New to kava need help

[Matthew Emmons]

so I am new to kava. Tried it for the first time yesterday. I ordered some from amazon. It’s a 9% Fijian waka. Called Dua Na Bilo. Not sure of the quality as I have never taken it before. So far I have soaked it loose in water then filtered the large sediment and drank the water with the remaining powder sediment left in it. I have heated it loosely in water on a low heat for about 10 minutes but never exceeded a temp that I couldn’t put my hand in with minimal discomfort then poured it through a dress sock. This filtered out even the very small sediment. Finally I have put cool water in a bowl put the kava in a dress sock and soaked it for nearly an hour then kneeded it in the water and really squeezed out every last drop of water I could.
So far I have not felt to much as far as effectiveness. The last method seems to have worked the best as I do have some light headedness yet feel calm. I also did this last process and took it on an empty stomach. It should be noted that for each one of the first 2 methods I used 2 heaping serving spoons (soup spoons) of kava. The last method I used 3.

I have also taken a K@ that works for me with these methods.

Anyhow, my question is, without getting too technical, can someone recommend a good website, type of kava and prep process for me to try that has had good results for you? Thanks!!

 

[The Kap'n]

so I am new to kava. Tried it for the first time yesterday. I ordered some from amazon. It’s a 9% Fijian waka. Called Dua Na Bilo. Not sure of the quality as I have never taken it before. So far I have soaked it loose in water then filtered the large sediment and drank the water with the remaining powder sediment left in it. I have heated it loosely in water on a low heat for about 10 minutes but never exceeded a temp that I couldn’t put my hand in with minimal discomfort then poured it through a dress sock. This filtered out even the very small sediment. Finally I have put cool water in a bowl put the kava in a dress sock and soaked it for nearly an hour then kneeded it in the water and really squeezed out every last drop of water I could.
So far I have not felt to much as far as effectiveness. The last method seems to have worked the best as I do have some light headedness yet feel calm. I also did this last process and took it on an empty stomach. It should be noted that for each one of the first 2 methods I used 2 heaping serving spoons (soup spoons) of kava. The last method I used 3.

I have also taken a K@ that works for me with these methods.

Anyhow, my question is, without getting too technical, can someone recommend a good website, type of kava and prep process for me to try that has had good results for you? Thanks!!

Get yourself a good strainer cloth. I recommend Bula Kava House's from personal experience. Manual extraction is what you're missing. You need to knead. Squeeze, smash, and push that kava around in the kava strainer in your bowl. I do it for about 10 minutes, and then give it one last wring before putting it in the fridge to chill.

Also welcome! Glad to have you


Edit: Also, here's a link to get you going
http://kavaforums.com/forum/forums/kava-lounge.14/?prefix_id=13

Edit2: You might want to bump your dosage up a bit. Maybe another spoon. It's good kava.

 

[NotKrunk]

so I am new to kava. Tried it for the first time yesterday. I ordered some from amazon. It’s a 9% Fijian waka. Called Dua Na Bilo. Not sure of the quality as I have never taken it before. So far I have soaked it loose in water then filtered the large sediment and drank the water with the remaining powder sediment left in it. I have heated it loosely in water on a low heat for about 10 minutes but never exceeded a temp that I couldn’t put my hand in with minimal discomfort then poured it through a dress sock. This filtered out even the very small sediment. Finally I have put cool water in a bowl put the kava in a dress sock and soaked it for nearly an hour then kneeded it in the water and really squeezed out every last drop of water I could.
So far I have not felt to much as far as effectiveness. The last method seems to have worked the best as I do have some light headedness yet feel calm. I also did this last process and took it on an empty stomach. It should be noted that for each one of the first 2 methods I used 2 heaping serving spoons (soup spoons) of kava. The last method I used 3.

I have also taken a K@ that works for me with these methods.

Anyhow, my question is, without getting too technical, can someone recommend a good website, type of kava and prep process for me to try that has had good results for you? Thanks!!

What the Kapm said. Also can consider an Alluball for a quick prep, though if I have time I prefer a trad prep. I never tried the kava your using. Mainly my experience has been with KWK and I have not been disappointed. I started out with Wakacon Fiji Waka and that even did it for me. Maybe a bit of reverse tolerance?

