I just thought I would renew our Board's discussion of personal experiences with Kratom usage. About 6 months or so ago, our dear absentee member, Gekko, first tuned the board into Kratom. There was considerable interest in it, especially, it seems, after the Saran busts in September. I know many have and are using it for various reasons. Some find it a great help to stop taking certain medications, while others find it useful to take breaks, or vacations if you will, from constant usage and tolerance issues.

If those of us that have used this herbal product and have become familiar with it can share their experiences, I think that would be a great service to this Board. That is, why do you take it; for how long; what dosage; what grades did you use; what preparations did you use (tea, caps, mixtures), etc.

It seems the enthusiasm of reporting our experiences with it have waned. That could be for many reasons. But I know there is still a good deal of interest in the product and enough time has passed that many members here can and should share their experiences (good, bad, or indifferent)for the benefit of others.

I guess with that I should post some of my experiences. First, I am still experimenting myself. Generally, I have used the super premium blends and have capped them. My first experiences were, shall I say different. I didn't get any "high" or euphoria feelings, per se. When I first tried it I did get some headaches. But later batches seem not to do that to me anymore. I still don't think I get much pain relief either, but that is still in testing. Plus, I am not taking large dosages so that might be a reason I haven't noticed much pain relief. Plus I take it when I don't feel like I am hurting that much and only tend to take enough to mollify the side effects of stopping the pain meds. I am not using it to stop taking my pain meds altogether, but rather to stretch, or take holidays. Where I am impressed is that I have gone for days with it and no prescription pain med and not experienced any really bad w/d symptoms. Right now, I take about 3-6 "00" caps at a time, and then re-dose about every 4-6 hours. But like I say, I am still experimenting.

I know many have posted there experience here and elsewhere before this. I am just hoping to renew the interest in this thread.

Take care all,
PB

I too have successfully used Kratom. I first heard about it on these boards and since I was going overboard on my pain meds (10 - 12 daily) I decided to go off the pain medication, take a brief breather and then go back to taking the pain meds, as prescriped. I also TRY to have two days a week with no pain med's at all using only Kratom. It has been three months and so far so good.

My experience in determining the exact dose for using Kratom has been almost comical, but I am getting better.

I use the super premium powder and the resin. I don't cap and I don't mix the powder with food. (I now have food I won't eat because of the Kratom, if that tells you something) I take it straight up and wash it down with a hot drink. Same with the resin. The taste is not terrific, but I have tasted worse stuff.

I do not get a high of any sort, do not get energized, and since I already can't sleep, I wouldn't notice if I couldn't as a result of taking Kratom.

When I dose with the powdered Kratom, I take 2 teaspoons and repeat every 4 to 6 hours. With the resin, I take a piece about the size of a medium black olive.

I hope this information will help others and I am available to answer any questions (same as PharmBoy)that you may have.

As a reminder, this thread is about using Kratom. Not about where to buy, or to slam Kratom when you have never used it. Sometimes opinions are like other body parts. Everybody has one, but they don't always want to see or hear from yours. I am sure you can figure out what I mean.

DesertRat

I am very curious to hear more from other members, as I feel like I need to take a "sabbatical" from all of the different meds that I take for pain, swelling, lack of sleep, and RLS.Is there a particular web site about Kratom? My dad was a pharmacist, and I had never heard of it before joining PW, I guess I can Google, but I was curious if you had a link to post. Thanks to all.....

Marley

On the upper left hand side of the screen there are blue buttons. The blue button labeled FIND is the one you want to do a search for Kratom. It will pull up all of the info that has been posted on PW about Kratom. Of course you can always Google too or even go to any of the sites that sell Kratom. They always have history their products...what it is, what it does, etc.

Good luck.

DesertRat

I too have gotten off hydro using kratom. I have 2 different suppliers, as one no longer takes cc, but their product seems pretty much the same. When I use the powder, I do mix with food when 1/2 a teaspoon to a tablespoon, depending on how heavy a habit I'm trying to get off and when I'm that with stopping w/d symptoms.

The resin I put in real hot coffee and stir between sips. It's bitter so I use extra sweetener. Usually eventually I find one of two undissolved lumps and I just let them slide down my throat.

