Best PCT After a 12-Week Test Cycle

Post cycle therapy brings your own hormone production back after a run of testosterone. Done right, you protect mood, libido, energy, and training progress. Done poorly, you drag through weeks of low drive and inconsistent recovery. This guide gives you clear timing, compares options like Clomid and Nolvadex, shows simple schedules, and explains how to troubleshoot without overcomplicating things.

What PCT is trying to fix

A 12-week testosterone plan suppresses LH and FSH. Your testes idle. Once your last ester clears, serum testosterone falls fast while estradiol can hang around for a short window. PCT tells the pituitary to wake up so LH and FSH rise and testosterone follows. You are aiming for a steady return to baseline with minimal swings in energy, mood, and water balance.

What you need for a clean post-cycle reset.

When to start PCT

Start from the day of your last shot and pick the window based on the ester.

For short esters like propionate, begin PCT 3 to 5 days after the final injection. For longer esters like enanthate or cypionate, begin 14 days after the final injection. If you used a blend, follow the longest ester. A short oral finisher does not change this timing. If you want a quick look at formats and strengths before you plan, check the injectable steroids shelf and the listing for testosterone propionate or testosterone enanthate.

Clomid vs Nolvadex

Both are SERMs that block estrogen’s action at the pituitary so LH and FSH rise. They do the same job with slightly different feel.

Clomid offers a strong push on LH but can bring mood swings or visual strain at higher doses. Nolvadex gives reliable stimulation with a profile many users find easier to live with day to day. If you react poorly to one, the other is a fair switch at reasonable doses. Keep it simple. Start with one SERM. Add the second only if symptoms and labs show you need extra help.

You will find both products under cycle support, along with basics like pill splitters and a seven-day organizer.

Two clean PCT templates

These fit a straight 12-week testosterone plan. Adjust only if labs or a clinician tell you to.

Template A. Nolvadex only.
Weeks 1 and 2 at 40 mg daily. Weeks 3 and 4 at 20 mg daily. This works well for most single compound runs. It is easy to execute and easy to taper.

Template B. Clomid into Nolvadex.
Weeks 1 and 2 at Clomid 25 mg twice daily. Weeks 3 and 4 at Nolvadex 20 mg daily. Use this if you have a history of slower recovery or longer suppression, but keep doses modest to avoid rough side effects.

If you want tablets in hand before you start, source them from Clomid and Nolvadex pages and keep the rest of your kit ready under Syringes & Misc.

Where HCG fits

HCG is not PCT. It mimics LH and is best used before PCT to prime the testes while the ester clears. A common approach is 500 IU two or three times per week for two to three weeks, then stop HCG three days before your SERM starts. Do not overlap HCG and a SERM unless a clinician directs it. Keep sterile supplies and swabs in one place so timing stays tight. You will find the basics under Syringes & Misc.

How to train and eat during PCT

Keep training simple for the first two weeks. Reduce volume and top-end intensity. Run main lifts at a moderate effort and save hard finishers for later. Walk daily, get sunlight, and hold sleep to a fixed schedule.

Hold calories near maintenance for the first two weeks. After that, pick one target. If you want to stay lean, use a small deficit and protect strength. If you prefer to rebuild momentum, move to a slight surplus and progress slowly. Keep protein in the 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg range. Keep sodium steady day to day so water does not swing.

Labs that make decisions easy

Pull a baseline panel near your last shot. Repeat at the end of week 4 of PCT. Repeat again four to six weeks later.

You are watching total testosterone, free testosterone, and a sensitive estradiol assay. Add lipids, hematocrit, liver enzymes, and fasting glucose if you track nutrition closely. Check blood pressure at the same time of day two or three times per week. Trends beat single numbers. You want LH and FSH rising, free testosterone climbing, estradiol in a normal male range, and stable blood pressure.

Example timelines by ester

Enanthate or cypionate.
Day 0 is your last shot. Days 1 to 14 are off, letting the ester clear. Days 15 to 28 are PCT weeks 1 and 2. Days 29 to 42 are PCT weeks 3 and 4. Build training back after day 42 and pull labs by day 56.

Propionate.
Day 0 is your last shot. Days 1 to 4 are off. Days 5 to 18 are PCT weeks 1 and 2. Days 19 to 32 are PCT weeks 3 and 4. Build training back after day 32 and pull labs by day 46.

Troubleshooting common problems

If mood drops hard, first check sleep, steps, and meal timing. Many users feel flat in week 1 or 2 as levels fall. If the low mood continues, look at estradiol and SERM dose. High Clomid totals are a common trigger for feeling off. Lower the dose for a week and retest.

If nipples feel sore or look puffy in early PCT, review sodium and evening carb load before you touch drugs. If swelling holds for a week, bump Nolvadex to 40 mg for seven days, then return to plan and book labs.

If blood pressure runs high, clean up salt spikes, hydrate, and avoid late heavy meals. Do not chase pressure with a heavy aromatase inhibitor. You need some estradiol to feel decent and to protect joints.

If libido is slow to return after four weeks, pull labs. Free testosterone and estradiol together explain most cases. A small, targeted change based on numbers beats random tweaks.

For short-term sexual performance during recovery, review labels in Sexual Health and speak with a professional. Sleep and stress control usually help more than any add-on.

Best PCT after a 12-week test cycle.

Mistakes that stall recovery

Starting too early means your SERM fights active ester and leaves you frustrated. Overdosing SERMs replaces one set of symptoms with another. Running an aromatase inhibitor through PCT without a clear reason dries joints and flattens mood. Stacking every supplement muddies feedback. Training like you are still on drains what little recovery you have. Skipping labs forces you to guess, which stretches problems out for months.

Sample day during week 1

Wake and check resting heart rate. Eat a steady breakfast with protein and carbs. Train with moderate effort on main lifts and cut accessories short. Take the SERM as scheduled. Walk outside in the afternoon. Eat a balanced dinner with lean protein and vegetables. Set lights out at the same time nightly. Repeat.

After PCT ends

The next four to six weeks tell you if the axis holds. Keep logging sleep, weight, mood, and training. If drive and strength fade again, pull labs early and talk with a clinician. Think in seasons, not weeks. Run fewer, higher quality cycles and space them with full recovery phases. Treat your health markers like part of your scoreboard. They matter.

If you want a checklist before you start, stock cycle support for SERMs and organizers, plus Syringes & Misc for any sterile items you still need to clear the deck. Keep everything in one container so you never miss a dose.