Harm Reduction Experience with Kratom

[LordFran]

I first tried kratom in the green bali powder form ordered online for $13. I put 1.5g, or maybe 3g, of the powder in my mouth and washed it down with water. Then I drank a nice hot tea and read a book. I was trying to heal myself...I felt really bad during this period in April. I was having a catatonic depressive episode lasting a whole month. Kratom was an attempt at self medication. It felt good. I watched anime on the flatscreen, tried to smile.

Next time I put the powder in gel caps.

I dosed like 8 times like this I think, and then threw out the stuff. I liked too much for my own safety, evidently. I certainly could tell right away that it was addictive. I had once dosed twice in a day. I was using it to feel even a little bit good and be able to interact with family and not feel like death incarnate.

I then wanted one more shot at it and ordered capsules of the Red Bali variety and had like 2 or 3 sessions.

The highest dose I think Ive ever used was 5g of kratom or 3gs twice in a day (so, 6g). And overall, I probably dosed less than ten times.

In retrospect, that stuff really gets you faded and crunk. I've never tried opioids, but I imagine its like that. A little cloud to rest on.

I have no urge to use it again. I'm not going to buy it again. I barely remember what it did for me. It made me feel warm, a little tingly, maybe scratchy, brought out my ticks a little more, numbed me out, made the healing process a little smoother, made me feel Ok.

Just another waste of time. Maybe I'm ungrateful for what it did for me, but I really cant remember it having a positive effect on my life (unlike say, DMT.)

So, if you get out quick enough, you're probably good with this one. Its tempting the devil, but for me, the quick in and out has fortunately worked out. I have addiction so I was very cautious but wanted to experiment, afterall, for a poly-addict the best drug is always the new drug. But I threw it out enough times, said no to it enough, that I got it out of my thought and my system. This time I used the drug, it didnt use me.

Here's a warning; after quitting it, I had terrible nightmares (two of the worst ones Ive ever had.) I had shakes, leg moving, and runny nose. It lasted for 1-3 days say, the first day being the most noticeable, of course. So thats definitley something to look out for. That will want to make you stay away for sure.

Thanks for reading.

 

[GetMeOutOfThisCRAP]

Coming from someone who has been a daily user and addicted to it for 2.5 years--in retrospect it really is a benign addiction in comparison to other substances. I do commend you for taking the decision to forego usage if you felt that it would negatively impact your life. Other than the cost and the brutality of the withdrawal from perpetual use though, personally I don't find it to be a real "addiction" like oxycodone or cocaine per say.

This is totally my opinion! I do not want my comment to be interpreted as saying that kratom is totally harmless (because it isn't). But coming from someone who has struggled with another type of addiction here and there, I really can't say many negative things about the substance. I'm sure other users have had far worse experiences than I have. Curious to what other users think on the topic

 

[LordFran]

Coming from someone who has been a daily user and addicted to it for 2.5 years--in retrospect it really is a benign addiction in comparison to other substances. I do commend you for taking the decision to forego usage if you felt that it would negatively impact your life. Other than the cost and the brutality of the withdrawal from perpetual use though, personally I don't find it to be a real "addiction" like oxycodone or cocaine per say.

This is totally my opinion! I do not want my comment to be interpreted as saying that kratom is totally harmless (because it isn't). But coming from someone who has struggled with another type of addiction here and there, I really can't say many negative things about the substance. I'm sure other users have had far worse experiences than I have. Curious to what other users think on the topic

Thanks for your reply I'm curious to see what others say as well.

It really isnt that bad...it was nice...but the nightmares and body aches after quitting were kind of gruesome. And I didn't use it all that much.

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

Good on you for tossing it, kratom is an opioid and will spark an addiction if continuously used. I've been using high doses for over 3 years, I thought my depression was bad back before my addiction...

 

[GetMeOutOfThisCRAP]

Good on you for tossing it, kratom is an opioid and will spark an addiction if continuously used. I've been using high doses for over 3 years, I thought my depression was bad back before my addiction...

The withdrawal = unparalleled depression.
Out of curiosity, was the depression a PAWs kind of thing where it took months to feel baseline again? Or was it mostly the first week or so?

Kratom does have more of an anti-depressant quality to it in my opinion over the real deal. On the same coin it also lacks the hedonistic high that opioids tend to have for most. I tried to use subs to get off it (I know how ignorant this was now lol). It worked in terms of mitigating the physical symptoms of kratom withdrawal but the depression and gloominess were very prominent until I dosed kratom again. Needless to say I'm back to daily use so I guess tapering down over a long period of time is my best bet. I've been able to get past the withdrawal for anything else... but not kratom. Not yet If only I could go back in time lol.

It's so convenient for the existential dread I consistently struggle with day by day. I'm hooked because it literally is beneficial to my life in that regard.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Kratom can go both ways. For someone who did not use opioids before kratom can be his downfall into opioid addiction. Especially if one suffers from depression. For me kratom was a great tool to get me out of oxycodone withdrawal. Quiting kratom was way easier than stopping harder opioids. The worst thing was suicidal depression first 2 days after stopping kratom. Other symptoms weren't that bad, except insomnia that lingered for few weeks.

