Kava Poll Positive effects vs. Negative effects *poll*

[sɥɐʞɐs]

Lately it's been increasingly hard for me to achieve satisfactory positive effects from kava powder, especially effects that aren't bogged down or masked by the negative effects I experience. It's gotten to the point where I think I'm often experiencing more side-effects and discomfort than I am desirable effects. While it's pretty well known that kava has the ability to cause temporary nausea and unpleasant GI effects...I don't believe those things are supposed to be the star of the show.

When I say negative effects, I only mean the nausea, bloating, general discomfort and whatever else that could emerge in the short-term during a kava session and maybe up to the next day. I'm not referring to long-term effects like dermopathy or dry itchy eyes.

While the ratio between positive to negative does have the ability to change depending on various factors, I'd say I'm very frequently experiencing 30% positive - 70% negative ....and almost never the inverse. I sometimes ask myself why I'd keep on going then...I guess my answer is because I'm always hoping I'll find the right kava or the right trick to bring me back to the days when the positives often outweighed the negatives. I also have considered that 30% positives might be better than not drinking kava at all, which would be 0% positive and ??% negative.

Anyway, I'm curious where everyone else stands, so please click the poll answer that closest represents your experience.

 

[recentreturn]

Its a bit hard for me to weigh how to estimate a percentage. I put down 50/50; however, the negative effects I get are not very negative. I don't usually get very bad nausea and GI problems aren't too big of a deal in the short term. The negative effects that bother me are:
#1: Appetite suppression; I usually put off eating in order to get the most bang for my buck. Then drinking the kava ends up taking way longer than I want it to. And I know that I am very hungry and I feel hungry in some ways; But then I struggle to think of a food that actually appeals to me and when I do eat, I don't enjoy it as much (even if I grill a nice steak or something). Secondly, I end up eating at absurd hours. Often I think I will do a quick kava session around 7PM then eat, but don't end up eating anything (other than slices of Swiss cheese that I use as a chaser) until 11PM.
#2: Very mild nausea. This takes place by means of the flavor, smell, or texture of the kava (especially Vanuatu kavas or when certain KT kavas are too smokey smelling). It makes me kind of dread having another shell. The numbing adds to this for me. Once in awhile I gag mid-shell. But I still want the next shell. Then I end up doing silly things like trying to coat my mouth in peanut butter or Nutella to stop the numbing, but get grossed about by too much sugar.
#3: Lethargy or sedation. Often I don't go into a session wanting to feel overly lethargic, but end up chasing the kavain too much and end up with mounting lethargy. I will sometimes go to the local bar for food afterward and end up not feeling very social at all; if I drink alcohol I usually hang out and socialize for a long time and have a good experience. After kava, its hit and miss. But I often just want to go home as quickly as possible; I've found that its better if I just bring a Nalgene of kava with me, then I can keep re-upping the kavain and don't feel like I'm at the end of something. However, then problem #1 kicks back in and I don't end up getting good nutrition but just eat some cheese balls or jalapeno poppers.
#4: GI issues. Lately I have not had trouble so much with bloating etc. However as a consequence of #1, I end up eating unbalanced meals together with the fiber that was in the kava and end up semi-constipated, feeling like I'm not getting my system emptied as well as I should (sorry if that TMI).

I theorize that these problems are really side-effects of not using kava wisely, more than side-effects of kava itself. Namely, I think weaker batches consumed over a long period of time and taken as an event-in-itself would offset some of this. Secondly, I think that drinking kava only a few times a week would also help tremendously. I think that the idea that I'm just gonna have a real quick session then eat causes me to make the shells too strong. This results in an inconsistent distribution of the kavain effects and fails to actually keep the session short enough to eat in a timely manner. Probably better to eat normally and not drink kava 4-5 days a week and really engage in long low-medium potency sessions 2-3 days a week. The negative effects just wouldn't be that bad if they weren't repeating day after day. I get hungrier and hungrier while still not eating enough or the right foods, and eating continues not to be a satisfying experience. Better hydration would also probably help, but the appetite suppression also affects my drive to consume beverages.

 

[Kojo Douglas]

I’d say I have sessions that aren’t good, but that 90% of the time it works perfectly for me.

The only issue for me is that daily krunking can often make me a bit “slow” when I’m at work. So I have to lay off the Kava every now and then.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

I have absolutely nothing but good experiences with kava. Every day. Several times a day, for coming up on two years now. Thank you, kava. I used to get mild dermo but have not for many many months. Way back when I first started, it took a while to get used to the taste but I never ralphed or heaved or anything. My sides would ache just before I would shell, I assume in anticipatory terror of the dreaded root. But that was a long time ago. My operating principle is that kava is good, and should feel good, all the time, every time, or else it would be a heads up to me that something is wrong and I should investigate.

 

[BulamamatoNCIRVCKKPC]

I'm with Krunkie, as long as I prepare it the same way. I can drink it all day, eat as I normally would, work, exercise, clean (even more motivated to do these things since kava). My axiety/stress level was crippling, more than I even was aware of until I started drinking this beloved root all afternoon until 7pm. Occasionally, I was getting bloating and nausea. I have fixed most of those issues and am working on the rest, as I am new to kava (about 2 months). Thank you, kava!

 

[kastom_lif]

I voted 90%-10% and 70%-30% because new kavas take time to learn. I have a bad habit of tanking a whole liter all at once, and sometimes that can backfire.

If I were a daywalker, I'd water the kava way down or drink it in smaller shells. But you know what? Getting fuldrong a few nights a week keeps anxiety away just as well as drinking light kava during the daytime. Plus I'm free to sip yerba mate during the daylight hours.