I think it's a great thing for preventing or stopping w/d symptoms---after 20 minutes or half an hour you realize all your symptoms are gone. There's some pain relief, but not as much pain relief as with real narcotics and everybody is a little different, but since my pain is in my leg and back joints, I can try to use it on days when I can lay down and relax and stay warm.

One more thing I've noticed is that Kratom, especially the resin, gives me a pronounced speedy feeling, so I try not to take it at night unless really necessary. Good luck!

CatLady

I've beem experimenting with Kratom too. I use it to stretch out the itime between dosages and think it works amazingly well for that (and I'm pretty skeptical of some "natural" remedies).

I've tried mixing it in a drink (water, actually) and encapsulating it, and I think if you have the fine motor skills to get it in "00" capsules, it's the way to go. I take about 4 or 5 capsules about every 5 hours. If you put it in liquid, it tastes horrible and doesn't really dissolve. It kind of leaves a big lump of powder in the back of your throat. aaaaaakkkk.

I might be taking too much at one time because sometimes I get kind of nauseous, but it does get rid of most of the withdrawal symptoms. It does give me an energy boost too, and I've found if you take it for a few days in a row, you subconsciously find yourself wanting more. I can definately see where it could become a problem for some, especially people like myself with addictive personalities.

I think it's worth the money to at least buy a smaller amount and see how it works for you personally. It's especially handy for places that don't have access to suboxone or other forms of rehab.

This is all just my $.02.

Hi, I wanted to share my experience with some different forms of Kratom. I first started using it about six months ago to get off hydro, which, to my amazement, worked. I started off with ground leaf (yuck!), moved on to the super strength powdered and now, I'm using the resin as well as some Thai leaf strain. I had never really gotten any real effects from it other than absence of w/d symptoms and anxiety until I tried the 3X resin. Plus, I am extremely skeptical of experiencing any real psychoactive effects, so I tend to discount anything I might feel. This morning, I used about a nickel sized piece of the 3X resin made into tea and I began to notice pretty profound effects right away. First, my mouth became numb and I felt as though I had taken a stimulant, but within about ten minutes, I became very relaxed yet not fatigued and my pain was somewhat reduced. I was really surprised. The only drawback is that the tea you make by microwaving the resin in about a cup of water has to be the nastiest stuff ever brewed up. But, I was really truly surprised how effective this stuff was.

add some honey??

Interesting, I had some leaf and I got a similar effect.

My latest experiences with Kratom, in case anybody is interested: I'm using the resin right now and have found it's easiest to break off a piece and take it like a pill. (I was pretty good at taking pills, so this is not a big deal for me)

I use kratom once in the morning and it still seems to work well for w/d, energy, and pain relief. Since my goal is to be drug free, I'm trying reducing the size of the piece each day and only using it in the morning.

I also have Ultram---originally ordered it on the web to help with hydro w/d, but now am getting it from my PCP. Because if I have hydro around I can't help but take it, I asked my doctor for something "that works but isn't a narcotic."

I doubt that he knows any more than most that it is similar to a narcotic and stopping use will cause w/d. They really don't do much but keep me from going through w/d---have been completely hydro free for maybe as long as 2 weeks now---but since they're not much good for pain I only take them when I start going into w/d and am tapering off them fairly quickly.

My pain is caused by osteoarthritis in my back and legs, some from a car accident and some just because my joints are worn out from hard living. I've found that what actually works best for the pain is Ibuprofen or something similar, and much exercise and stretching. I'm trying to work my way into becoming one of those gym rats I see that look like they never leave the gym. I've never done anything in moderation, so why change now?

I'll keep the group updated about my tapering experience from kratom and Ultram. Went a couple of days with nothing as I ran out of everything at the same time, and I definitely am still physically dependent. It was 2 days of hell! Hopefully what I'm doing now will continue to work. Much luck and blessings to all in the same boat...

CatLady

I used Kratom for W/D just to get me through the toughest parts of it. My W/D after up to 45mg hydrocodone per day for a year and a half lasted a whopping three days. I know a lot more people have suffered much more than I did. Kratom worked for me, for when I needed it, to get me by. I thought it was not something that was especially habit forming....for me. I've heard other/different perspectives. To gag the stuff down...I have to be in a pretty bad place. It does work in relieving w/d symptoms, though.

**** that ol' tolerance issue just kicks one in the butt. Fear of pain seems to play as big a part in that as the actual pain itself. I wonder if most users find that they get any analgesia from kratom, and is it realted botanically to Opium therefore mitigating some W/D symptoms. What's the score Hydrogen? How does it compare costwise or how long it lasts. Is it a controlled substance?

