I have been using 5-htp for about two years now. It has been a godsend as I have been on every anti-anxiety, MAOI, and SSRI you name it. My last SSRI was paroxetine two years ago. 5-htp helped with the detox tremedously.
But the story I want to tell you is about an experience I had about a year ago. I had been 300 mg a day of 5-htp out of this one bottle for about a week. One night I started to experience some of the worst muscle pain of my life. The next day it hadn't subsided so I went to the ER. All they could find was that I had a high count of some white blood cell, can't remember which. I think they thought I was looking for pain killers, so they were dicks. They gave me 3 10mg intravenous morphine shots and it barely touched the pain. They basically kicked me out since I didn't have insurance. The pain continued until I got a new bottle of 5-htp.
I don't know if there is a connection. I just wanted to share this experience. Hasn't happened since.
