screwup attempting to do right by kava:(

[kl.kevinhoward]

I have in the last six months transitioned from opiates, to K@, to kava... I think I'm headed in a good direction. I have made kava root drink everyday for past 2 weeks. I'm concerned that I may be overdoing it since that is my m.o. with anything causing mood enhancement??? I drink kava at least 3 times a day, midmorning, afternoon, and evening, it's really good, but I would prefer overindulgence not be the death of me. I don't get krunked(except for today) stone was a little to firm, hit me hard. kbr tongan has had a very pleasent uplifting effect, though somewhat short-lived. Am I abusing this gift of God, I am an ex-junkie after all.

 

[The Kap'n]

Ex-junkie here too. 7 years. I don't drink or take anything other than my vitamins and kava at night. Only you can tell yourself whether you are abusing a substance or appreciating it for what it can do for your life. I once had terrible anxiety and horrible insomnia. Kava helped me in both of these without triggering me to need it 100% of the time. This is how I can tell it definitely has anti-addictive properties. For me I have to truly respect it for its helpful properties and consider it a blessing and not a crutch.

In short it's all up to you to make that decision. I'm all for you moving away from opiates. I literally destroyed my life with them. They told me when I could eat, sleep, see friends, have relationships and even go on vacation. They completely occupied my thoughts and actions. You're going in the right direction, but never be afraid to ask for help.

 

[kl.CarolinaBC]

Former alcoholic here.  Your body will tell you when you have been doing too much.  If you get a major cringe when trying to drink a shells worth then you know you're teetering on the "I've had too much today" scale.  I think you will probably end up moderating the amount you use but if you don't and don't get major skin dryness then what the heck-it is much better for you than the opiates.

Check in with us often to help keep you grounded.

 

[kl.kevinhoward]

Its great to not feel alone, thanks for responding, never anticipated this kind of support. I feel like I am taking too much and hope that I will moderate as time moves on. I guess I've been medicating to avoid real interaction. I work in a field where good communication is assumed, I just feel like I need an edge. I'm probably hiding from something deeper seated... anyway kava feels amazing so I'm a little gunshy like "this is too good to be ok"._

 

[Paradise Kava]

Kevin,
Several Pacific Islander communities drink kava all day long and scaly skin in the leg area, is proof of that.
It's partly due to expulsion of electrolytes by heavy kava urination.
Imagine drinking a diuretic all day and not retaining the water but also flushing the system of precious electrolytes.
Being a kava head myself, I recommend more water consumption and an electrolyte blend in daily diet.
I use Beyond Tangy Tangerine. It should also help with any next day grogginess, caused by kavas which are high in double bonded kavalactones like ISA etc.
All the best Kevin~
Adil Ghiasi

 

[kl.kevinhoward]

That makes sense, dehydration probably causes a lot of the unwanted side effects people face with varying amounts of kava. Ill try to supplement my hydration. Do you know if weird feeling eye sensations is related to hydration? Aprox what range of kava use have you observed in your world... Paradise?

 

[Ozzyfan121]

Congratulations on the six months. I'm coming up on mine, also. It's incredible how opiates eat your spirit, will to live, and pretty much everything you once were. Like you mentioned, there is always a deep-rooted problem in an addict's psyche. Drugs aren't a person's problem, but rather his/her easiest solution to that problem. If I were you, I wouldn't worry too much about my kava intake at the moment. If it keeps you preoccupied and away from the H/pills, than I don't think any amount is too much. Best of luck in recovery, and if you ever need anyone to talk to about it, feel free to send me a message.

 

[Prince Philip]

Seriously? I disguise myself to myself as recreational drug user, but I'm actually self-medicating for some pretty serious post-traumatic stress disorder. I drink as much kava as I need in order to prevent worse injury to my body or psyche.



I really don't know if it works or not. I'm just trying to get by from day to day. The important thing to remember is DARE - Drugs Are Really Expensive.

 

[Paradise Kava]

Kevin, the wierd eye sensation can possibly be the kava acting. When I am drinking kava it's usually a copius amount of fresh kava (my general preference), unless it's extract, where just a few blobs under the tongue do the job to take things down a notch. Personally find the two things somewhat unrelated where kava is concerned and rarely take too much extract (unless watching a spy thriller, sitting on the edge of the seat, with my finger in the pot of honey kava like pooh. lol~).

So, when kava enters my body I always wish for two things. People were quieter around me, and light was dimmer. My eyes do that kava thing (pardon the lack of clinical reference here, someone is welcome to chime in) and all my ears want to listen to is sweet music, like Hawaiian Music (like Hui Ohana, Kuana Torres Kahele, Gabby Pahinui and many more). Industrial music for example, would drive me up the wall at that juncture, although I have been known to enjoy that on occasion as well. And I also try and drink a cool glass of water to make things right. (this rarely happens, but I try)



Range of kava use can be anything from two days straight, day and night at a recent kava festival where I was lucky enough to be gifted a few pounds of 25 year old fresh root. Smooth and amazing.

Or just a blob or two of extract to wind down a work day. It all depends on the mood and company.



Think it's great that you are finding support right here on the forum for what ails you. Kudos to the members who offered a brother's hand.

