thanks mate appreciate it. Is there any reason you use sust up to showtime and not switch over to prop or stop it a week or so out? You must be skilled at knowing what is water and what is fat and not stressing over that. Any cramping from that amount of diazide?
This is my theory. I'm sure there are smarter guys here who will pick it apart, but it works for me. And I'm sure I could be doing something better, but I can't afford to pay someone to help me with that.
I use sustanon up to show day to keep the body full of water and retain sodium. There's theories out there demonstrating that if the body is swollen with water, protein synthesis outpaces protein catalysis. Simply put, it's hard to go catabolic when you're swollen with water. Also, with high levels of sodium in the system, it's easier to train, keep muscles firing properly when you're lifting, and prevent cramping.
I keep a pretty detailed log of my bodyfat changes throughout off-season and pre-contest. I get a 7-fold caliper test once per week (got a buddy who PT's for a living) for a realistic measurment on where I'm at. I measure my BF by bioelectrical impedance every single day too, to make sure I'm tracking in the right direction before I go for my next caliper test every weekend. This helps me track water versus bodyfat quite well, at least for me.
I do cramp from the diazide. Eventually, it catches up to me at the show, but it's never gotten so bad that I got into big trouble. My calves cramp very badly, but I can usually make them cramp whenever I want. But when my pecs start cramping up, I know I've gone too far. It sucks onstage when you know you've gone too far, because you know you can't flex properly. You're like one step away from being carted off like Dillett at the Arnolds. I've gotten close, but never too close to the total body cramp phase.
The diazide doesn't cramp me nearly as bad, though, as lasix did. Lasix is no joke. I felt like I wanted to die on it. Just two amps via IV, but that was enough to say "never again". I probably just didn't know how to manage it right, and it was the first diuretic I'd ever used, of all things!
I do believe we all respond very differently in terms of severity to diuretics. Like you said above...a couple of diazides and you're cramping. I can do way more and not even get close. Maybe you simply carry less water in your body than I do? Some guys are just naturally drier than others. I do carry a lot of water normally, and I have to drop a lot to get thin skin.
Oh, and I left this out: I use Cytadren to kill the estrogen too in the last few days, and that really cuts out water too, I feel. Up to 500mg/day. I don't go up to 2000mg/day like some guys do to cut out cortisol. God help you if you get into trouble and start bleeding from a deep cut (like if you get into a car accident). Without cortisol in your system to manage shock, you're in big trouble.