How much kava is too much kava ?
- Thread starter Plantacious
- Start date
Yes, so far so good. I am only drinking after work and sticking to 2-4 tbs, I think 4 will be reserved for Friday nights and weekends, though that is a theory I will test this coming weekend.
Intrepidus_dux
Kava O.G.
@Krunʞy , could you please show or describe the dermo? Was it dry and like alligator skin?
@Krunkie McKrunkface , i bet you drinking your grog on ice really helps rehydration!
@Krunkie McKrunkface , i bet you drinking your grog on ice really helps rehydration!
I didn't take any pictures, but if I were to describe in stages;
Stage one were noticeable red marks around my eyes, neck, the folds of my arms and legs, behind the knees, similar to a sunburn, a feeling of intense thirst and sluggishness. This part lasted about two days.
Stage two, the thinner, more delicate parts of my skin around my eyes went from red to a puffier red, somewhat swollen. My eyes were tearing and itchy as if I had a cold/allergies. Waking up in the mornings, my eyes were almost stuck together with discharge drying overnight. This was the worst part and it took about three more days to pass. Still feeling pretty sluggish.
Stage three, came the crocodile looking skin where I looked like I was shedding like a snake, most noticeable in my face, neck and shoulders but basically my whole body felt and looked like that. If I ran my hand through my head and scalp, I'd see a shower of dry skin falling out (similar to dandruff). Not as uncomfortable as the former because my eyes were not discharging tears as much but still uncomfortable. That went on for another couple days.
The final stage I am still going through but it's barely noticeable and it's lingering dehydration, it seems like no matter how much water I was drinking, at least on the first day, nothing was happening, but day by day (with lots of Amlactin, vitamins and water) it got better. The Amlactin really helps in this last part because the lotion locks in the moisture in the skin while removing the flaky scaly skin.
Sounds awful! I'm so glad you are on the other side of it now!
I think it is important for me to mention that this experience with dermo I've had and dealt with could have been largely avoided had I reacted to the many warning signs I've come to learn to identify before it came to this point. It goes back to my stubbornness and I think it's important to point out that dermo can be avoided with preemptive measures. Many more experience drinkers than I, rarely have dermo for that very reason and the ability to listen to the kava, as to avoid the inevitable outcome of prolonged over consumption.
Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
It was bad for us, too, because we missed him. Muita saudades.
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Dry hands and lips were the most noticeable.
Zaphod
Kava Lover
This sounds very similar to my experience with small differences. I also get styes - which may come from the dryness and/or me rubbing my eyes and getting bacteria in there. The scaly skin starts on my hands and trunk (sides of my stomach, front of armpits). By the time it kicks in in full the skin is already dead so lotion helps the appearance but won't get rid of it - it just needs to slough off. When it got real bad taking off my shirt would literally look like it was snowing. All of this got greatly reduce when I switched from micro to traditional, but it still threatens now and then. I also reduced my intake quite a bit when I switched to traditional so it could just be a total amount of KL that gets me. Extra Hydration really did nothing for me - I describe it more has a lack of oils in the skin then dehydration. I don't think newbies should be scared off by this. It really took 7-8 months of daily micro use for this to get to this level for me and scaling back took care of it.
kastom_lif
Kava Lover
I've had dermo. It's not painful except around the eyes. Constantly rubbing dry eyes can lead to further irritation, and of course styes are uncomfortable. Dry flaky skin elsewhere on the body may look weird but it hasn't cause me pain.
The worst was red bags under the eyes and the occasional stye. I concur with krunky. Sometimes you wake up with your eyes nearly glued together. Hydration is super important.
The worst was red bags under the eyes and the occasional stye. I concur with krunky. Sometimes you wake up with your eyes nearly glued together. Hydration is super important.
schatz
itchin for kava
For me it was the use of questionable nobility of the kava I was using. When I started almost 2 years ago also, I was consuming alot of kava that I purchased off Amazon and got quite itchy, I then had to take a break also before it turned into the dreaded dermo. Since then I have only been drinking Kalm or GHK and occasional Stone from Nakamal and have been fine with no itchiness or ill effects at all and probably drink more now 1 lb. a week. Good luck, sorry to hear about your issues with kava Krunky.
I get them too (styes) and had one. Forgot about it. The hands are the most annoying, I am still dealing with some dryness but the scaling finally went away. Been chugging coconut water to re-hydrate faster.
When you drink almost 2 lbs of any kava a week for a few months in a row, it's bound to happen. Squanchalicious is definitely noble.
Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
I used to get styes until I read up on it in older threads here at Kava Forums and now I no longer do (thanks, folks, much appreciated!)
Main thing is NEVER RUB YOUR EYES!!!!!!!
Now, every time I shower I wash my eyes, or specially wash my eyes with very dilute baby shampoo (like a few drops in a cup of water). And do the hot water in a wash cloth squeeze out and place across your eyes thing, very comforting and pleasant.
But above all, when you wake up, do not touch your eyes, especially do not rub them, just go and wash them gently.
No probs.....
Main thing is NEVER RUB YOUR EYES!!!!!!!
Now, every time I shower I wash my eyes, or specially wash my eyes with very dilute baby shampoo (like a few drops in a cup of water). And do the hot water in a wash cloth squeeze out and place across your eyes thing, very comforting and pleasant.
But above all, when you wake up, do not touch your eyes, especially do not rub them, just go and wash them gently.
No probs.....
kastom_lif
Kava Lover
I keep an old contact lens solution bottle filled with neutral saline by the bedside. If eyes are itchy, I squirt juice in eyes and try to only dab with a towel or kleenex. The urge to rub is real!
muddywaters
Kava Enthusiast
I'm a small person but 3 TBL is too much for me in the amount of water I use. I shouldn't say too much because at the time I'll be feeling real good of course but the next days I am super sluggish. But I'm finding my recent bag of Borogu from KwK isn't as potent as my last and I may 3 TBL my way through it if it's not too much for my belly. My hands can get pretty bad sometimes but it's no match for shea butter on them, sometimes my eyes can get a bit itchy too but it's never a huge problem.
Zaphod
Kava Lover
Interestingly I have not seen any correlation between body size and amount of kava required to get to where you want to be. I have drunk with folks 2x my size and it still takes roughly the same amount.