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I'm a hypochondriac

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Whitewater

Kava Curious
I'm a hypochondriac and it really sucks. Sometimes I'm fine but when it gets bad I think I'm dying for weeks at a time. When it's bad it really lowers my quality of life.

I've had anxiety issues since I was about 12. I've basically cured myself of the social anxiety. I don't struggle with that anymore and it's wonderful. This "thinking I'm dying" thing is a rather new form of anxiety for me. Sometimes it can culminate in a panic attack.

Kava has been incredible for this. It can stop some of my worst anxiety attacks. Kava works better than anything else by far. Alcohol and benzos give me terrible rebound anxiety.

It's really a shame though about kava's potential liver toxicity. It's the greatest thing for my anxiety and yet I find myself sometimes worrying about whether or not my medicine is causing serious organ damage.

I've read all the latest research papers on kava hepatoxicity, and it seems safe enough. It's a a shame the whole liver scare happened to the kava community, but hopefully it will help us come to a better understanding of how kava works and how kava can safely be enjoyed for medicinal and recreational purposes.

Lol thanks for reading. Anxiety sucks.
 
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Deleted User01

Whitewater, I too worry about the liver thing but the axiom is "Drink the Kavas that people in the islands have drank for 1000s of years without ill effect". My own little motto is drink in moderation. Drink until you get the needed effects and then stop drinking for the day. When I was younger, and it didn't matter whether it was beer or dope, the motto was do it and then do it some more. I think if you treat Kava with respect then it will respect you back.
 

Whitewater

Kava Curious
Good advice. I try to be moderate, and I make sure to never drink beer on the same day as kava.

One great thing about kava is that I have noticeably less anxiety up to a couple days after my last kava session. Maybe it's placebo at this point, but the last time I had kava was Monday and I still feel slightly calmer than usual.

Maybe it's just this beautiful spring weather :cool:
 

kavadude

❦ॐ tanuki tamer
One great thing about kava is that I have noticeably less anxiety up to a couple days after my last kava session. Maybe it's placebo at this point, but the last time I had kava was Monday and I still feel slightly calmer than usual.
That's definitely something that other people have observed too.
 
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Deleted User01

Whitewater. Now you hit upon the real reason that some of us are more worried than others. I also love beer, I'm a homebrewer. I read an article the other day about how those weekend binges can be very harmful. Ya know, it's Friday and the beer is going down waaaay too easy. 2 a day is fine but 4-5 at one setting, regardless of whether you got your quota or not, is very damaging. So keep that in mind. I'm trying hard to be good on the weekends and I also never mix the two. I too feel calming effects the next day so I don't feel the need to drink everyday but it's nice to have Kava at the ready when the sh__ hits the fan.
 

2Intense

Kava Enthusiast
Whitewater it seems that anxiety and depression are a fairly common thread with Kava drinkers. I also had a period of time when I convinced myself that I was at deaths door. I had reflux everyday and thought that I was having a cardiac event more than once. I was actually a very fit and healthy person - head games!! That was many medical tests and three years ago. I'm good now, thanks to several factors of which one is kava. I've been drinking kave 3 - 5 x a week for 2 years now. During that time I've had 2 full physicals with blood panels and my liver enzymes are fine. Ruminating about liver problems is counter productive to say the least. I ditto what the others have said - moderation. Also, get an annual physical for peace of mind.
 

endwatcher

Is there death before life?
I used to be bad at this.

But I had a epiphany, and understood.

It doesnt matter what you do, or do not do
Your mortal body WILL DIE; being evident yet often chosen "overlooked" when you understand and are honest with yourself.
You are free.
Loose the want to be "here", and "here" wont bother you.

I now just exist, and are happily at bliss.

Haha, poetry...didnt even mean it....swear :angelic
 

Whitewater

Kava Curious
Haha I've done that before. I never really had heartburn before until one night after some Indian food, which was delicious. It was extremely painful, and 'felt' like the pain was coming from my heart, not my esophagus. Needless to say I freaked out really bad, my girlfriend had to talk me down from an unnecessary and expensive trip to the ER :facepalm:

I would love to get checked out by the doctor, unfortunately I am uninsured (US). The university I'm at doesn't have affordable plans for graduate students and I'll be here another year. Also the affordable healthcare act isn't very affordable for me either. I have insurance but it's more of a safety net if I need something serious done. It isn't practical for regular checkups.

