Greetings Everyone! Some questions from a first time kava drinker.

[kl.nanocyte]

Hello Everyone!
I've just recently found this website after wanting to try kava for several years. Like many, I bought capsules at some point, but despite having taken over 20 pills (of Kona's 84% kavalactone tablets), they never really did anything, and I figured that either I had an extremely high tolerance, or its effect was just very subtle.

I've just received my first order of actual powdered Mahakea kava root from Kona Kava, and after mixing four tablespoons with some coconut milk, I'm actually feeling quite nice and relaxed. I unfortunately ordered before finding this great site, so I'm expecting some Fiji Waka from Kava by Rex in the next day or two ($25 a pound seemed like a steal for higher quality kava).

So far, I'm feeling mostly a body buzz, which I expected after reading Douglas' review. It's actually similar to marijuana, although I never really liked marijuana because of what it did to my sense of time and its incredibly long duration. I've always loved alcohol, especially a good pinot noir or single malt scotch, but even though I've never really had a drinking problem, it's nice to find a plant that I could use in lieu of something that has definite negative effects on the body. I've also been prescribed ativan (a benzodiazepine for anxiety) and ambien (a hypnotic for insomnia) in the past, but I found that the rebound depression from those just wasn't worth the benefits, and so far, even this weak kava seems to have a fairly strong anxiolytic and muscle relaxing effect. The only other non-pharmaceutical agent I've found that's helped with sleep is K@, but that comes with it's own problems, including the potential for addiction and terrible withdrawal symptoms (for those of you who don't know, it activates the same receptors as opiates and is just as addictive if taken regularly.)

Anyway, I did have a question regarding the nausea, as I was hit by a sudden wave about 45 minutes after consuming the kava. It seems from what I've read that Isa strains and kavas that are higher in DHM are more prone to producing nausea. Does this mean that any kava that has primarily a bodily effect will have a higher tendency to cause nausea? I'm not really feeling much in terms of mental effects from Kona's kava, but did feel a sudden, and quite strong, surge of nausea a while after I drank it. Also, how variable is the duration of the effects from strain to strain? I almost purchased the Tudei kava, but wasn't sure I'd like the effect enough to want it to last that long.

Well, so far, kava seems great, and I look forward to building up my palate. It's great meeting you all! And thank you, Douglas, for the fantastic website.

 

[Vekta]

Wait until you try the stuff you ordered from Kava by Rex. Kona kava...well...is Kona kava. I haven't heard much good about them. I would venture to say they aren't an antiquate representation of what kava is like.



In my experience any of the heavy handed kavas in terms of effects can cause a little nausea. It depends on the person though. I can drink a bowl of chief and not feel any nausea. If I drink two bowls then I start to understand what people mean when they talk about kava nausea.

 

[kl.nanocyte]

I'm actually trying the Fiji Waka from Kava by Rex right now. So far the effects are much more noticeable than the Kona Kava, which I actually overdid a bit, since it was so weak. I ended up drinking a total of about 8 tablespoons of the Kona the first night. I'd made some for other people, but they couldn't get past the taste, and I didn't want it to go to waste, so I ended up drinking it myself.. I figured that since I was only feeling a light body tingling, I could get away with drinking more, but I ended up puking my guts out for a couple hours (I obviously took too much). In the end, it kind of felt like drinking too much alcohol, but without the positive effects. The other thing I've found about kava (or at least bad kava) is that vomiting doesn't actually make you feel better, and you can keep going even if your stomach is empty. Oh well. Lesson learned.

Anyway, I had about 3 tablespoons of the Kona last night, not yet having received the Fiji Waka, and I didn't really feel much. It's too bad that Kona is so popular. I wonder how many people try that as their first kava experience and just give up. The stuff from Rex is quite different. I feel much lighter and more relaxed, mentally and physically. There's no comparison between this and Kona's. I guess Kona Kava is like the Bud Light of the kava world.

 

[Vekta]

I have never vomited from drinking kava I bought from N@H or Hawaiian Kava Center and I've drank a couple more bowls than I needed once or twice. Let us know after you've used KBR for a while. I don't think you'll have any more vomiting. KBR is up there with N@H and Hawaiian Kava Center.