutely killer. I can't see much of the legs, but your quads peeking out from your shorts look like they're adding some size too. I can't reiterate this enough, keep doing what you're doing, you look great.
 
sparks2012 said:
Awesome work man! You're showing some great progress and you're adding some dense mass. Don't worry, you can still see some abs there too

I'm getting tired of having to do the "upkeep" to stay really lean, so I'll probably stop being super strict on the diet here soon and allow more cals. Enough about me though; you're looking absolutely killer. I can't see much of the legs, but your quads peeking out from your shorts look like they're adding some size too. I can't reiterate this enough, keep doing what you're doing, you look great.
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I hear you about "upkeep" diet. But then again I need to gain a bunch more mass, like you already have, before I back off of the bulking, that or spring of next year (to be ready for summer), whichever comes first LOL.

Do you plan to add in any compounds for growth? or just going to up your maintenance intake a bit and let off the dietary leash a little?

Thanks for the compliments, I am seeing improvements, and yes, I have seen some growth in my legs. But when I messed up my lower back I had to take a break from squats. As much as I loathe them, my body responds well to them, so I miss doing them. I was thinking I was going to do another leg day on this coming Monday, but my back was "tickling" me a little earlier today, so I am not sure. And without machines I am limited in the leg exercises I can do. Just doing hamstring curls and calf raises seems like a weak *ss leg workout. Although I think my calves are coming along pretty nicely too. I may just work in the leg exercises I can do in with other workouts, to get them in until such a time as I can get back to squats/deads. Or I just go heavy on the lunges. I am not sure how much pressure that puts on the lower back?
 
Sparkss said:
I hear you about "upkeep" diet. But then again I need to gain a bunch more mass, like you already have, before I back off of the bulking, that or spring of next year (to be ready for summer), whichever comes first LOL.

Do you plan to add in any compounds for growth? or just going to up your maintenance intake a bit and let off the dietary leash a little?

Thanks for the compliments, I am seeing improvements, and yes, I have seen some growth in my legs. But when I messed up my lower back I had to take a break from squats. As much as I loathe them, my body responds well to them, so I miss doing them. I was thinking I was going to do another leg day on this coming Monday, but my back was "tickling" me a little earlier today, so I am not sure. And without machines I am limited in the leg exercises I can do. Just doing hamstring curls and calf raises seems like a weak *ss leg workout. Although I think my calves are coming along pretty nicely too. I may just work in the leg exercises I can do in with other workouts, to get them in until such a time as I can get back to squats/deads. Or I just go heavy on the lunges. I am not sure how much pressure that puts on the lower back?
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Dunno about any compounds yet man, I'm just loosening the belt, so to speak, on the diet. I feel that since I'll be squatting every session I'll be burning even more cals so I don't see an issue with adding in carbs and more cals right now. At the very least, I know what to do and how my body responds to diet if I need to cut down again. I feel you on the lower back issues as well too, they come back to haunt me every now and then so I do have to be somewhat careful with how much I overload the lower back. Lunges, for me anyway, don't bother my back. I'll do them in between squats and deads on my leg sessions to give my back a slight break between heavier weights and spinal compression. DB hamstring curls can work wonders with the amount of contractions you'll feel, and I'm sure you could get some extensions in with a DB between your feet, although I'm not sure about ROM and the fact that having to keep your feet squeezed together could compromise knee health....worth a shot and if anything you could try it as a superset with lunges or as a finisher.
 