I think moderation is a good motto.

Endwatcher:

Thanks for sharing, you are absolutely right. I try to have that attitude but it's hard. Looking back I've come a long way in dealing with my anxieties, and it's all about accepting the unknown. Someday I'll learn to get passed this (y)
 

Mystic

Kava Curious
I can relate, I worry about drinking Kava, I worry about drinking grog, Hell I even worry about being sober as that has the higher mortality rate! My heart once started skipping beats and I got checked out, and the doctor said it was my anxiety causing it. I have since learnt what a powerful thing the mind is, and I practise moderation and relaxation techniques often. I love my Kava, and would drink it every night, but then I would worry about that... Thanks for sharing!
 

KavaLot

Kava Enthusiast
Anxiety is nasty. I've suffered for years, most of which coping through self-medication and prescription meds. In my experience there's nothing out there that compares to Kava in terms of the least amount of side effects. Well, maybe exercise and perhaps mindfulness are better but I find their effects are too short-lived. Anxiety has a way of creeping back, especially if you have a genetic predisposition for it (chemical imbalance as opposed to environment). I came to terms with my imbalance some time ago which helped tremendously in stopping the real harmful habits and to start enjoying the good stuff. Kava is the good stuff. You feel good when you take the right amount. You can think straight. Dance and laugh. You wake up feeling good. And most of all, you feel like a teddy bear to all those around you that you love. This far outweighs any risk of liver toxicity. Drinking it everyday is not a bad thing if you feel you need it. The great thing about Kava is that it has a subtle way of letting you know when you've overdone it. So don't fear my friend, you're in good hands embracing the nectar of the gods :)


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yepimonfire

Kava Enthusiast
As far as liver toxcicity it's bullshit. I've consumed massive amounts for weeks in end and my liver values come back fine.


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HeadHodge

Bula To Eternity
.....As far as liver toxcicity it's bullshit....
My problem is with alcohol dependence more so than anxiety. But I find myself really enjoying this thread because I can relate. Maybe I have anxiety and didn't realize it. :nailbiting:

Some of the things I don't worry about at all is all the bru ha ha about Kava regarding liver toxicity, FKB chemicals, Koniak, noble Kava vs non-noble, etc. I believe their is some possibility of harmful effects from Kava, but in comparison to all the bad crap your body gets from sucrose, alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, breathing near other people, etc. it's definitely the way lessor of all evils out there. To me the potential harmful effects of Kava is an interesting topic to me but IMO it's so insignificant that I'm not losing any sleep over it.

Be happy, live long and prosper!!!!
 

KavaCat

Meow.
I'm newer to kava, so I can't really say I've had recent liver tests, but take it from someone who knows: MEDS ARE A HIGH RISK FOR LIVER DAMAGE TOO. I actually had a small amount from an antibiotic once, about ten to twelve years ago. It's been forever, and healed, and I can drink and such just fine now. Thank goodness the liver is one of the organs that can heal!

I guess my point is this: If you had continued being a hypochondriac, you would likely have ended up on medication that had AT LEAST as much risk of liver damage as kava, if not far more. I agree with the general sentiment, moderation in all things.

PS- I am never taking antibiotics again, unless it is LIFE OR DEATH, or something that could lead to life or death.
 

50ShadesOfKava

Official Kava Muppet
Incidentally, I recently discovered the role of folic acid with depression and energy. Apparently somewhere between 10-30% of the population has a genetic deficiency in how they metabolize folic acid, which can contribute to depression, irritability, energy level, heart health et al. Without being tested (though my brother was and failed), I started taking the post metabolized form

Life Extension Optimized Folate L-Methylfola 1000 Mcg Vegetarian Capsules, 100 Count
And have noticed a big difference in energy and some decreased irritability / increased mood. It also helps get me out of bed after a good kava session the night before. I post this so others might benefit. Here is a more detailed article about the role of folic acid.
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/fa/
 
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