 

[Matthew Emmons]

So I picked up some KWK Pouni Ono. 4 heaping soup spoons into a food processor on high for about 5 minutes with tap hot water than ran it through a clean dress sock I use as a strainer. It took a lot to get all the liquid out as the fine ground root plugged up the sock a bit. I ran it through a second time then threw it down the hatch. Got the numb feeling in my mouth but again that was it.

Everything I read said this KWK I got was some pretty rich stuff and would give a nice heady feeling. I guess I’ll try doing it the old fashioned way tomorrow and see if that works better. I have heard that boiling will help but have also heard that it will dilute the potency. I don’t know. Maybe this stuff just doesn’t work for me but I’m not exactly ready to give up just yet.

 

[Groggy]

So I picked up some KWK Pouni Ono. 4 heaping soup spoons into a food processor on high for about 5 minutes with tap hot water than ran it through a clean dress sock I use as a strainer. It took a lot to get all the liquid out as the fine ground root plugged up the sock a bit. I ran it through a second time then threw it down the hatch. Got the numb feeling in my mouth but again that was it.

Everything I read said this KWK I got was some pretty rich stuff and would give a nice heady feeling. I guess I’ll try doing it the old fashioned way tomorrow and see if that works better. I have heard that boiling will help but have also heard that it will dilute the potency. I don’t know. Maybe this stuff just doesn’t work for me but I’m not exactly ready to give up just yet.

The supply from a little over 2 years ago was indeed very heady. From what I've heard, this current run leans to the more balanced effects but those distinction aren't that important in the first couple months, find something that hits the spot and then explore from there.

 

[Matthew Emmons]

Update- made a grog today with the above mentioned KWK the traditional way. About 12 ounces of Hot tap water in a bowl, soaked about 5 heaping serving spoons of kava in my strainer sock for about an hour then kneaded the bag for a good 20 minutes or so and finished it off with a good wringing out. The grog was very Milky and had the consistency of a chocolate whole milk. It have very little sediment and wasn’t to bad as long as I just chugged the whole thing all at once. I got the numb mouth feeling as I always do. It’s been about 30 minutes.

I guess I feel slightly giddy or a little happier but that might just be because the kids have left for school and the wife is off to work. I really didn’t have any pain to speak of in the first place so I can’t talk on those types of effects. I do feel slightly flush almost like I took a shot or two of whisky. I don’t really feel relaxed. It’s like I’m right on the edge of something to be desired but it’s just not there. I guess it’s rather frustrating and almost makes me feel panicky but not quite. I’ll give it about 45 minutes or so and check back in.

By the way, I am a retired Vet. I was medically retired at 16 years in and labeled as a “disabled” vet for persistent PTSD symptoms. That’s part of the reason I am trying kava. The other part is that I have been self treating my PTSD symptoms with K@ for the last few years with moderate success but have become extremely physically dependent on it and go through significant and incapacitating withdrawals when I run out. K@ was costing me on average of $1000 USD a month and can no longer support the addiction. I am hoping that kava will be a safer nonadictive alternative to the K@. So far I have noticed that even if I don’t feel the effects of kava, I have not needed to take the K@ as frequently although I have not stopped taking K@ all together yet, I feel like the kava is already a win in my book and am interested in seeing how well it works to reduce the withdrawal symptoms of K@ whe I stop taking it all together.

It should be noted that I have not felt the effects of K@ in a very long time. I started taking it because I had become dependent on opiates after being on them for three month preceding a shoulder reconstruction. My reason for taking K@ was not to get high, rather combat the effects of opiate withdrawal. Although it was very effective, it’s a double edged sword as K@ in and of itself is extremely PHYSICALLY addicting for me.

I will continue to post updates about my journey with kava and my battle with getting off of K@ if y’all want to hear more. Just let me know.

For now, god speed! Until next time!