sparks2012 said:
Dunno about any compounds yet man, I'm just loosening the belt, so to speak, on the diet. I feel that since I'll be squatting every session I'll be burning even more cals so I don't see an issue with adding in carbs and more cals right now. At the very least, I know what to do and how my body responds to diet if I need to cut down again. I feel you on the lower back issues as well too, they come back to haunt me every now and then so I do have to be somewhat careful with how much I overload the lower back. Lunges, for me anyway, don't bother my back. I'll do them in between squats and deads on my leg sessions to give my back a slight break between heavier weights and spinal compression. DB hamstring curls can work wonders with the amount of contractions you'll feel, and I'm sure you could get some extensions in with a DB between your feet, although I'm not sure about ROM and the fact that having to keep your feet squeezed together could compromise knee health....worth a shot and if anything you could try it as a superset with lunges or as a finisher.
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Thanks for the suggestions. I can do limited extensions using an ankle strap, but the challenge is propping my leg up under my knee joint high enough to have any ROM. for using a DB between my legs, I use the Power Blocks adjustable DBs, and they are basically a cube/box, so no place to put my feet :). I may check the BB exercise database for quad exercises to see if anything jumps out as a viable option with my setup.
 
10/30 Rest day

Have some plans with the family today, including putting up some last minute decorations for Halloween tomorrow. In general feeling more muscle fullness. I grabbed a shirt out of the drawer this morning that from what I recall used to fit me nice, but a little loose. It was tight around my arms and across my shoulders. I am pretty stoked about that (yea, it doesn't take much, huh? :)). 3rd day applying Ando and it is getting easier to keep it all contained within my shirt profile, with no skin not covered by my shirt having any Ando on it. Still way too early to tell how it is treating me, but I will probably still jump on the Halloween sale and pick up at least 1 more bottle.


I thought I would share what I am taking right now.

Right now here are the supps in my stack:

Ep1c Unleashed (oral) *I have some form of epicat in my supps these days. I really like how it treated me over the summer
Andocrine (TD Laxo) *My first foray into Laxogenin, but it seems like the reported effects match my current needs
Orig1n *I am about a week or so in on this, it is the new GH (and many other benefits, according to the marketting) enhancer from OL.

I do use SlinMax for large carb meals, typically those later in the evening, otherwise I am just relying on Ori for the nutrient partitioning, taking it 10 ~ 20 minutes before my first 3 largest meals.

PWO
And my current PWO is Conquer Unleashed + Hydro/isolate whey blend (for immediate and more delayed protein release) + Karbolic (for carbs)

I do have some PA left over that I take + some Hyrdo3 samples from OL, but am not sure I will reaplce them with anything when they run out.

Peri
Just hydro whey + Rhodiola Rosea for energy + a small amount of kool aide for flavor (and a slow trickle of sugar for energy). Sometimes I throw some glutamine/alanine or taurine, but mainly for the hydration benefits, and only when I feel like I might need additional hydration help that day. Right now I don't add in BCAAs peri as I get some from the hydro whey, but I may add some if my workout intensity dictates the need.

Post
A mix of Isolate and Casein protein + Creatine + carbs (Karbolic + Oats) Sometimes I add in BCAAs if I have some available, usually a sample. Considering adding some the same as for the peri drinks.

Nighttime
Casein + Agmatine. Same comment around BCAAs as for the other shakes. I used to add them in until my bulk powder ran out and I just have not ordered any more yet. Now that my lethargy is past I will likely be placing that order shortly.

I also take ZMA + Melatonin at bedtime (and DIM per my TRT doctor).

Nothing really fancy these days and significantly less ingredients than in the pre-made products out there. Plus I control the dosages and can alter/add/remove ingredients as I evaluate how my body responds :).
 
Sparkss said:
Thanks Bro! :) BPS responded that it would end midnight Halloween (PST).

I am on the fence about more Ando. It is a bit of a PITA to apply. I am a small guy in general (small frame) and 5 pumps, which is supposed to be the "sweet spot" for Ando/Laxo, takes my entire upper torso and arms and then still is a bit thick and takes time to dry. If it does for me half of what I read it does for others, then it should be worth it. I am hoping it will improve my recovery time, and that, combined with the TRT being in full swing (should be by now, if not by this time next week) where I can expand my workouts to more body parts and try out some different workout splits.

How many pumps did you use? and did you use a split dose?

