RU / "Mifepristone Challenge" Log

[5 alpha]

Hi there! I'm ok thanks, but I think to be honest this hasn't done the trick and I'm sliding back to how I was. Sleep was the first thing to go back to shit and the rest is following.

However, I have a little more energy and my joints don't hurt or click like they did, which is good.

Post-cycle bloods were damaged in the post, refunded, and took the replacement ones today. Should be two weeks and we'll have them in.

For the caps I got something called "Pharmaceutical Grade Empty Vegetarian (Pullulan) Clear Capsules" - filled a few up on little jeweller's scales to 200mg and then got practiced enough to get them within a few mg each time. Took an afternoon though.

Hmmm... so Kinda of the same thing that I experienced improvements and than a slide back expect you’d improvements were not as significant but still the same slide back

When would you say the slide back started ? And how far along in the slide back would you say you are . This could give is an idea as to how relevant your labs that you have coming back in 2 weeks will be as far as telling us what could possibly be responsible for the slide back

Thanks for the info on the capsules. I will get the same ones

 

[jinstewart]

Hmmm... so Kinda of the same thing that I experienced improvements and than a slide back expect you’d improvements were not as significant but still the same slide back

When would you say the slide back started ? And how far along in the slide back would you say you are . This could give is an idea as to how relevant your labs that you have coming back in 2 weeks will be as far as telling us what could possibly be responsible for the slide back

Thanks for the info on the capsules. I will get the same ones

I'm not sure precisely, but I think I started slowly slipping back after about 10 days or just short of 2 weeks. Most noticeable loss was mood and 'world immersion', and then my sour headache started up on and off and also sleep started to get crappy again.

Skin is still a little bit better, and I think maybe I'm at a slightly higher general baseline than I was, but sexually nothing's improved at all. I 'feel' like I am 'using' estrogen again though, as my joints were clicky and horrid before, but now I can squat and deadlift and run again without the knees and back objecting.

Might have some bloods through by the end of the week, although DHT always takes AGES. I'll post them when I get them.

Well, we sure had fun in here and at least we were as scientific as we could be, but I can probably safely conclude this particular experiment has not cured PFS. Oh well, on to the next trial! Keep going folks.

 

[joekool]

Mifepristone promotes adiponectin production and improves insulin sensitivity in a mouse model of diet-induced-obesity. - PubMed - NCBI

Mifepristone reduces weight gain and improves metabolic abnormalities associated with risperidone treatment in normal men. - PubMed - NCBI

I just found there and didn’t know tests were done like this. Unless I missed it but it’s good to see other dosages that are deemed safe

 

[jinstewart]

All post-bloods EXCEPT DHT are in. Here is what we did versus the pre-bloods. Historic and on-cycle bloods are in the OP.

### Pre-RU bloods ###
Test - 20 nmol/L (8.64-29)
Cortisol - 411 nmol/L (166-507)
Test/Cort ratio 0.05

Albumin - 44.7g/L (35-50)
SHBG - 42.5 nmol/L (18.3-54.1)
FSH - 4 IU/L (1.5-12.4)
LH - 3.7 IU/L (1.7-8.6)
Oestradiol - <18.4 pmol/L (41-159)
Test - 20.3 nmol/L (8.64-29)
Free Test calc 0.368 nmol/L (0.2-0.62)
FAI 47.76 ratio (24-104)
Prolactin - 285 mU/L (86-324)
DHEA Sulphate - 5.4 umol/L (2.41-11.6)
Progesterone - 0.845 nmol/L ( < 0.474)
DHT - 1.79 nmol/L (1.14-4.13)
#########################

### Post-RU bloods ###
Test - 25 nmol/L (8.64-29) high range, got higher
Cortisol - 525 nmol/L (166-507) over range, got higher
Test/Cort ratio 0.05