 

[kl.kevinhoward]

I don't feel the same on kava as I did on other, I feel cleaner and better able to communicate during the day, and at night it is the escape I'm looking for, the whole world goes away, and nothing is bad. Is this me using kava to fool myself or utilizing it to relax? I'm pretty sure its becoming my reality, it sets things in perspective and then the next day, I'm able to talk about it. Have you had any longterm emotionally benefit from kava?

 

[Paradise Kava]

If being sober for over 6 years because of kava, along with more mental clarity is not a long term emotional benefit, I don't know what is (smiley: happy)
However, I will argue this to the end, not all kavas varieties are the same, and neither are they grown/fertilized/cleaned/processed/extracted the same way. Like any Ag. product, these steps make all the difference.
You said the magic word "communicate". In Hawaii, kava is used in Ho'o pono pono mediation (not meditation). It's when two people who have lost the bridge of communication between each other, or have ill feelings towards each other; they come together in a ceremony which involves kava.
speaking from experiance, it works. My breath slows down, the useless stuff gets aside, and clear pearl sentences come thru my mouth and are received in similar tone.
Amazing!

 

[kl.new2kava]

I have a similar experience with using suboxone to ween off heroin and K@ to ween off subo and then trying to find a non-opioid and non-addictive replacement. I never actually got into kava until a very serious felony drug arrest and waiting through 6 months of hellish pre-trial supervison where sheriffs showed up at my house and breathalyzed and drug tested me several times a week. After 6 months(4 with good behavior) of "vacation" I have been on probation for a year since my release. I have a pretty stiff suspended sentance ( 3-7 years) and another year of probation to make it through. Needless to say I can't drink or use anything that could blow a UA and this is really difficult as I have a serious affinity towards mind altering substances.

All I can say is kava has been a lifesaver for me, it gets me nice and krunk fairly regularly but doesn't lead to me seeking out the harder stuff. I now and possibly going to have my probation terminated early around christmas and I intend on sticking with kava as it is a great thing for me. I'd say kava is great for abstaining from hard drugs and blows precription psych meds out of the water, it may not be as powerfull but is also non-addictive and comparativily cheaper in comparison.

 

[kl.hunghung.sustainedreaction]

Ha - great, hi All



In 2 years i have my 20 years without opiates jubilee. Or, at least had, if there was anything to jubilate - it where kind of bloody lousy 20 years.

H and Opium have been replaced over time with several ssri's and everything still sucks

Finally have found Kava which is the only thing to me that comes somehow near what i've been missing all that time in some aspects, maybe things will turn to the better now. Only my stomach is a bit queasy still with it

 

[Ozzyfan121]

Congrats, hunghung. That's awesome. You're sure right about a non-harmful substitution making recovery easier. And about the queasy stomach - it's kind of odd to me that I never had a twinge of nausea with dope, yet kava in excess can make me want to puke my brains out. What a strange root indeed..... Anyway, coming up on 20 years is awesome!

 

[kl.hunghung.sustainedreaction]

thanks!



But if i had found out about kava earlier it might have worked out better for me - i could have stopped missing that certain opiate-something long before. Well, better late than never

I wish all people starting now good luck with Kava as a substitute! Long term, i mean, don't know if it's any good for wd.



I remember i could puke quite well on h, but that was another kind of nausea, somehow, puke once and it's probably gone. But with kava ...

i think i'm getting nauseus only up from the second day of Kava in a row, my theory is, that it lowers the guts activities ... makes ringing a bell, ha ha



sorry for my english

 

[kl.kevinhoward]

I've had a few side effects arise from my kava use and wanted to share. I'm using about 96 oz of water and 1-2 cups of root a day. Affects are becoming more pronounced and longlasting especially since timing small meals following consumption. I have never had nausea as many have expressed, that seems odd to me with these amounts. I am having some longer term side effects that I want to work on. Namely severe dryness in my face especially soreness around my eyes and itchyness with my eyes. I have tried to consume massive amounts of water in between to offset the diuretic effect of the kava but I haven't been able to balance this out. Adil you mentioned an electrolyte supplement, where do you purchase this and how effective is it? Thank you all for input, I am still clean with the aid of kava, hope I'm able to overcome these dehydration issues.

 

[kl.dflux]

I see this thread is a bit dead.  But I am getting away from K@ addiction myself.  So I am very glad to read this thread.  It went from divorce > alcoholism > K@ > and now i just want something for those rough nights.  K@ ended those horrible thought patterns.  Now i just got to get through the w/d's of that.  Which i prepared for.  L-tyrosine, immodium, and a certain b complex hold the fort for me.  Depression has ate me up before in my breaks.  But I know its just K@ as I am never depressed in even the worst of times.  Including most of the separation(just initially which is normal).  I am an anxious person though.  
I see a lot of these K@ heads talk like its 100 percent harmless.  Well... mother K@ def has teeth thats for sure.  And it may not be as taxing on the body as full on opiates.  But it definitely taxes the body.  Some more, some less.  I never had an O problem so for me it is quite powerful.  (Bali strain)
I also have an assortment of nutrional supplements on the way.  Magnesium chloride, celtic sea salt, seriphos, theanine, and tons of vitamin c.  Looking forward to getting away from K@.