Alpha, how many pumps and what dosing schedule do you have planned?
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Sparkss I apologize, I never got a notification for this. When I was using Androcrine, I was using 6 a day, all at once. It does infact assist with the healing process as Alpha said, and it tremendous for the joints. As Ive said before, it is the only supplement that I can say I honestly miss once I dont have it. I am looking forward to using again.
 
FireTitan said:
Sparkss I apologize, I never got a notification for this. When I was using Androcrine, I was using 6 a day, all at once. It does infact assist with the healing process as Alpha said, and it tremendous for the joints. As Ive said before, it is the only supplement that I can say I honestly miss once I dont have it. I am looking forward to using again.
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How long after applying can you take a shower (without losing dosage/effectiveness)? Thanks.
 
FireTitan said:
Typically it is applied just after the shower in order for it to fully absorb with the freshly opened pours.
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Right, but what if you need to take another shower later in the day. How long after the application is it safe?
 
10/31 Chest

Incline DB Press.................................40/20, 50/12, 12, 12, 9
Decline DB Press...............................50/15, 15, 15, 15
Flat Bench Rev. Grip BB Press..........65/18, 85/15, 15, 15
Incline DB Pull Over...........................40/12, 12, 12, 12

I woke a little groggy this morning and accidentally mixed my evening shake into the shaker. The sad part is I did not even realize it until my first sip (LOL). So I added the PWO mix on top, which just made my Pre shake heavy in casein w/ an little extra agmatine kick (plus the PWO has agmatine in it, if I recall). I also woke to a "tickle" in my lower back, so I pushed leg day until later in the week. Been reading up on quad exercises that will be easier on my lower back, but today had to be all exercises with my back 100% supported/flat against the bench. I went a little heavier partly because I felt a little guilty for all of that extra protein I drank and partly just because felt I had the gas in my tank to do so. All told a pretty focused workout.
 
I love me some USP Labs products (more and more the more of them I try). I love their periodic discounts quite affectionately too. I received an Email today that made me chuckle a bit.


Asteroid Stack Halloween Special!
Availability: In stock
As low as: $79.99
The USPlabs Asteroid Stack!

1 Full Bottle of Ultimate-T
1 Full Bottle of ModernPRE+ (Choice of Flavor)
1 Full Bottle of SuperCISSUS
1 Full Bottle of ModernCREATINE (Choice of Flavor)
PLUS!!!!
NEW USPlabs Barbell Club Fitted Shirt!
(Choice of Color and Size)
And..
The USPlabs Super Sample Pack!

INCLUDES FREE SHIPPING!*

MYSTERY TEXT BONUS!!!
If you order before Monday, October 31st @ 9:00 AM (EST) you will receive an additional FREE MYSTERY PRODUCT!
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I received the Email at 9:06 AM this morning

From: Team USPlabs [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 9:06 AM

EDIT: Teaser much? :)

USPlabsRep - might want to give your marketing department a heads up on this one :D I also didn't see any threads started about the promo (and did not feel it was my place to start one in your forum).

Thanks!
 
11/01 Rest Day

Had some early morning meetings today, plus I woke up sore as heck.. it was AWESOME :D LOL. My chest feels tight and full this morning. I seemed to have responded really well to yesterday's workout and following gorging of food and protein shakes (I was just hungry all day). Must be the Orig1n. Anyways my upper body is looking better and my waistline even appeared improved. I had my morning shake with USPLabs Modern creatine and I am feeling pumped again. :)
 
Sparkss said:
11/01 Rest Day

Had some early morning meetings today, plus I woke up sore as heck.. it was AWESOME :D LOL. My chest feels tight and full this morning. I seemed to have responded really well to yesterday's workout and following gorging of food and protein shakes (I was just hungry all day). Must be the Orig1n. Anyways my upper body is looking better and my waistline even appeared improved. I had my morning shake with USPLabs Modern creatine and I am feeling pumped again. :)
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Increasing the sexxxy!!
 
