What's new

Ive got the worst needle phobia imaginable.....anyone else got krunked before getting vaxxed?

Cmessier

Kava Enthusiast
I gotta get vaxxed for a new job. I really want this job. Im wondering if I just pound a bunch of shells before I go if I'll be able to let em stick me.....

(I'm 43 and haven't been stuck in 30 years Im so freaked out by
 

Zaphod

Kava Lover
I gotta get vaxxed for a new job. I really want this job. Im wondering if I just pound a bunch of shells before I go if I'll be able to let em stick me.....

(I'm 43 and haven't been stuck in 30 years Im so freaked out by
While I didn't take it right before the shot....I did take it that evening with no ill effects. That said I have known several people in the US who reached out to their dr and they gave them a prescription for xanax and had them do it in an office setting lying down. One even went so far as to bring a sleep mask so they couldn't see what was going on....
 

Aceofwands9

Kava Enthusiast
There is a thread around here somewhere where folks were saying they drank kava in combination with the covid vaccine with no ill effects. I drank kava right afterwards and didn't have any problems. There is always the unforeseen chance that something might cause an interaction, but based on the stories on here your probably good to go. If you're planning to get pretty krunk, I would make sure to drink lots of water to be on the safe side.
 

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
I gotta get vaxxed for a new job. I really want this job. Im wondering if I just pound a bunch of shells before I go if I'll be able to let em stick me.....

(I'm 43 and haven't been stuck in 30 years Im so freaked out by
You'll be okay! Practice making your arm limp. Like so limp it's basically dead. I imagine a relaxing cloud surrounding my arm and soaking all the stresses out. If you keep your arm like that during the shot I swear you barely feel anything, and it takes all of about 6 seconds and you're done :)

Oh and drink all the kava you'd like. There's no pharmacodynamic interactions between the vaccines and kava.
 

Edward

Aluballin' in the UK
Kava Vendor
You'll be okay! Practice making your arm limp. Like so limp it's basically dead. I imagine a relaxing cloud surrounding my arm and soaking all the stresses out. If you keep your arm like that during the shot I swear you barely feel anything, and it takes all of about 6 seconds and you're done :)

Oh and drink all the kava you'd like. There's no pharmacodynamic interactions between the vaccines and kava.
I was hesitant to say something to play it down as I know that phobias aren't funny but I agree with this. The actual shot itself is over in seconds and if you talk about something unrelated with the person doing it while they are doing it and look the other way it may be over before you realise. I have two sets of experience with this. When I was a boy I had a spell of being anaemic and I had lot and lots of blood tests and giving blood like that is a lot worse than this vaccine shot. Then when I was a bit older I took steroids for a period of time and used to inject myself with much larger amounts. I would say drink some kava before you go for it and just try as much as you can to relax and you'll be fine. Make sure to have the injection in the right arm if you are right handed (or left if left handed!) as that is the arm that you use most actively. Then swing your arm around for 5 minutes or so every 30 minutes for a few times. This will help the liquid move away from the injection site faster. It will get the ingredients into your system faster so that if you're going to get any side effects they will start and end sooner. Also it will minimise any pain you may feel at the injection site afterwards.
 

Cmessier

Kava Enthusiast
I appreciate the responses. I wasn't worried about any interaction....just wondering is anyone found that shelling beforehand calmed them down enough to do it.

Ive been threatened with weapons and just gotten pissed.....but a needle coming at me makes me go into full on panic. I really wonder if I'm krunked enough if I just won't care.
I was hesitant to say something to play it down as I know that phobias aren't funny but I agree with this. The actual shot itself is over in seconds and if you talk about something unrelated with the person doing it while they are doing it and look the other way it may be over before you realise. I have two sets of experience with this. When I was a boy I had a spell of being anaemic and I had lot and lots of blood tests and giving blood like that is a lot worse than this vaccine shot. Then when I was a bit older I took steroids for a period of time and used to inject myself with much larger amounts. I would say drink some kava before you go for it and just try as much as you can to relax and you'll be fine. Make sure to have the injection in the right arm if you are right handed (or left if left handed!) as that is the arm that you use most actively. Then swing your arm around for 5 minutes or so every 30 minutes for a few times. This will help the liquid move away from the injection site faster. It will get the ingredients into your system faster so that if you're going to get any side effects they will start and end sooner. Also it will minimise any pain you may feel at the injection site afterwards.
 