It is not a controlled substance.
It is pricey, but not as expensive as the refill at an OP.
Two teaspoon fulls last about four hours. Give or take. The metabolic breakdown is similar to opiates.
There is some report of pain-relief when using Kratom, and some reports of no pain relief or very little pain relief. I don't think pain relief is why most people take it. They take it to get through W/Ds.
If I were still in serious pain, I would continue to take the opioid medication.

My experience: My pain issue was pretty much healed, although I still have bad days once in awhile. I used the kratom a couple-three times to get throught the w/d. I had a physical dependence on hydrocodone and wanted to ease through w/d's a little more comfortably. Once that was over, I didn't want to take the kratom anymore. It's so disgusting.

Cost wise: One bag of kratom 75-ish(can't remember exactly) or OP refills for indefinitely. You do the math.

We are hedonistic, we fear pain, we will do what's necessary to avoid it, even if the pain we are avoiding becomes witdrawal. It's still pain.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hydrogen,

quote:

Originally posted by hydrogen:
I used Kratom for W/D just to get me through the toughest parts of it. My W/D after up to 45mg hydrocodone per day for a year and a half lasted a whopping three days. I know a lot more people have suffered much more than I did. Kratom worked for me, for when I needed it, to get me by. I thought it was not something that was especially habit forming....for me. I've heard other/different perspectives. To gag the stuff down...I have to be in a pretty bad place. It does work in relieving w/d symptoms, though.

I know that when I don't take it every day (which is exactly how the various sites with information on Kratom say to use it; no more than once or twice a week) I will get some pain relief and some extra energy.

But I really believe that by using it everyday, you can create both a physical dependence, meaning you get w/d symptoms when you stop, and develop a tolerance. I didn't notice for quite a while that I was developing a tolerance, but since there are so many kinds of Kratom and so many vendors, it's hard to determine whether it's tolerance or just getting a batch that isn't as strong.

I'm hoping not to order more---it's cheaper than OP prices, but still quite a bit of money for something my insurance won't cover. So for now I think I'm going to stay with a few Tramadol a day and hope that tapering off that will keep me from w/d. It's just such a vicious circle...

CatLady

quote:

Originally posted by CatLady2:

quote:

Originally posted by hydrogen:
I used Kratom for W/D just to get me through the toughest parts of it. My W/D after up to 45mg hydrocodone per day for a year and a half lasted a whopping three days. I know a lot more people have suffered much more than I did. Kratom worked for me, for when I needed it, to get me by. I thought it was not something that was especially habit forming....for me. I've heard other/different perspectives. To gag the stuff down...I have to be in a pretty bad place. It does work in relieving w/d symptoms, though.

I know that when I don't take it every day (which is exactly how the various sites with information on Kratom say to use it; no more than once or twice a week) I will get some pain relief and some extra energy.

But I really believe that by using it everyday, you can create both a physical dependence, meaning you get w/d symptoms when you stop, and develop a tolerance. I didn't notice for quite a while that I was developing a tolerance, but since there are so many kinds of Kratom and so many vendors, it's hard to determine whether it's tolerance or just getting a batch that isn't as strong.

I'm hoping not to order more---it's cheaper than OP prices, but still quite a bit of money for something my insurance won't cover. So for now I think I'm going to stay with a few Tramadol a day and hope that tapering off that will keep me from w/d. It's just such a vicious circle...

CatLady

I agree with both hydrogen and CatLady. I just bought another small batch for the first time in months and it does help tremendously. Just really mollifies any WDs. I was taking about as much as Hydrogen was. So that can still be unconfortable to suddenly stop, but probably much easier than someone taking 100-150mg hydrocodone a day. I still don't get any real pain relief that I can tell. And I don't take large quantities either. So maybe higher quantities might give some pain relief. Just my recent observations. And I do take it daily, but usually stop after about a week or two. Plus, I will probably want to get some pain meds before too long also.
PB

You both might want to do a search engine on "Ibogaine"...even more powerful than Kratom.
Unfortunately, Ibogaine is schedule 1. @ present, there is no money in a one-time dose for drug detox, so neither the Government nor the pharmaceuticals are excited about this "wonder" drug.
Dave