MuscleA., I'm not sure if maybe I've been away from the boards too long, but where I live 50mg of dbol for a first timer isn't keeping dosages low bro. Neither is 9 weeks 17-a's. I don't know who told you this cycle would limit side effects but he was smoking something, in my humble opinion. I'm not trying to give you a hardtime, b/c your responses show you genuinely want to get things right. Alot of guys can't take any criticisms so my hats off to you, but the cycle you were given really would be too long on the dbol for anyone, much less a first timer. By pyramiding up and down you spend limited time at the peak growth dosage while extending the duration and thus increasing the chance for sides. You should pick a dosage (20-25 is my suggestion) and go at it for 6 weeks and out. The deca is fine, but that dbol plan is no good. I'd up your dose to 25 tomorrow and run it for another 3 weeks (7week total MAX), if youdon't see some good size gains I'd start to question the dbols legitimacy. Don't go for 9 weeks and don't pyramid up to 50mg on your first cycle, particularly if you're stacking. Good luck bro.