I would put kratom somewhere between tramadol and oxycodon. Better feeling than tramadol and easier to stop. Not so strong, obviously, as oxycodone, but waaay easier to withdraw from. I used, mostly, Green Malay and Red Thai Maeng Da, with maximum dosages 4 x 5g daily.

If one has chronic pain issues I would encourage him to try kratom rather than other stronger opioids. It really is a substance that can take a person either way, based on his/her circumstances, but overall, comparative with other opioids, it is pretty safe substance. With that said, it is an opioid with great antidepressant qualities so I would recommend caution to someone who never tried opiods before.

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

Kratom, for me, causes exponentially worsening depression as dosage increases. It used to be the opposite but as time has gone on its seemed to reversed effects.

When i'm off of it I feel much better almost immediately but as of now i'm on about 15grams a day and pressing knives against my neck is the only relief I get from that feeling. I'm in the middle of a taper

 

[Lostbeebabe]

I’ve been taking kratom to help with coming off of oxycodone (it’s been about 3 weeks since my last oxy). I’m trying to now avoid kratom withdrawal and need some help. I’ve been reading up on it but there are so many different opinions.

Ive been taking anywhere from 1mg-6mg a day (sometimes I’ll do 2mgs in the morning and 2mgs at night, sometimes I’ll only take 2 .5mg caps for the day, etc.) so my dosage and timing has not been consistent but I have taken at least a little each day for almost 3 weeks.

If I stop, will I go into kratom withdrawal? In everyone’s experience, how long and hard did you have to use kratom until you experience withdrawal? And should I expect it to be as bad as oxy withdrawal?

I have some Xanax bars but will only take a small chunk of one at night if I can’t sleep. Any advice would help! Trying to stay off the oxy! (Part of my idiot brain is saying get a couple oxys to last a couple days to avoid any kratom withdrawals but idk if that will send me either back to using more regularly or back into withdrawals once I take another oxy since it’s only been 3 weeks from my last dose....that’s probably a bad idea right?)

 

[Jabberwocky]

brain is saying get a couple oxys to last a couple days to avoid any kratom withdrawals but idk if that will send me either back to using more regularly or back into withdrawals

Don't do that, don't do oxycodone. It will put you back into withdrawal that will be much worse than kratom withdrawal. That's it if you manage not to relapse completely. I dont know what was your oxycodone tolerance/dependence level, but your stated kratom dosage is low. I would advise to stop kratom, and if it gets to rough go back to kratom and taper. You could experience withdrawal that is not proportional to your current kratom dose because you were already dependent on oxycodone. I dont know how much lower can you even taper kratom.

I would advise to stop kratom because it seems to me that fear is your biggest problem. That problem will only grow with time. You are ready to stop kratom as your biggest dose is 4g daily. Use Xanax for sleep but use it first 3-4 days at most, and after that only per need. Benzodiazepines are much bigger problem and harder to stop than kratom if you become dependent on them.

Do not listen/read horror stories and trust yourself. 4 grams of kratom is really not a big deal. You have done great to step off oxycodone and with the help of Xanax you will be ok by day 3 or 4. Just brace your self for the depression first 2 days and don't talk yourself into symptoms that are actually not there. At your dose kratom withdrawal should be manageable and mostly mental.

Adress your underlying issues that caused you to take refuge in oxycodone, which is easier said than done, and you will do great.

If worse comes to worse you can always take 2g kratom rescue dose, but I am under impression that you will not need it.

Believe in yourself! Good luck!

 

[MDPV_Psychosis]

Kratom, for me, causes exponentially worsening depression as dosage increases. It used to be the opposite but as time has gone on its seemed to reversed effects.

When i'm off of it I feel much better almost immediately but as of now i'm on about 15grams a day and pressing knives against my neck is the only relief I get from that feeling. I'm in the middle of a taper

It's the similar for me as well. Too much kratom daily and I find myself lethargic, irritable, depressed, have trouble sleeping properly and I notice my vision gets kinda blurry especially at night.

Ive found tapering down helps for me, once I get to like 8-10g or less a day then it starts working so much better. Each individual dose actually seems to kick in better, I don't feel so shit-like either during the effects or after it wears off and just overall I feel and sleep better so much better. I do think it's still probably a negative gain even at lower doses, I think I'd feel better overall once I get off completely but I'm not ready for that yet though. I'm currently using kratom and Tianeptine daily and just not ready to go sober.

Kinda reminds me of how I felt on buprenorphine. When I was at a high dose I would feel lethargic and depressed, tapering down helped quite a bit, getting off (finally) helped even more once the wd and paws subsided.

 

[Misterx1976]

Taken Kratom for 3 years
Now currently taking stem and vein to try and stop altogether, I read there are less alkaline in stem so hopefully that will help me stop, have to take a decent dose every night though because the RLS is horrendous, also when it wears off my legs get achy until I have some more, tried codiene, tramadol, diazepam, Xanax and Morphene slow release tablets but none seem to work, still struggling to stop fully with the stem