Edward

Aluballin' in the UK
Kava Vendor
I appreciate the responses. I wasn't worried about any interaction....just wondering is anyone found that shelling beforehand calmed them down enough to do it.

Ive been threatened with weapons and just gotten pissed.....but a needle coming at me makes me go into full on panic. I really wonder if I'm krunked enough if I just won't care.
Kava is very good for me in a lot of ways but I've been going through a lot of emotional states in the last few months where my wife has had bariatric surgery, lost a huge amount of weight and just doesn't know whether she still wants to be married to me or not. I can say that there were days that no kava touched the pain, grief and sadness I was feeling. But then some days it did. It's extremely unlikely that there will be any interaction. I drank kava the night before and the night after both of my injections and it didn't react in any way and my side effects were relatively mild. I say go for it and the chances are it will make the experience more bearable. Also don't look and dwell on what's about to happen. Keep talking to the person doing it, even if you just talk junk, just keep talking about something and not thinking about it and you will maybe not even feel it. You'll know it's been done afterwards but the bit you're afraid of will just happen without you noticing.
 

Groggy

Kava aficionado
Admin
I gotta get vaxxed for a new job. I really want this job. Im wondering if I just pound a bunch of shells before I go if I'll be able to let em stick me.....

(I'm 43 and haven't been stuck in 30 years Im so freaked out by
I drank right before & after, on both shots. no problems.
I really wonder if I'm krunked enough if I just won't care.
You'll care less rooted. :)
 

jonaspmd

found kava
The vaccine manufacturers worked on the administration syringes with someone like you in their mind. That is the needles are so small that you will barely feel anything, like a mosquito bite at worst. If they will administer the vaccine with the conventional green needle, something's not right, but still not too bad. Save the kava for the celebration in the evening.
 

kavakarma

Kava Enthusiast
I have enjoyed a pint of kava in the doctor's a few times last year, when I was visiting for a checkup or having freezing treatments on my lips. Kava was challenging to drink after the treatment, then I took the slow walk through the forest, shoreline to a lake, and finished the kava. I had plenty of water to drink and I went to work that day!

Haven't vaccinated, nonetheless if you feel like having a shell before, have one. And then you will enjoy a few afterwards. I already have my beliefs about vaccinating for myself, and kava does not change them for me. So this is positive, kava leaves my beliefs unaffected in some ways while changing them elsewhere.
 

kavamehameha

Magnum's 'awa drinking bird
The vaccine manufacturers worked on the administration syringes with someone like you in their mind. That is the needles are so small that you will barely feel anything, like a mosquito bite at worst.
I can confirm this. The vaccination itself is over in a second, and if you close your eyes or look away you won't even realize that anything happened.

So this is positive, kava leaves my beliefs unaffected in some ways while changing them elsewhere.
That shows that kava is not almighty, and wrong beliefs are better overcome through knowledge.
 
Last edited:

Orz[EST]

Kava Enthusiast
Kava is a bit too mild to overcome a phobia.

I think distraction is better.

I think doctors would recommend xanax, South African ones might suggest Sceletium tortuosum.
 

jonaspmd

found kava
Kava is a bit too mild to overcome a phobia.

I think distraction is better.

I think doctors would recommend xanax, South African ones might suggest Sceletium tortuosum.
ah, kanna + kava, even the sound is nice! The only extract that underwent proper clinical trials in patients is Zembrin (can be packaged in other branded bottles, but the ingredients list should show only Zembrin as trademarked extract and nothing else). Once an extract is at this development stage, it's typically well characterised with human safety data in place and produced in GMP conditions.

Kanna has pretty interesting, multiple mechanisms of action, something to do with acute action on amygdala, which is the anxiety, flight or flight response centre in the brain. Also, SSRI like effect that kicks in in the longer run. The thing is that the whole story is pretty similar to kava. Kanna traditionally has been used in a form of fermented leaves that were chewed with effects on demand. There is also supposed to be a psychoactive effect if consumed properly, like with kava, ie kava in the extract form gives minimal to no effects. The Zembrin extract is low dose for daily use for chronic conditions (depression or anxiety).

I am fine with the extract, but would not know how to source quality fermented leaves. I've used Zembrin up to 100mg (4 tabs) as a one off ahead of things like presentations, which really helps to bring thoughts together. The specific action on anxiety centre with no cognitive impairment is pretty unique. The legend goes that the original use for it was warriors chewing the leaves ahead of battles (this one could not be more different from kava).
 

