When do you actually need to take an AI on a first cycle? Confused by all the conflicting advice

[OhioStrong]

Starting my first cycle next month, 500mg test e per week. I've read so much conflicting advice about AI use. Some people say run anastrozole from day one. Others say wait for symptoms. I don't want to crash my e2 but also don't want gyno. Can someone give me a straightforward answer on this? I have adex on hand already.

[ScouseLad]

glad someone posted this. was gonna run adex from day 1 on my first cycle cos thats what i read everywhere. gonna wait for symptoms instead. so the signs to look for are puffy nips, water in the face and mood swings? and if i get those i start adex at like 0.25mg eod first and see how that goes?

[HighAltitude]

This thread helped me a lot. Was about to start adex from day one on my first cycle because I kept reading conflicting advice. The explanation of crashed E2 being worse than high E2 is what convinced me to wait for symptoms. The sensitive estradiol test versus standard immunoassay point is something I would not have known either. Going to get pre-cycle bloodwork including baseline E2 on the sensitive assay so I have something to compare against if symptoms appear.