Update: I've been using NSI for 4 months. Some observations and potential tips on getting it to work for you.
-The initial first 2 weeks were a bit of a rollercoaster mentally. First few days showed excellent improvement in mood and cognitive functionality. A few days after this, the opposite..deep depression, melancholy and amotivation. A single 100mg dose of 5htp reversed this by 50% and a 500mg dose of niacin another 50%. I took these only a few times in the beginning to get through the "break in period". Adding in daily folic acid and p-5-p seem to greatly boost the effects of NSI and I take these daily. They seem to impart a boost of energy at the very least and at best, make the NSI work as it should. I also inject B12 every few weeks.
-Like many people here, NSI relieves about 70-80% of my symptoms so I was searching for an additional boost, particularly in the DA department as I was still a bit anhedonic and amotivational(in a decent mood about it though). I tried 3-5mg of 9-me-bc from TLR and the additional boost of DA really seemed to make NSI shine for me. I used this combo for a few weeks with only a subtle decline from the mood, energy, and motivation boost.
-Since DA seems to be a key part of my quest to be happy,motivated and fully functional, I am now trying PRL-8-53 as per StrangeLove's recommendation. NSi + PRL (minus the 9-me-bc) has really knocked it out of the park for me. I feel great, can function all day physically and mentally with great mood. My memory/recall seems a bit enhanced though I have not tested it. I'll work on the "noot" part of the equation later as right now I am just enjoying the fact that I can enjoy life far better than before.
-Adding 1-5mg of 9me-bc to this mix is, hmm, not recommended unless facing an epic/heroic sort of day. I think it boosted my DA/NE too high and despite feeling terrific I could feel some reward seeking behaviors come rushing back...desire to drink/party and have reckless sex with anything with a pulse.
-For sleep issues. CBD oil (or high CBD strain cannabis) + Magnesium oil is now a powerful combo for me. Taken 2 hours before bed, I now no longer have sleep maintenance insomnia that I have suffered from for over 15 years. It's now hard to wake up and when I do, I feel refreshed and not achy/tired like I have for ages. Without this combo, I definitely have a hard time sleeping from the NSI/PRL combo(which I dub, the Strangelove Combo) as my mind just wants to think. It's a pleasant feeling in many ways since I was shut down for so long, but I do feel like good sleep is vital for the sort of restorative effects on the brain we are all seeking.
I take only 10-20mg of PRL and 20-30mg of NSI per day. Raising the dose of NSI to 40 or more seems to bring back the depression I felt during the break in period. I'm happy with 20mg and it makes the supply last longer. I'll keep the PRL dose at 20mg or less for as long as this works (hopefully in perpetuity).
Other supplements I take:
150mg Ubiquinol CoQ10
2-4 krill oil caps
mixed beta carotinoids
500mg Niacin
Curcumin (CurcuGels)
250mg TUDCA
folic acid
P-5-P
liposomal vitamin C(1-2x per week)
Gamma E
KSM-66 ashwagandha (I've not felt the need for this for the last 2 weeks, so its been deleted for now)
CBD oil/strain
Also on TRT as of December which I feel helps the stack to shine. I was low T for awhile which can obviously magnify depression/anxiety greatly.
I hope these tips help although I realize they are very specific to my brain/body chemistry an situation. I'm a 43 year old male, athletic field biologist, was subjected to repeated heavy stressors under a chronic sleep deficit over the last 10 years and felt these really impacted my mood, energy, memory. I feel it's not terribly unlike the descriptions of PTSD which is why NSI interested me in the first place. Cannabis is the only drug I've used and whether this contributed to my symptoms..I'd have to say "yes..sort of" because it was also the only way I could sleep during those years. Whether I would now be worse off if I abstained and just put up with the anxiety and sleep deprivation, is a topic for another time.