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Is this normal for newbies?

plath

Professional Newbie
i have tried kava a few times over the years- mostly generic kava tea, but then using the actual unground root and attempting to brew it the traditional way, but with old stuff I bought years ago. I would get a numb mouth but not much with regards to a kava mellowness.

Fast forward to now. I’m drinking too much alcohol and would like to change that. I suffer from anxiety and depression and have been using it to self medicate- coupled with four kids that I homeschool, I was drinking two strong beers or half a bottle of wine almost every night to decompress from my overwhelming and full day. It was becoming an unhealthy obsession.

So I decided to try kava more in depth. I’m on day three of using micronized loa lawena from cactus kava and I’m not noticing a huge effect. I am starting to feel like a kava failure. The past two nights I have used about 4 TB in a few hours with very little noticeability, which as I understand is quite a bit for micro. However, I did read that cactus kava might be low in potency? I’m just now getting a mellow feeling after 4 TB. I’m using warm water to dissolve, and no food past lunch. Is this the reverse tolerance issue? Or am I just too close to have drank alcohol? I haven’t had any for three days, which is the longest I’ve gone in months :/ Is this too much kava for someone new to it?
I did just purchase two different varieties from Bula to try them to compare, but was feeling a bit frustrated so thought I would make a post.
 

Groggy

Kava aficionado
Admin
i have tried kava a few times over the years- mostly generic kava tea, but then using the actual unground root and attempting to brew it the traditional way, but with old stuff I bought years ago. I would get a numb mouth but not much with regards to a kava mellowness.

Fast forward to now. I’m drinking too much alcohol and would like to change that. I suffer from anxiety and depression and have been using it to self medicate- coupled with four kids that I homeschool, I was drinking two strong beers or half a bottle of wine almost every night to decompress from my overwhelming and full day. It was becoming an unhealthy obsession.

So I decided to try kava more in depth. I’m on day three of using micronized loa lawena from cactus kava and I’m not noticing a huge effect. I am starting to feel like a kava failure. The past two nights I have used about 4 TB in a few hours with very little noticeability, which as I understand is quite a bit for micro. However, I did read that cactus kava might be low in potency? I’m just now getting a mellow feeling after 4 TB. I’m using warm water to dissolve, and no food past lunch. Is this the reverse tolerance issue? Or am I just too close to have drank alcohol? I haven’t had any for three days, which is the longest I’ve gone in months :/ Is this too much kava for someone new to it?
I did just purchase two different varieties from Bula to try them to compare, but was feeling a bit frustrated so thought I would make a post.
Welcome to kavaforums, sometimes it takes people a little time to get acclimated to kava. just keep drinking it every day or night and it should catch up to you. :)

It's very normal.
 

Intrepidus_dux

Kava O.G.
You have a full plate like me! Just keep swimming, just keep swimming! Do the micro, you may want to eventually try medium grind for a fuller effect.
 

sɥɐʞɐs

Avg. Dosage: 8 Tbsp. (58g)
Review Maestro
I'll drink about 4 or 5 sometimes 6 Tbsp of micro, but I definitely feel it. Pushing too far can give me some nausea and gut discomfort, sometimes even in to the next day...but I think I'm just wired to be more sensitive to that. Lawena (root stump) is generally weaker, with less total % kavalactones. Sometimes it's preferable because it feels and tastes "lighter".
 

Aquafina

Kava Curious
Plath, I had 2 months of RT. Also, I went from store bought stuff, then found this forum and medium grind, then on to micro, and have had a lot of ups and downs. It can take a while to work out, but stick with it, it's worth it! Homeschooling! God bless you! I've thought about it, and might yet with my youngest 2. Welcome!
 

plath

Professional Newbie
Thanks for all the encouragement and replies. I feel as though I’ve made a break through with my alcohol consumption, which is huge for me and I’m totally crediting kava. I’m definitely continuing with the kava. I took a break the past two nights and opened one of my favorite beers last night to drink and had no interest, which is simply unheard of for me. I couldn’t even finish it.
Back to kava tonight.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
Thanks for all the encouragement and replies. I feel as though I’ve made a break through with my alcohol consumption, which is huge for me and I’m totally crediting kava. I’m definitely continuing with the kava. I took a break the past two nights and opened one of my favorite beers last night to drink and had no interest, which is simply unheard of for me. I couldn’t even finish it.
Back to kava tonight.
yeah, that was part of the end stage of my transition. I went through about 2 or 3 weeks when I would come home, open a beer, and not drink it, just no interest after opening it. After that I wondered why the heck am I even bothering, especially as I would pour out the flat beer later? and then stopped. Never looked back
 

ThePiper

Kava Lover
Just keep doin what your doing. I can't really speak to cactus kava in terms of quality since i only tried them once. You May want to give one of the notoriously strong kavas a try to kick that RT into gear some more. Squanch, kava supreme, and nambawan come to mind.
 

plath

Professional Newbie
Lol no harm no foul. I just hate not knowing what to expect. Does that mean I’m in the club now? Haha
 
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