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
ah, kanna + kava, even the sound is nice! The only extract that underwent proper clinical trials in patients is Zembrin (can be packaged in other branded bottles, but the ingredients list should show only Zembrin as trademarked extract and nothing else). Once an extract is at this development stage, it's typically well characterised with human safety data in place and produced in GMP conditions.

Kanna has pretty interesting, multiple mechanisms of action, something to do with acute action on amygdala, which is the anxiety, flight or flight response centre in the brain. Also, SSRI like effect that kicks in in the longer run. The thing is that the whole story is pretty similar to kava. Kanna traditionally has been used in a form of fermented leaves that were chewed with effects on demand. There is also supposed to be a psychoactive effect if consumed properly, like with kava, ie kava in the extract form gives minimal to no effects. The Zembrin extract is low dose for daily use for chronic conditions (depression or anxiety).

I am fine with the extract, but would not know how to source quality fermented leaves. I've used Zembrin up to 100mg (4 tabs) as a one off ahead of things like presentations, which really helps to bring thoughts together. The specific action on anxiety centre with no cognitive impairment is pretty unique. The legend goes that the original use for it was warriors chewing the leaves ahead of battles (this one could not be more different from kava).
Fascinating. Thank you for sharing that!
 

jonaspmd

found kava
Fascinating. Thank you for sharing that!
I've researched a lot this one back in the day. Just could not see the supply of traditional product is as well developed as kava. You can obviously buy kanna leaves in a bag from some vendor, but I would not be sure about the quality. That step involving fermentation (if they do it at all) is a bit frightening, you would definitely need some good controls.

Good starting info
Acute Effects of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin), a Dual 5-HT Reuptake and PDE4 Inhibitor, in the Human Amygdala and its Connection to the Hypothalamus (nih.gov)
 

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
I've researched a lot this one back in the day. Just could not see the supply of traditional product is as well developed as kava. You can obviously buy kanna leaves in a bag from some vendor, but I would not be sure about the quality. That step involving fermentation (if they do it at all) is a bit frightening, you would definitely need some good controls.

Good starting info
Acute Effects of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin), a Dual 5-HT Reuptake and PDE4 Inhibitor, in the Human Amygdala and its Connection to the Hypothalamus (nih.gov)
Ha, works in a similar way as Otezla.

I often wonder how certain herbs got the spotlight like kava. I assume it's due to the cultural and ritualistic use of kava over the more medicinal use of kanna.
 

Cmessier

Kava Enthusiast
Well tonight is the night.

Ive got a 10mg valium ready to go. Debating between that amd the kava.

Understand that my phobic brain doesn't process the "it doesnt hurt". It doesnt process the "it will be quick and easy".

Id be less nervous to get my arm amputated. Thats how my brain works.

I appreciate the input.
 

BobBriggs

Kava Curious
ah, kanna + kava, even the sound is nice! The only extract that underwent proper clinical trials in patients is Zembrin (can be packaged in other branded bottles, but the ingredients list should show only Zembrin as trademarked extract and nothing else). Once an extract is at this development stage, it's typically well characterised with human safety data in place and produced in GMP conditions.

Kanna has pretty interesting, multiple mechanisms of action, something to do with acute action on amygdala, which is the anxiety, flight or flight response centre in the brain. Also, SSRI like effect that kicks in in the longer run. The thing is that the whole story is pretty similar to kava. Kanna traditionally has been used in a form of fermented leaves that were chewed with effects on demand. There is also supposed to be a psychoactive effect if consumed properly, like with kava, ie kava in the extract form gives minimal to no effects. The Zembrin extract is low dose for daily use for chronic conditions (depression or anxiety).

I am fine with the extract, but would not know how to source quality fermented leaves. I've used Zembrin up to 100mg (4 tabs) as a one off ahead of things like presentations, which really helps to bring thoughts together. The specific action on anxiety centre with no cognitive impairment is pretty unique. The legend goes that the original use for it was warriors chewing the leaves ahead of battles (this one could not be more different from kava).
Try WakingHerbs. They have good extract and fermented powder.
 

Groggy

Kava aficionado
Admin
Well tonight is the night.

Ive got a 10mg valium ready to go. Debating between that amd the kava.

Understand that my phobic brain doesn't process the "it doesnt hurt". It doesnt process the "it will be quick and easy".

Id be less nervous to get my arm amputated. Thats how my brain works.

I appreciate the input.
How did it go? Was it less worst than you expected?
 
Top