 

[Blinkyrocket]

One of the main things that bothers me, recently, about Kava is that my heart rate shoots through the roof sometimes. Sometimes, my heart rate stays well above 100 even a few hours after having consumed Kava. It's really agitating and stressful. Also, because my anxiety makes me extremely attentive to bodily functions, I notice that Kava depresses my diaphragm's ability to breathe. This can cause some abdominal pain and psychological discomfort, since I'm used to relying on the rhythmic and calming feeling, of my diaphragm contracting and relaxing, to stay un-anxious. If it weren't for those issues, I'd probably rate Kava's effects as being 90-100% positive instead of 50/50% positive/negative.

 

[Kavashua]

One of the main things that bothers me, recently, about Kava is that my heart rate shoots through the roof sometimes. Sometimes, my heart rate stays well above 100 even a few hours after having consumed Kava. It's really agitating and stressful. Also, because my anxiety makes me extremely attentive to bodily functions, I notice that Kava depresses my diaphragm's ability to breathe. This can cause some abdominal pain and psychological discomfort, since I'm used to relying on the rhythmic and calming feeling, of my diaphragm contracting and relaxing, to stay un-anxious. If it weren't for those issues, I'd probably rate Kava's effects as being 90-100% positive instead of 50/50% positive/negative.

I’ve had similar issues lately, I find that I need to drink kava excessively to bring my heart rate down. My session often follows this path: 1. Two shells feel great 2.heart rate begins to climb 3. Drink more shells, heart rate drops and feel good again 4. Now feeling the effects of the heavier kavalactones and getting lazy. I miss the energizing feeling I used to get and I think I need to try some different strains to find it

 

[rapunzel]

I went with 70% positive. The negatives are nausea and/or ruining my appetite. I just don’t enjoy my food after a good session, though I am enjoying the 20 pounds lost over the last year. I also consider having to drink the nasty tasting stuff to be a negative, though it’s technically not an effect. Lastly, the peeing drives me crazy. I try to end my session early enough in the evening and make a stronger grog, but i wake up every night to pee. I’ve never had an issue with nausea or grogginess the next day, which is fantastic.

 

[kavamehameha]

I used to get bloated from downing litres of kava prepared Fijian or even Tongan styles. These days I make my kava Vanuatu or @Kapmcrunk style. 40g to 500ml of warm water, all downed in 2 quick servings and chased away with a big apple. That's it. Beautiful .

Approximately how many tablespoons are 40 g?

 

[ProjectK]

The only negative effect that i attribute to kava is dermo. I used to drink micros exclusively, and my dermo would be awful. I had to get a shot one time, and when i lifted up my shirt it literally looked like i started a blizzard. Im sure the guy was wondering "wtf is wrong with this guy". It would seriously effect my eyes, my mouth, my stomach...etc. After finally switching to a Aluball, prepping is easy as can be and my dermo has subsided dramatically. i still have a little bit on various parts of the body but nothing to truly bother me. Honestly I can take the dry skin, the only time it bothers me is around the eyes.

And yes, kava is worth the dermo. It is hands down the best thing for anxiety and nervousness.

 

[kavamehameha]

40g is roughly a little less than 250ml half a cup

Wow, that's concentrated. Half a cup are about 8 tablespoons; with 500 ml water this gives a hell of a grog. I can imagine this to be pretty effective!

 

[readyman]

anyone ever get slightly dizzy the following day after perhaps too much kava the day before

 

[The Kap'n]

maybe change yoru strainer or water to root ratio?

Many people I know used to experience nausea/bloating before they switched to using ultra fine strainers (I personally use a 75 micron nylon bag, but others might want it even finer).

I used to get bloated from downing litres of kava prepared Fijian or even Tongan styles. These days I make my kava Vanuatu or @Kapmcrunk style. 40g to 500ml of warm water, all downed in 2 quick servings and chased away with a big apple. That's it. Beautiful .

You probably know all this anyway, but just posting it here for the benefit (?) of others who may be suffering frm the kind of GI issues I used to experience before switching to the above tools and styles of drinking

The 40 gram club is always accepting new members!

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

40g sounds like a fair amount to use each day. Do you ever get insomnia or other negative effects beside dermo kap

 

[The Kap'n]

40g sounds like a fair amount to use each day. Do you ever get insomnia or other negative effects beside dermo kap

I don't. I wake up daily at 4:15AM, so there aren't many things that will keep me from falling asleep.

The only times I've had insomnia were in the past when I tied into a kava that was less than noble. I always knew it would be a sleepless night when my skin started tingling all over. Nakamal @ Home's Discontinued Shaman Instant would do it every single time. Still have a 3/4 full tin of that stuff.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Yeah that's what happens to me kind of like a fuzzy buzzy effect that has a krunkness to it but not in the head only the body

 

[Kojo Douglas]

Wow, these results are pretty surprising!

 

[SelfBiasResistor]

I chose 50/50 and 30/70. The usual experience lately has been in the 30/70 range. If I have a batch of specific products that works really well, it's closer to the 50/50 range. 3 or 4 years ago, I would have considered myself in the 2 top ranges. Between the appetite suppression, never being able to enjoy good dinners (due to lack of desire or appreciation for food after drinking), nausea and no longer working as medicine (inflammatory pain relief, muscle relaxation, insomnia) I've been questioning for a while how much longer I want to keep it part of the daily routine. I know the answer is because I want to benefit from it as I have in the past and am always hopeful new batches will be equivalent to what I had enjoyed so much a few years ago.

I'm willing to accept that part of the problem is that it's always taken very high doses for me to feel good effects but I could reach them by drinking enough. It's also apparent that something about the roots sold lately is not the same as in years past.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

I do wonder how much kava is really part of a daily routine in any of the native cultures