Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I am compelled to write this review because I am so, so grateful that I realized *why* I was having the thoughts I was having before things got worse. If you do buy this product, please just be on the look out for this possible side effect: I started 5-HTP after a very stressful time in my life. I was under a lot of pressure at work, three young kids, a husband who travels for work, and maintaining a 4.0 GPA while taking 15 credits earning my BBA - Accounting at a nationally recognized university. I had no time to exercise or do anything relaxing for myself. My (general) anxiety was sky-high. I practice gratitude daily, mediate, and listen to uplifting CDs in my car as I drive...generally have a good attitude about life...but the stress was too much for these typical coping methods. I took 5-HTP as directed, one at night right before bed and after a few days, also one first thing in the morning (I had researched A LOT and read that you need to work up and that 200mg is the best daily dose). My "side effects" were very vivid dreams and a significant decrease in appetite...I couldn't hardly look at food. I after just a few days of taking two, I noticed that I had became severely depressed...actually suicidal. Each afternoon, I would get very down about things and felt like I couldn't "live like this anymore" and that if my life was going to be like this, I couldn't keep going. That happened for about five days until I realized that it could be related to 5-HTP. After researching it a bit online, I could find a few mentions of 5-HTP being linked to suicidal thoughts but typically you only hear the great things. I immediately stopped taking it and the thoughts and bad dreams went away. I even tried emptying the capsule in my mouth rather than swallowing and just at night (thinking I would be asleep during the bad thought time) and found that helped some but I still woke feeling *bad*. I am compelled to write this review because I am so, so grateful that I realized *why* I was feeling like that before things got worse. If you do buy this product, please just be on the look out for this possible side effect.