Edit- I feel it is important to tell you that I did drink this grog at about 815am on an empty stomach. I have not eaten anything since yesterday evening around 430pm. I know that’s an important detail when discussing the effects of kava. The last time I took K@ was at about 715am. It was a heaping tablespoon using the old toss and wash method. The K@ I use is a mixture of meng da green and train wreck purchased from Earth K@. It is by far the most effective mixture of whole ground K@ I have used. I originally started with some K@ called Ultra Enhanced Indonesian (UEI). It’s an extract that is extremely potent with the exact same effects as if you slapped on a fentenol patch or chewed up 2-4 Percocet. It was purchased through a web based company called kratomkats. I do not think they sell this anymore however there are websites that do sell UEI but I have found none of them came close to comparable with the UEI from Kratomkats. To give you an idea of UEI, 30 grams cost about $279 USD. Where as 1 kilo (1,000 grams) of the above mentioned K@ I take now cost about $129 USD. 30 grams of UEI would last me about 5-6 days at about a 1/4 teaspoon to a 1/2 teaspoon per serving taken every 3-4 hours. 2 kelos of what I take now lasts a bit over a month at 1 heaping serving spoon a serving taken every hour to 3 hours.

This is all I will talk about K@ unless you have specific questions for me. I just wanted to give a little background as to where I am coming from. Thanks again!

 

[Matthew Emmons]

Just purchased some Tongan Family Reserve from The Kava Root. I have heard this is some pretty exciting stuff from a few threads on here. Let me know if anyone has experience with it. Thanks!

 

[Matthew Emmons]

So it’s been several hours now since I took the KWK Pouni Ono. It took about 45 minutes for it to start taking effect. Initially it was somewhat pleasant but as time progressed I started feeling more and more agitated and extremely restless. Like I had mentioned before, I felt like I was on the brink of feeling desired effects but not quite there. That feeling did not go away. It intensified until it was flat out agitation coupled with the fluttery heart and sweaty palms. I actually felt like I was having a mild panic attack. That feeling persisted until I took some K@, a few Ibuprofen and laid down to calm myself down. I’m really not sure what the deal is with me but so far that’s the first I was actually able to feel any effects of kava and it was not pleasant. I’m still not ready to give up on it yet. I have orders another kind of kava from a different vendor to see what’s out there That might be right for me. I am also going to try taking it more than once during the day to see if maybe it needs to build up a bit before I start getting the effects that everyone raves about. Let me know if you have any recommendations for me!

 

[rapunzel]

So it’s been several hours now since I took the KWK Pouni Ono. It took about 45 minutes for it to start taking effect. Initially it was somewhat pleasant but as time progressed I started feeling more and more agitated and extremely restless. Like I had mentioned before, I felt like I was on the brink of feeling desired effects but not quite there. That feeling did not go away. It intensified until it was flat out agitation coupled with the fluttery heart and sweaty palms. I actually felt like I was having a mild panic attack. That feeling persisted until I took some K@, a few Ibuprofen and laid down to calm myself down. I’m really not sure what the deal is with me but so far that’s the first I was actually able to feel any effects of kava and it was not pleasant. I’m still not ready to give up on it yet. I have orders another kind of kava from a different vendor to see what’s out there That might be right for me. I am also going to try taking it more than once during the day to see if maybe it needs to build up a bit before I start getting the effects that everyone raves about. Let me know if you have any recommendations for me!

As an initial matter, thank you for your service to the country.

On to kava. You might want to try taking it later in the day. Not sure what time zone you are in. But when I have kava too early in the day, especially something heady, I find it agitating like you described. I have no idea why and it doesn’t make much sense to me, but there it is. Time of day matters for me. I recommend trying the heavier types late afternoon/ early evening and see if you have a better experience.

 

[SelfBiasResistor]

Just purchased some Tongan Family Reserve from The Kava Root. I have heard this is some pretty exciting stuff from a few threads on here. Let me know if anyone has experience with it. Thanks!

You'll probably find the effects you're looking for in stronger Vanuatu kava. Tongans are not the strongest. TFR is on the upper end of potency for Tongans but you'll be best off with something like Stone, Nangol or Supreme early on IMO. Have you completely switched over from the UEI to the plain leaf? The UEI is/was a very potent extract, you'll be better off switching to over completely to the plain leaf blend before trying to replace it with kava. I feel like a good strategy for you would be to take your plain leaf during the day, then kava at night at the start. I'm similar to @rapunzel and can only enjoy kava late afternoon or at night. Drinking during the day makes everything feel uncomfortable and whatever I'm doing feels like it's just getting in the way of the kava feel which can make even normal activities very annoying.

