dove right into kava

[DiacetylKineval (OP)]

So, as some of you may recall im trying to stop my excessive use of alcohol.
I detail cars, and last week i found some kava^Wiki and took 3 capsules for the first time

Loved it. Ive heard it has some mu opioid activity? In addition to the obvious gaba potentiation, but not agonism?

I now have 90 capsules of that brand. 200mg extract but essentially %30 active kavalactones, tricky bastards. So essentially i get a desired effect from 180mg. For the time being. By that i mean im having the sense this shit is akin to abusing zoloft. I get an acute effect, but its almost strange to redose.

I will say, if i was truly putting my mind to it, it would ease my craving for both opiates and booze. However i freaked myself out looking up ghosts and conspiracy shit, so i needed a drink. And luckily my neighbor also gave me a few  dones and some bud, but thats beside the point.
 
Opinions? For a newcomer to the idiosyncracies of this substance?

[Bodytec]

I think I am also interested in kava. Since they outlawed Kratom in my state I've returned to opiates but I can see that I will have to stop them again soon. Kava was blended in with Red Kratom in my favorite packs before I was buying in bulk. The brand was Phoria but like I said,Kratom is over here now. Think I'll do some net searching on Kava but I would also like to hear it from someone with experience

[DiacetylKineval (OP)]

I will say it is oddly like a true medication. Its helpful but i really dont feel like redosing constantly like say with an opiate or smoking grass. It kind of makes me ill

[Mr.pooper]

Kava is interesting. When I first tried it years ago, it was in capsule form from a smoke shop. Noticed a little bit of a head change but not enough to go out of my way for it.

I read the best way to make it was from the fresh root. However at the time I looked all around local markets for the root, but could not find it. Eventually found a kava bar and got the traditional "grog" in a half a coconut shell and felt it instantly after sipping. At the time I was 3 days into kicking some kratom, made most of the w/d go away.

Bought the traditional root and kneaded my own kava. Was going in weekly to this place selling noble varietys of kava. Would have a few shells and relax for a little, then buy like a pound of root to knead later.

Lately I just started using micronized kava and I think I like that better. Going to try an instant kava with my next order to see how it compares.

Helps with my pain. Helps anxiety. Helps sleep. Each kava strain is a little different depending on which chemotype you enjoy.

I think I am also interested in kava. Since they outlawed Kratom in my state I've returned to opiates but I can see that I will have to stop them again soon. Kava was blended in with Red Kratom in my favorite packs before I was buying in bulk. The brand was Phoria but like I said,Kratom is over here now. Think I'll do some net searching on Kava but I would also like to hear it from someone with experience

No way of setting up a PO Box over the state line, and make a monthly trip? Just order online to the still legal PO box. There's also company's that re-route a package for you no questions asked, from another state.

[MoeMentim]

No shit?  I didn't know the stuff had any recreational value...  I've had a big 'ol bag of ground kava root in my cupboard for like six months.  Sis gave it to me to help with sleep when i was out of my anti-anxiety meds.  Happy friday to me! 

  Just read the instructions - need to put the powder into something like a muslin bag.  I have coffee filters but I don't think they'd hold up to the kneading that the instructions suggest.  I could use a (clean) sock I guess.  Any pointers/tips?  no dosage suggstions on bag, just "place desired amount in water 1 part kava to 3-4 parts water."

  Will it make me nauseous if i take too much like kratom? 

[MoeMentim]

tried 1/2 cup with 2 cups water, tasted just like i thought anything in a sock would.  got a numb mouth for a couple minutes, waiting.  not expecting much but even a little glow would be nice - i left work in a sour mood.  already smiling, not from effects, just think it humorous that it's been sitting there forever & also i enjoyed the little bit of "drug preparation" involved.


Oh hey - there's definitely something to this stuff...  numb mouth came back & i'm feeling some head effects.  a pressure in my ears that reminds me of the initial effects of a coke shot, like just before the real rush when you know the wah wahs are coming.  some body effects too - muscle relaxation.  these effects are mild but nice.  Kinda feel like i'd get nauseous if i did much more but i probably will.  i had 2 beers before the kava so probably a synergenic/potentiating effect.  me likeys.

[DiacetylKineval (OP)]

Ive already combined it with weed, alcohol, and opiates. Albeit separately. I agree that its very dose dependent, it will make you ill, and in kind of a mentally nauseous type way if that makes sense. Also gives me the coughs and weak stomach like im about to ralph off beer or cigs similar to opiate withdrawal.

And ive noticed that though it can be synergystic with booze and pills if taken earlier in the day, but detracts from an opiate or alcohol high if taken at the same time. Works much better on its own, personally i consider it at this point to be a withdrawal med or a healthy alternative to mood stabilizers in periods of non use

[Mr.pooper]

@MoeMentim I usually use a NYLON panty hose cut to my desired siZe. Cotton and paper will absorb the kavalactones and not go into your beverage, leaving one with just the numbing. I usually use 80gs of ground kava root to 4 cups of water, then kneed to 10-15 mins. That's awesome you had some around! It won't get you super fucked up, but it's definitely got its place for relaxation. Try different strains. Some are more heady, and others more body. They have an arranged chemotype according to the 6 most dominant kavalactones. So you can look at which kavalactones effects you desire, and try a strain with the desired kavalactone as the dominant one. Try a few cups before bed, I always sleep great when I do.