Albumin - 45.2g/L (35-50) ok ish, got slightly higher
SHBG - 57.4 nmol/L (18.3-54.1) got higher, now over range
FSH - 4.85 IU/L (1.5-12.4) low-mid, got a little higher
LH - 5.16 IU/L (1.7-8.6) perfectly mid-range, got higher
Oestradiol - 67.6 pmol/L (41-159) back in range, a tad low but fine
Test - 25 nmol/L (8.64-29) high range, got higher
Free Test calc 0.38 nmol/L (0.2-0.62) mid range
FAI 43.55 ratio (24-104) low ish and got lower
Prolactin - 262 mU/L (86-324) slighty high, got lower
DHEA Sulphate - 6.23 umol/L (2.41-11.6) low/mid, got a little higher
Progesterone - 0.17 nmol/L ( < 0.474) !!!! THIS HAS NOW NORMALISED !!!!
DHT - 1.83 nmol/L (1.14-3.01) Up very slightly, note rage has changed AGAIN - but is perfect.
#########################

 

[5 alpha]

All post-bloods EXCEPT DHT are in. Here is what we did versus the pre-bloods. Historic and on-cycle bloods are in the OP.

### Pre-RU bloods ###
Test - 20 nmol/L (8.64-29)
Cortisol - 411 nmol/L (166-507)
Test/Cort ratio 0.05

Albumin - 44.7g/L (35-50)
SHBG - 42.5 nmol/L (18.3-54.1)
FSH - 4 IU/L (1.5-12.4)
LH - 3.7 IU/L (1.7-8.6)
Oestradiol - <18.4 pmol/L (41-159)
Test - 20.3 nmol/L (8.64-29)
Free Test calc 0.368 nmol/L (0.2-0.62)
FAI 47.76 ratio (24-104)
Prolactin - 285 mU/L (86-324)
DHEA Sulphate - 5.4 umol/L (2.41-11.6)
Progesterone - 0.845 nmol/L ( < 0.474)
DHT - 1.79 nmol/L (1.14-4.13)
#########################

### Post-RU bloods ###
Test - 25 nmol/L (8.64-29) high range, got higher
Cortisol - 525 nmol/L (166-507) over range, got higher
Test/Cort ratio 0.05

Albumin - 45.2g/L (35-50) ok ish, got slightly higher
SHBG - 57.4 nmol/L (18.3-54.1) got higher, now over range
FSH - 4.85 IU/L (1.5-12.4) low-mid, got a little higher
LH - 5.16 IU/L (1.7-8.6) perfectly mid-range, got higher
Oestradiol - 67.6 pmol/L (41-159) back in range, a tad low but fine
Test - 25 nmol/L (8.64-29) high range, got higher
Free Test calc 0.38 nmol/L (0.2-0.62) mid range
FAI 43.55 ratio (24-104) low ish and got lower
Prolactin - 262 mU/L (86-324) slighty high, got lower
DHEA Sulphate - 6.23 umol/L (2.41-11.6) low/mid, got a little higher
Progesterone - 0.17 nmol/L ( < 0.474) !!!! THIS HAS NOW NORMALISED !!!!
DHT - ??? nmol/L (1.14-4.13) -awaiting results-
#########################

Hmm... cortisol stays elevated higher than what it was pre RU and your prog levels normalize. Why wouldn’t cortisol normalize as well ?

Your Test/Cort ratio 0.05 ends up the same post RU than it was pre RU despite having higher Testosterone and cortisol levels. Almost like your body adjusting into what it thinks should be the proper balance between cortisol and testosterone even though it’s not what’s correct for you.

A clue making it appear as if something’s up with cortisol. These thoughts are consistent with what I have been saying as far as cortisol being to blame for my slide back when I almost recovered. I’m curious if keeping your cortisol in check coming off of RU would have made a difference for you

Almost like our systems can’t determine what the correct amount of cortisol levels should be. Receptors try to adjust in sensitivity level but can’t figure it out. I wonder if anyone has ever had cortisol metabolite levels tested and if not having cortisol converting to proper levels of metabolites is throwing everything off leading to improper cortisol levels to include improper release of cortisol amounts in response to stress. What would the connection to the prog receptors be though ? Or perhaps the reasoning as to why we see benefits from taking RU has nothing to do with prog receptors adjusting and it’s all about the cortisol and cortisol receptors

 

[5 alpha]

Hmm... cortisol stays elevated higher than what it was pre RU and your prog levels normalize. Why wouldn’t cortisol normalize as well ?