 

[Matthew Emmons]

Yes. I have not taken UEI in a long time. It’s been well over a year. Right now I am experimenting with the kava to find the effects I am looking for before I make the switch completely. the KWK that i have experimented with has so far been mixed. I find that the first frog of the day doesn’t do much for me but the second is really nice. It’s a pleasant light headedness almost like having about 2 or 3 beers. It hasn’t made me lazy or want to just sit around although it has made me chain smoke. I have been combating that with a nice vapor stick somewhat low in nicotine. For some reason taking kava on an empty stomach has done nothing but make me very jittery and flustered. I have taken K@ significantly less while on the kava. The really good feeling I get with the kava lasts about an hour or so while the pleasant relaxed mood has lasted several hours past that. I’m just glad this reverse tolerance thing is over with now.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Sometimes when people experience kava strongly for the first time it can be distressing, simply because it is unfamiliar. So people naturally worry. Am I OK? What is happening to me? Will it get worse? How soon will I be normal again? Even in people not prone to anxiety these can be powerful feelings, and also kind of make the experience not as good. But with experience, especially as all those troubling questions get satisfactory answers, that effect is lessened. Or people give up. It's about 50-50 maybe.

 

[Ben Thomas]

So it’s been several hours now since I took the KWK Pouni Ono. It took about 45 minutes for it to start taking effect. Initially it was somewhat pleasant but as time progressed I started feeling more and more agitated and extremely restless. Like I had mentioned before, I felt like I was on the brink of feeling desired effects but not quite there. That feeling did not go away. It intensified until it was flat out agitation coupled with the fluttery heart and sweaty palms. I actually felt like I was having a mild panic attack. That feeling persisted until I took some K@, a few Ibuprofen and laid down to calm myself down. I’m really not sure what the deal is with me but so far that’s the first I was actually able to feel any effects of kava and it was not pleasant. I’m still not ready to give up on it yet. I have orders another kind of kava from a different vendor to see what’s out there That might be right for me. I am also going to try taking it more than once during the day to see if maybe it needs to build up a bit before I start getting the effects that everyone raves about. Let me know if you have any recommendations for me!

I’ve struggled to put words to how kava has made me feel but no matter how hard I try, adjust, tinker with timing, food, no food etc it gives me panic. It’s all in my body though. Heart races fast, stiff muscles, sweaty hands and no appetite. Honestly mimicking panic attacks I had years and years back. I don’t get it. The only way for me to enjoy it is to just get completely blasted on kava and fall asleep. The sleeps the good part. Soon as I wake up though my face gets very itchy, Red and I have almost a rash all over my neck and back. I’m guessing I’m allergic to be honest because I just can’t have a good experience, it’s such a racy substance for my chemistry.

 

[Matthew Emmons]

Sometimes when people experience kava strongly for the first time it can be distressing, simply because it is unfamiliar. So people naturally worry. Am I OK? What is happening to me? Will it get worse? How soon will I be normal again? Even in people not prone to anxiety these can be powerful feelings, and also kind of make the experience not as good. But with experience, especially as all those troubling questions get satisfactory answers, that effect is lessened. Or people give up. It's about 50-50 maybe.

I have tried several different kinds of Kava from several different sources and have definitely found one that works best for me but even with that one, I get a feeling very similar to the feeling you have after drinking 2-3 beers for an occasional drinker. I no longer drink(haven’t in probably 2 years) even then I was just an occasional drinker. Anyhow I get that feeling for a short burst of time. Feels great but wears off quickly. I guess it causes anxiety or frustration because I’m expecting it to increase in intensity and feel even better or maintain for a while and it doesn’t. I have taken it in spurts, twice a day for a few days then not at all for 4 or 5 days. Once or twice I have taken it maybe 3 times and have gone through a half pound in easily 4-5 uses. I’m not sure if I’m just not preparing it correctly. Maybe I’m not getting all I should be out of my process. I have soaked it in hot tap water for up to 40 minutes and kneaded it for a solid 15 minutes then made a second batch with the same kava obviously skipping the soaking process. I’ll mix the two frogs together or drink the first frog while I work on the second and save the second for a little while later. I have even tried drinking both frogs one right after the other. I have tried sipping the grog and taking my time and have also tried pounding it all at once. I have prepared my grog with a blender and the traditional way. Nothing seams to make much of a difference. I’m not sure if maybe I just have not found a really good quality kava that has the effect I am looking for or if I’m looking for an effect that isn’t what java produces. I’ll keep trying different thinks though. I do know that from reading a lot of these forums it’s just a matter of finding that perfect mix of java and process. I’m just glad I’m past the reverse tolerance because that lasted a while.