11/2 Legs

DB Squats.......................................................60 (2x30)/15x4
Single Leg Calf Raises (BFR).........................30/20x4
Lunges w/ DBs................................................40 (2x20)/15x4
Standing Single Leg Hamstring DB Curls.......30/12x4

Was up last night with a coughing little one, so I was a bit fatigued. I did not want to skip leg day again, even though my lower back is still giving me trouble. I went with DB squats, while it was OK, it was still less than 50% of what I was squatting before and that is still not the maximum I can squat, just the maximum amount of weight that I have here, in my home gym. Tonight my calves feel pretty tight. They are responding well to the exercises (high reps, max contractions). Other than that not much to say about today. I suspect I will feel my hamstrings tomorrow, but not likely my quads, since I didn't work them that much (although the lunges do work them a little). I look forward to a full leg workout in a real gym, although that won't be until after the new year sometime.
 
Sparkss said:
11/2 Legs

DB Squats.......................................................60 (2x30)/15x4
Single Leg Calf Raises (BFR).........................30/20x4
Lunges w/ DBs................................................40 (2x20)/15x4
Standing Single Leg Hamstring DB Curls.......30/12x4

Was up last night with a coughing little one, so I was a bit fatigued. I did not want to skip leg day again, even though my lower back is still giving me trouble. I went with DB squats, while it was OK, it was still less than 50% of what I was squatting before and that is still not the maximum I can squat, just the maximum amount of weight that I have here, in my home gym. Tonight my calves feel pretty tight. They are responding well to the exercises (high reps, max contractions). Other than that not much to say about today. I suspect I will feel my hamstrings tomorrow, but not likely my quads, since I didn't work them that much (although the lunges do work them a little). I look forward to a full leg workout in a real gym, although that won't be until after the new year sometime.
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Sorry about the kid brother! But, you prevailed by getting it done, proud of you brother!
 
11/3 Back

Incline BB Row (OH grip)............................................85x20, 125x15x3
1 ARM DB Row...........................................................70*x15x3
Landmine Super Set (1 arm/2 arm D-handle).............70*x(10/15)x2, 70*x(12/15)x2
Back Hyper Extensions...............................................30, 20, 20, 18

*Max weight available

I did not want to get up this morning, but had an early meeting and knew if I did not get up I would not have time for a workout. Glad I pushed through. The weights felt almost "easy" this morning. The only muscle not keeping up was my grip. My lower back is still bothering me so any "heavy" exercise had to include some sort of back support, which is why I opted for the incline B row over my preferred bent over row. I could have gone heavier on the BB row, and probably should have, but I still felt my back muscles firing pretty effectively.


The Landmine Superset is because I do not have enough weight to really challenge my back with just the standard two-handed LM row. So I super set 1 arm landmine rows (to pre-fatigue my target muscles) then immediately follow with the two handed row using a close grip D-handle. I like how it targets my lats and back in general and this was the best way I could think of to incorporate it into my workout.

My endurance on the lower back hyper extensions declined rapidly today. I also took loooong rest periods between sets, as my lower back started to cramp up a little. I still have a long ways to go to get back to where I was a month ago. *sigh*

I had time today to get in some bicep exercises, but decided instead to hold those off for their separate workout day, so that I could really focus on them. I would not have been able to hit it hard if I had tried to just work them in today.

EDIT: My Glutes are sore AF this morning, so I guess the lunges yesterday were more effective than I originally had thought :)
 
Just the ones I posted last week. I can snap some more tomorrow. With the Orig1n (and associated hunger) I am less than picture worthy by this time of the day (almost 6 PM). I will take some in the morning. The change is not just the scale, although the 6 ~ 7 lbs difference between going to bed and waking is still almost a 4% change. But I can comfortably wear my jeans (size 32) up until about 4 PM. After that I have eaten so much it is no longer comfortable LOL.