@DiacetylKineval there is definitely w/d aid to kava. I usually would wake up in withdrawal, but the nights I sip some kava down, (AKA chug and try not to taste it.) I will wake up just fine. A similar thing happens with GABApentin for me.

[MoeMentim]

i gotta say that i love this stuff.  slept great, woke up in a great mood, went & did 8 hours of (optional, but i need $) work at my folks after a 48 hour week.  i might go make a bit more $ at my sis' tomorrow if i feel this good again.  i have 5 sierra nevadas (my water lately) in the fridge & i'm not sure if i'm even going to drink them tonight.

  i came home from the folks & fixed up another batch using a $1 "flour cloth towel" (got at wal-mart which looked like the best thing i could find.  asked about muslin bags, no dice).  @Mr.pooper - i'll grab some nylons, wasn't happy about how much liquid the cotton held onto, but that's good to know about the kavalactones.  the bag of kava i have is Bula Kava House "Boroguru" ground kava root.  i did find a "typical" dosage suggestion on the bag today which is 6-8 ounces liquid w/ 1 part kava to 3-4 parts water.  i've been doing at least double that (twice last night, once this evening).

  i felt a tad nauseous after drinking it tonight so i took 3 pipe hits of weed (worked).  i have a high weed tolerance so it shouldn't be adding too much to the kava effects.  i probably will drink those beers because they are there but this week i want to come home from work without beer & see if the kava & some weed will keep me occupied.  thinking about ordering some kratom to throw in the brew on weekends.  i don't want a kratom habit.  i read there's no w/d's to speak of with kava, is that so?

[DiacetylKineval (OP)]

Half of my withdrawals are comprised of going batshit insane simply due to the rebound of underlying mental issues for which i am self medicating in the first place, so in that respect, yes, i would say running out of kava or anything that eases my mood would put me in a bad place.

As far as a typical benzo/alcohol type physical dependence, i highly doubt it. It simply doesnt make one comfortable enough to make one that 'well' in the first place imo. Really a mental drug imo

[Esoteric Anhydride]

Mental?

For me kava is a much more physical drug. It's almost like a mild alcohol intoxication, but I don't really get any sort of elation or euphoria from it, mostly to me it feels pretty toxic, it really fucks with my stomach if I take the tinctures. Honestly I really don't care for it, there's something to it but it's not for me..

[Mr.pooper]

No withdrawal that I've noticed from kava. The general science suggests it has a reverse tolerance.

It goes cool with some kratom. I'd suggest dosing the kava before taking the kratom. I've found if I take it during a kratom buzz it has a 50/50 chance of making me nauseas, and kinda dysphoric.

Bula kava house has some good stuff. You lucked out with that one.

I've gotten some euphoria after days of drinking it. It builds up in the system, so it takes less each day to feel it.

Try some ginger candies if the kava is making your stomach upset.(check Asian markets) Learned that little trick when a kratom vendor I used to buy from sent me ginger candies. Takes away the stomach discomfort and nausea kava or kratom can produce.

[DiacetylKineval (OP)]

Ive read about the reverse tolerance. Bullshit imo, its more like rapidly building tolerance. If i dont wait at least 4 hours i cant feel anything. And dosing too much sooner eventually makes me sick, maybe thats what they mean, its a benign effect that you cant really redose

[Jega]

For me kava is a much more physical drug. It's almost like a mild alcohol intoxication, but I don't really get any sort of elation or euphoria from it

This.

But I've also never had real Kava nor have I been convinced it can be sourced in the US since it doesn't natively grow here and I don't know where it could grow well outside of Hawaii. But if I ever find myself in the South Pacific it's on my bucket list. I was reading about Fiji winning their first Gold Metal in Rugby and the two days of national celebration afterwords. One man interviewed about what the celebration would be like for him and he listed all of these things but the first thing he said was "Kava will be a must." That is the kind of Kava I want to try.

[Mr.pooper]

For me kava is a much more physical drug. It's almost like a mild alcohol intoxication, but I don't really get any sort of elation or euphoria from it

This.

But I've also never had real Kava nor have I been convinced it can be sourced in the US since it doesn't natively grow here and I don't know where it could grow well outside of Hawaii. But if I ever find myself in the South Pacific it's on my bucket list. I was reading about Fiji winning their first Gold Metal in Rugby and the two days of national celebration afterwords. One man interviewed about what the celebration would be like for him and he listed all of these things but the first thing he said was "Kava will be a must." That is the kind of Kava I want to try.

I'm pretty sure most of it comes from the South Pacific islands or Hawaii. At least that's the case with online venders I use. I highly reccomend Bula kava house, and if you have the money gourmet Hawaiian kava website has a farm of 13 different boutique strains.  I've been told when it's fresh the grog will fuck you up more. At least that's what the indo Fijian islanders were telling me. So far the only kava I've seen is dried ground root powder. The kava bar I goto has a kava plant growing in a clay pot inside. I want one now! Along with some kratom plants!

EVERYONE drinks kava in the South Pacific islands like Fiji. It's part of their culture. At one kava club I went to playing pool and drinking grog, this Fijian guy said "Wow I'm playing pool, and drinking kava with a white guy!!". He was so excited and shocked. I thought it was so fucking awesome drinking grog with islanders till 4am. I would easily drink 20-30 shells of grog over the course of the night. When I'd leave after a big kava session, I could barely do the 5 min drive to my home HAHAHAHA. I'm very open to new cultures, also a fun experience to do something not typical of America.