Whoa, very cool idea for a thread....
I'm still a newbie around these parts, joining almost 2 months ago. I was using Google and other search mechanisms to find information on supplements and gear. I rejoined the gym last year after finally completing my MBA and was making FAST natural gains. At 30, I guess I'm still young enough to be able to turn things around quickly...
I am lucky enough to be naturally athletic, so my fast gains didn't surprise me. Since October alone, I have dropped 6 inches off my waist and have added muscle everywhere...yeah, you could say I wasn't in shape while in school, but back then I'd argue that round IS a shape! Bottom line, I could see that I was approaching my natural peak since I actually got myself into better shape than I was 10 years ago.
I have alot of friends who do gear, and quite honestly, I never felt good about sticking things in my body without researching it first...which is how I found this site. If you would've asked me 3 months ago, what I wanted to do for gear, I would've told you "give me some Deca-Durabolin - nandrolone decanoate - and Winstrol - stanozolol for 6 weeks. Post-Cycle Therapy? What's that?" I'm glad I found this board before some dickhead gear dealer did....who knows what I would've gone through. Knowing what I know now, my friends are hurting themselves. Very few of them do PC.T, most of them overdose themselves, and none of them get bloodwork.
With the knowledge I gained here, not only did I know to get my bloodwork done, I am now on a prescribed HRT regiment and am using safe, legal OTC products from some of the board's sponsors...none of which I could find at my local stores. In fact, I'm slowly becoming an advocate among my friends for doing things safely so this messageboard is having far-reaching effects...it's amazing with all the information out there how many people choose to be ignorant and hurt themselves. I can't save the world, but if I can help my friends avoid danger, I will. Thanks EF for being patient with my newbie questions and keeping my ass (literally) from getting burned....