 

[Intrepidus_dux]

I have tried several different kinds of Kava from several different sources and have definitely found one that works best for me but even with that one, I get a feeling very similar to the feeling you have after drinking 2-3 beers for an occasional drinker. I no longer drink(haven’t in probably 2 years) even then I was just an occasional drinker. Anyhow I get that feeling for a short burst of time. Feels great but wears off quickly. I guess it causes anxiety or frustration because I’m expecting it to increase in intensity and feel even better or maintain for a while and it doesn’t. I have taken it in spurts, twice a day for a few days then not at all for 4 or 5 days. Once or twice I have taken it maybe 3 times and have gone through a half pound in easily 4-5 uses. I’m not sure if I’m just not preparing it correctly. Maybe I’m not getting all I should be out of my process. I have soaked it in hot tap water for up to 40 minutes and kneaded it for a solid 15 minutes then made a second batch with the same kava obviously skipping the soaking process. I’ll mix the two frogs together or drink the first frog while I work on the second and save the second for a little while later. I have even tried drinking both frogs one right after the other. I have tried sipping the grog and taking my time and have also tried pounding it all at once. I have prepared my grog with a blender and the traditional way. Nothing seams to make much of a difference. I’m not sure if maybe I just have not found a really good quality kava that has the effect I am looking for or if I’m looking for an effect that isn’t what java produces. I’ll keep trying different thinks though. I do know that from reading a lot of these forums it’s just a matter of finding that perfect mix of java and process. I’m just glad I’m past the reverse tolerance because that lasted a while.

If I were you, I would save my kava for evening use and days off, in order to keep costs down. If you must drink it throughout the day, try drinking it weaker. What kava are you using again?

Over time, as kavalactones build up in your body, you'll find a groove of what style and frequency works best for you. Initially kava was very expensive for me because I wanted to try all the different kinds and drink it all day. This is not productive or good for one's budget unless you drink it extremely weak like @Krunkie McKrunkface does. I have settled into spending around $200 a month on kava and had to make room in my budget for this. I consume 2-3 lbs a month on average, so it makes sense to me that 1/2 pound didn't take you very far. I like to mix a less expensive kava with my good stuff to make it last longer. Also, you can buy kava in bulk if your finances allow for this.
Bula!

Edit: Squanch and kava supreme will get you more bang for your buck, as will melo melo

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

If I were you, I would save my kava for evening use and days off, in order to keep costs down. If you must drink it throughout the day, try drinking it weaker. What kava are you using again?

Over time, as kavalactones build up in your body, you'll find a groove of what style and frequency works best for you. Initially kava was very expensive for me because I wanted to try all the different kinds and drink it all day. This is not productive or good for one's budget unless you drink it extremely weak like @Krunkie McKrunkface does. I have settled into spending around $200 a month on kava and had to make room in my budget for this. I consume 2-3 lbs a month on average, so it makes sense to me that 1/2 pound didn't take you very far. I like to mix a less expensive kava with my good stuff to make it last longer. Also, you can buy kava in bulk if your finances allow for this.
Bula!

Edit: Squanch and kava supreme will get you more bang for your buck, as will melo melo

Extremely weak?????? I assure you, dear Madame that while you may accuse me of any such faiblesse, my grog is only moderately weak.

 

[Intrepidus_dux]

Extremely weak?????? I assure you, dear Madame that while you may accuse me of any such faiblesse, my grog is only moderately weak.

Lol!