Well, the snow's almost all melted, crocuses and daffodil greens are shooting up through the earth, the sun is shining warmer and it just smells like spring, finally.

I'm feeling so much better these days, much brighter and even more energy. I've been taking 25mg of 5-HTP every morning for almost two weeks now; it seems like such a small amount to make any difference, but all I can say is that I no longer feel that brutal edge of grief that's been cutting into me and crippling me for over a year now. I feel more motivated to putter CREATIVELY around the house, not just doing what has to be done (i.e., cleaning), but rearranging our photo wall, baking for hubby, etc.

I don't know if it's the 5-HTP...the other thing that happened in the last two weeks was the first anniversary of my brother's death...in a way, that was a huge weight off of my heart to see that day come and go. We gave Gary a three-shrimp salute, and after that I resolved to focus on getting my life back. But I had been on 5-HTP for almost a week by that point...so was it the 5-HTP, the passing of the anniversary, the arrival of spring, or a mixture of all three?

I'll stay on 5-HTP for awhile longer, and if this feeling of well-being continues, I'll try discontinuing it in 2-3 months to see what happens. For now, it does seem to be helping to boost me enough to make a good difference. And no side effects whatsoever.

BTW, the decision to take only 25mg came from researching 5-HTP on the web. I read many accounts of people who had taken the maximum dosage (300mg, if I recall correctly) and all experienced uncomfortable side effects. Some of those people had tried different dosages, and found the best results at 25mg first thing in the morning, before breakfast. It might not be enough for everyone, but it seems to be working for me for now.

(But just as a disclaimer, I was NOT clinically depressed...and do not recommend this product as an alternative to prescribed anti-depressants without consulting a qualified doctor and/or therapist.)