I went for my 4 week blood draw today (post TRT start/pellet implantation). I should have the results by tomorrow afternoon, give or take, based on when I normally get them. But then again I added in a few more tests, slotting in my yearly physical labs at the same time, so it may take longer to get the results this time.
 
sparks2012 said:
I can't see much of the legs, but your quads peeking out from your shorts look like they're adding some size too
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hairygrandpa said:
Admirable diligence here! Any progress pics?
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FireTitan said:
WE WANT NOODZ!! WE WANT NOODZ!!
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bighulksmash said:
2nd this noodz or unsubbing ... 24 hr layover period to provide.
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PERVS!!!! (and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!) :D

I took this upon waking this morning, so I am more or less glycogen depleted, although I did not drop the weight like I normally do over night. I think I let too much moisture get into my bulk agmatine powder and that reduced or killed its effectiveness in my nighttime shake. But I am not going to sweat that, just going to order some food safe desiccant packs this afternoon, the bulk agmatine is pretty cheap and I don't order a ton at a time (since the normal dose is small) so I am not out a bunch of $$ if that is what happened.

Here are the picks (as close to noodz as I can get and not get banned from AM :)).

Included more "leg" just for sparks2012 :). Not my most flattering pose, but (because) it shows how far I let my mid-section slip *sigh*.

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Just the legs, I see progress in my calves

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Sparkss said:
PERVS!!!! (and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!) :D

I took this upon waking this morning, so I am more or less glycogen depleted, although I did not drop the weight like I normally do over night. I think I let too much moisture get into my bulk agmatine powder and that reduced or killed its effectiveness in my nighttime shake. But I am not going to sweat that, just going to order some food safe desiccant packs this afternoon, the bulk agmatine is pretty cheap and I don't order a ton at a time (since the normal dose is small) so I am not out a bunch of $$ if that is what happened.

Here are the picks (as close to noodz as I can get and not get banned from AM :)).

Included more "leg" just for sparks2012 :). Not my most flattering pose, but (because) it shows how far I let my mid-section slip *sigh*.

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Just the legs, I see progress in my calves

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You have the perfect frame to build on with correct nutrition hard training and a Little Help from our old brother pH you can go real far. You don't have to use anything unnatural to get big you'd feel the need to grow. You can always use 1 andro and 4 andro By alpha gainz .virtus and Invictus o keep things in line.
 
bighulksmash said:
You have the perfect frame to build on with correct nutrition hard training and a Little Help from our old brother pH you can go real far. You don't have to use anything unnatural to get big you'd feel the need to grow. You can always use 1 andro and 4 andro By alpha gainz .virtus and Invictus o keep things in line.
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Thanks, on doctor administered/monitored TRT right now. Going to run it PH free for my first 6 months, to get a feel for it plus to see what gains I can get now that my T levels are "corrected". (they were fairly low when I started). Just at the 4 week mark now (did my blood draw yesterday to see what my levels are) and have already started to see some improvement in body comp. :)
 
11/4 Shoulders/Traps

Side Lateral Raises...........................10x20x1, 20x15x4
Incline Rear Delt Raises....................30x15x4
Front DB Raises................................25x15x4
Upright BB Row.................................65x15x1, 85x10x4
DB Shrugs.........................................70x12x5

Pretty decent shoulder workout today. On the shrugs my grip gave out before my traps did, so I hit it for an extra set. Even though I may have had a couple more reps in the tank, I still felt good activation and can feel it in my traps now as I type this. Not much else to report, just working my way up to reasonable weights. Went up on the Upright Row, but could not hit my target of at least 12 reps, but stuck with the weight through to the end anyways. I hit something like 10.5 reps a couple of times, but could not get full raise/contraction, I just couldn't get it up (I swear that has never happened to me before!!! LOL).
 
Here are two quick picts I snapped after my workout today.

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Looking stronger! Your back shows awesome progress.
Damn stubborn midsection, a condition only cardio can cure....wait, you are on TRT, lot of sex may help too :)
 
Got my lab work back today. Some surprises.