Your Test/Cort ratio 0.05 ends up the same post RU than it was pre RU despite having higher Testosterone and cortisol levels. Almost like your body adjusting into what it thinks should be the proper balance between cortisol and testosterone even though it’s not what’s correct for you.

A clue making it appear as if something’s up with cortisol. These thoughts are consistent with what I have been saying as far as cortisol being to blame for my slide back when I almost recovered. I’m curious if keeping your cortisol in check coming off of RU would have made a difference for you

Almost like our systems can’t determine what the correct amount of cortisol levels should be. Receptors try to adjust in sensitivity level but can’t figure it out. I wonder if anyone has ever had cortisol metabolite levels tested and if not having cortisol converting to proper levels of metabolites is throwing everything off leading to improper cortisol levels to include improper release of cortisol amounts in response to stress. What would the connection to the prog receptors be though ? Or perhaps the reasoning as to why we see benefits from taking RU has nothing to do with prog receptors adjusting and it’s all about the cortisol and cortisol receptors

Maybe try some of this guy? For cortisol . I just took a hit of it and god do I love this stuff

 

[Helen]

Hmm... cortisol stays elevated higher than what it was pre RU and your prog levels normalize. Why wouldn’t cortisol normalize as well ?

Your Test/Cort ratio 0.05 ends up the same post RU than it was pre RU despite having higher Testosterone and cortisol levels. Almost like your body adjusting into what it thinks should be the proper balance between cortisol and testosterone even though it’s not what’s correct for you.

A clue making it appear as if something’s up with cortisol. These thoughts are consistent with what I have been saying as far as cortisol being to blame for my slide back when I almost recovered. I’m curious if keeping your cortisol in check coming off of RU would have made a difference for you

ashwaganda is a gaba agonist.


https://www.hackstasis.com/threads/upregulated-gr-cortisol-receptor-theory.1648/page-2#post-53702

 

[jinstewart]

...And last of all, DHT is in!

DHT - 1.83 nmol/L (1.14-3.01) Up very slightly, note range has changed AGAIN - but is perfect.

So, great. I guess. I think (from my very limited understanding) we MAY have brought Progesterone back into line, but I'll do bloods again towards the end of my SJW run and confirm, just in case it was all still settling.

It didn't fix PFS but maybe it solved one aspect of things. I guess we'll see.

 

[Goose12]

...And last of all, DHT is in!

DHT - 1.83 nmol/L (1.14-3.01) Up very slightly, note range has changed AGAIN - but is perfect.

So, great. I guess. I think (from my very limited understanding) we MAY have brought Progesterone back into line, but I'll do bloods again towards the end of my SJW run and confirm, just in case it was all still settling.

It didn't fix PFS but maybe it solved one aspect of things. I guess we'll see.

I never tested bloods before ru but I had the exact same experience with ru that you did. It didn't fix pfs for me but it helped a lot and it makes the path to recovery better.

It helped a lot with digestion and anxiety.

 

[5 alpha]

B

...And last of all, DHT is in!

DHT - 1.83 nmol/L (1.14-3.01) Up very slightly, note range has changed AGAIN - but is perfect.

So, great. I guess. I think (from my very limited understanding) we MAY have brought Progesterone back into line, but I'll do bloods again towards the end of my SJW run and confirm, just in case it was all still settling.

It didn't fix PFS but maybe it solved one aspect of things. I guess we'll see.

It seems like that is the case. Another thought that I have is that it does not look like you have higher T and slightly higher DHT due to the increase in these hormones that you experienced while being on the drug still being left over in your blood. You have higher LH so it seems like you are straight up just producing more Testosterone and a little more of your T is converting to DHT. Adjusting prog receptors clearly has ability to influence everything although it’s also telling us what we already know as far as T and T’s ability to convert to DHT not being the problem.

The only thing that did not go back to normal or change for the better for you is cortisol.