BUN..............30 HIGH........................6-24 mg/dL 01
Creatinine, Serum..............1.23........................0.76-1.27 mg/dL 01
AST (SGOT)..............28........................0-40 IU/L 01
ALT (SGPT)..............32........................0-44 IU/L 01
Lipid Panel
Cholesterol, Total..............151........................100-199 mg/dL 01
Triglycerides..............127........................0-149 mg/dL 01
HDL Cholesterol..............37 LOW........................>39 mg/dL 01
VLDL Cholesterol Cal..............25........................5-40 mg/dL 01
LDL Cholesterol Calc..............89........................0-99 mg/dL 01

Testosterone, Serum..............620........................348-1197 ng/dL 01
Luteinizing Hormone(LH), S
LH..............0.1 LOW........................1.7-8.6 mIU/mL 01
FSH, Serum
FSH..............<0.2 LOW........................1.5-12.4 mIU/mL 01
Estradiol
Estradiol..............49.3 HIGH........................7.6-42.6 pg/mL 01
 
Sparkss said:
Got my lab work back today. Some surprises.

BUN..............30 HIGH........................6-24 mg/dL 01
Creatinine, Serum..............1.23........................0.76-1.27 mg/dL 01
AST (SGOT)..............28........................0-40 IU/L 01
ALT (SGPT)..............32........................0-44 IU/L 01
Lipid Panel
Cholesterol, Total..............151........................100-199 mg/dL 01
Triglycerides..............127........................0-149 mg/dL 01
HDL Cholesterol..............37 LOW........................>39 mg/dL 01
VLDL Cholesterol Cal..............25........................5-40 mg/dL 01
LDL Cholesterol Calc..............89........................0-99 mg/dL 01

Testosterone, Serum..............620........................348-1197 ng/dL 01
Luteinizing Hormone(LH), S
LH..............0.1 LOW........................1.7-8.6 mIU/mL 01
FSH, Serum
FSH..............<0.2 LOW........................1.5-12.4 mIU/mL 01
Estradiol
Estradiol..............49.3 HIGH........................7.6-42.6 pg/mL 01
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If I remember correctly thats showing some progress!?
 
FireTitan said:
If I remember correctly thats showing some progress!?
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yes, in some areas like test (up to 620 adn feeling pretty good), but I went down in HLD, up in E2 (but not too bad), kidney functions are a little low (creatnine and BUN are up from my last tests). Not sure what to expect for LH and FSH while on TRT. From what I read on the two hormones, in men they are primarily for sperm and test production, which is shutdown in me.
 
Sparkss said:
yes, in some areas like test (up to 620 adn feeling pretty good), but I went down in HLD, up in E2 (but not too bad), kidney functions are a little low (creatnine and BUN are up from my last tests). Not sure what to expect for LH and FSH while on TRT. From what I read on the two hormones, in men they are primarily for sperm and test production, which is shutdown in me.
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Its still going to take a little time and tweaking to get your body adjusted and to find that sweet spot, but at least youre showing some improvement. On top of that, your enthusiasm seems to be increasing, which is another HUUUGE factor in boosting the moral of all other functions within yourself. Im not only happy for you, but proud of you and your drive as well, and you should in no way feel any different
 
11/5, 11/6 Rest Days

Weekend and 11/6 wasn't actually a rest day since I ended up doing 2 hours worth of yard work. Sort of hoping it will be the last yard work day this year, but historically that is not always the case, but I did a bit of extra edging and trimming just in case it was.

I also was up until 2 AM the morning of 11/6, on a call, having been pulled into a problem at work. So I was already dragging a little on Saturday, since the little one was up at the crack of dawn. I think I will be partially glad when she hits the teen years and starts sleeping in more (but then there are the other downsides of that age to contend with *sigh*).

FireTitan said:
Its still going to take a little time and tweaking to get your body adjusted and to find that sweet spot, but at least youre showing some improvement. On top of that, your enthusiasm seems to be increasing, which is another HUUUGE factor in boosting the moral of all other functions within yourself. Im not only happy for you, but proud of you and your drive as well, and you should in no way feel any different
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Thanks man, I do feel the improved enthusiasm mainly driven by the increased energy, but also spurred on by the body improvements I am seeing. It doesn't hurt that the wife likes what she sees too :).

One odd thing about my increased size is that even days after a chest workout I get cramps in my pectorals. Even just yesterday I was scrubbing the kitchen counter top (I had left my coffee cup and it left a ring that was stubborn to get up, for which I caught h*ll over) and the side to side motion started to cause a cramp in my pectoral to where I had to slow down.

I also worry that my increased size is just due to glycogen retention and maybe even just water and when I stop any of the supps (epicat, laxo, Orig1n) that it will all "fade away". Although only Orig1n and Andocrine are new, epicat is not. And if anything I feel that Orig1n is the one giving my muscles fullness. The other supps hace their purposes and are doing their "jobs" :).

I was at 187 this morning upon waking. I also looked a bit leaner than last week (I backed off of my late night meals over the weekend). I still fluctuate pretty fast depending on my intake, so my metabolism is still kicking (thankfully).
 
Sparkss said:
11/5, 11/6 Rest Days

Weekend and 11/6 wasn't actually a rest day since I ended up doing 2 hours worth of yard work. Sort of hoping it will be the last yard work day this year, but historically that is not always the case, but I did a bit of extra edging and trimming just in case it was.

I also was up until 2 AM the morning of 11/6, on a call, having been pulled into a problem at work. So I was already dragging a little on Saturday, since the little one was up at the crack of dawn. I think I will be partially glad when she hits the teen years and starts sleeping in more (but then there are the other downsides of that age to contend with *sigh*).



Thanks man, I do feel the improved enthusiasm mainly driven by the increased energy, but also spurred on by the body improvements I am seeing. It doesn't hurt that the wife likes what she sees too :).

One odd thing about my increased size is that even days after a chest workout I get cramps in my pectorals. Even just yesterday I was scrubbing the kitchen counter top (I had left my coffee cup and it left a ring that was stubborn to get up, for which I caught h*ll over) and the side to side motion started to cause a cramp in my pectoral to where I had to slow down.

I also worry that my increased size is just due to glycogen retention and maybe even just water and when I stop any of the supps (epicat, laxo, Orig1n) that it will all "fade away". Although only Orig1n and Andocrine are new, epicat is not. And if anything I feel that Orig1n is the one giving my muscles fullness. The other supps hace their purposes and are doing their "jobs" :).

I was at 187 this morning upon waking. I also looked a bit leaner than last week (I backed off of my late night meals over the weekend). I still fluctuate pretty fast depending on my intake, so my metabolism is still kicking (thankfully).
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Magnesium bro. Someone recommended it to me and its helped out with the cramps ....when I actually remember to take it. And its cheap. What are you using for an AI?
 
FireTitan said:
Magnesium bro. Someone recommended it to me and its helped out with the cramps ....when I actually remember to take it. And its cheap. What are you using for an AI?
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Thanks for the tip, I will look into it.

Nothing for an AI yet. I am going to talk to my doc and see if he will prescribe something based on my last labs. 49 is not that high for e2, I have seen crazy higher posted here, and without major sides. As I am just outside of the range I am not sure the doc will prescribe anything, but he may. Worst case I have exestane on hand, but as this is doctor administered/monitored TRT I don't want to use anything that he did not prescribe (yet) :).
 
Sparkss said:
Thanks for the tip, I will look into it.

Nothing for an AI yet. I am going to talk to my doc and see if he will prescribe something based on my last labs. 49 is not that high for e2, I have seen crazy higher posted here, and without major sides. As I am just outside of the range I am not sure the doc will prescribe anything, but he may. Worst case I have exestane on hand, but as this is doctor administered/monitored TRT I don't want to use anything that he did not prescribe (yet) :).
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Definitely ask about it, im sure itll be needed.
 
FireTitan said:
Definitely ask about it, im sure itll be needed.
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I did ask at the onset of therapy, but he pushed it off until we had some time under our belt and labs back to see how my body handled everything. Now is the time I get to revisit and push the topic :D
 
11/7 Arms

BB Curl.......................... ..................45x20, 65x15 (x4)
..Superset
BB Skull Crushers...................... ......45x20, 65x15 (x4)

Hammer Curls (seated).......... .........30x15 (x4)
..Superset
Overhead 1 ARM DB Extensions.....30x15 (x4)
 
While it was a short workout, it was still pretty intense, pushing myself to failure on almost every set. I had such a pump going in no time. I had gas left in the tank and wanted to get another set of exercises in, but ran out of time. *sigh*. Despite work constantly competing for my mornings/workout time I am enjoying have energy and drive again. I am loving the TRT, I just need to see if this is the right method of TRT for me, long term. Time will tell. :)
 
11/8 Legs

DB Squats........80x20, 100x15x3, 100x20, 120x20x7

Today was sort of a hacked up day. I woke a bit late, and on top of that, despite the extra bit of sleep, managed to mix my post shake as my pre (grabbed the wrong tupperware and did not realize it until too late). So I got a ton of extra protein and carbs pre. So I let that settle an extra 30 minutes then drank my normal PWO and the rest of my schedule as normal (IE: 15~20 minutes later started lifting). So I had my workout pushed twice (oversleep + extra time to digest the wrong shake).

I also felt like I have been getting good hamstring and calf workouts, but lately lacking on the quads due to limited equipment and lower back issues. So I decided to just do all squats, going for rep volume where I could not do weight volume. I also am stuck doing DB squats at the moment as those feel to be the least impactful on my lower back. I just did squats, with no target set range, just until I ran out of time this morning. It was also more of an all-body exercise since the DB squats were essentially a combination of a farmers carry and squats.
 
Sparkss said:
11/8 Legs

DB Squats........80x20, 100x15x3, 100x20, 120x20x7

Today was sort of a hacked up day. I woke a bit late, and on top of that, despite the extra bit of sleep, managed to mix my post shake as my pre (grabbed the wrong tupperware and did not realize it until too late). So I got a ton of extra protein and carbs pre. So I let that settle an extra 30 minutes then drank my normal PWO and the rest of my schedule as normal (IE: 15~20 minutes later started lifting). So I had my workout pushed twice (oversleep + extra time to digest the wrong shake).

I also felt like I have been getting good hamstring and calf workouts, but lately lacking on the quads due to limited equipment and lower back issues. So I decided to just do all squats, going for rep volume where I could not do weight volume. I also am stuck doing DB squats at the moment as those feel to be the least impactful on my lower back. I just did squats, with no target set range, just until I ran out of time this morning. It was also more of an all-body exercise since the DB squats were essentially a combination of a farmers carry and squats.
Click to expand...

Very nice Mr. Youre game is definitely stepping up, just start paying attention to that tupperware!!!! Hahaha!!
 
11/9 Rest day

Planned due to an early morning meeting, a decision reinforced by a general soreness and also having gotten to bed much later than normal last night. As predicted the DB squats yesterday also worked my upper back, shoulders and traps, in addition to the normal squat muscles of lower back, hamstring, quads and calves. Although my lower body is no where near as sore as my upper is right now. And my lower back is "pinging" a little. I think I will skip the squats until my lower back is strong enough/recovered enough to handle how I have to do squats here in my limited home gym. It is going to be lunges and hamstring curls for the next couple of leg workouts, but I need to see how much I can ramp up the lunges to get a good "feel" from the exercises (as my only quad exercise). I already know that I can really tax my hamstrings with the curl, and the same for the calf raises, so those are not an issue.
 
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