Kratom Long time kratom users?

[pnillyg]

Hey I’m wondering if anybody on here has expertise using kratom daily for more than 6 months. I’d like to ask if they are still getting benefit or just doing it to avoid withdrawal? Happy Friday fam

 

[daturetard]

After that long you don't really get a high anymore. But many people who use to avoid withdrawal deny any high due to tolerance.

 

[ShulginsReincarnation]

Hey I’m wondering if anybody on here has expertise using kratom daily for more than 6 months. I’d like to ask if they are still getting benefit or just doing it to avoid withdrawal? Happy Friday fam

I've used kratom on and off since 2007 or so when I first tried it. I have numerous times been a daily (multiple times a day even) user throughout these years. I even blew through an entire kilogram in two weeks before at my "worst." However, I never touched any opiates/opioids aside from some codeine (legally obtained) and oxycodone which I used for moderate to severe pain under the direction of a medical doctor. So, my goal in using kratom to avoid turning to fentanyl (since that is really the only other economical thing one can get their hands on where I live anymore for managing pain without a prescription) was totally successful!

Anyway, to answer your question, when I was using daily it definitely helped me with my fibromyalgia related aches and pains as well as those resulting from extensive manual labor. I never really got "high" from it anyway as its alkaloids aren't full agonists so how could I? How could anyone except maybe an opioid naive individual who knows no better? Beats me. Anyway, a lot of the use was to avoid withdrawal after a while. However, it was still giving me a lot of benefit too (if that makes sense.) Hope I could help.

 

[pnillyg]

I’m just in the beginning of using kratom daily but I notice my tolorence going up fast and before I end up taking 30gpd just to avoid withdrawal I’m trying to weigh the pros and cons for it being my new Matinence drug. Just trying to figure out if I should keep taking it or to stop

 

[recycled]

I've gone through a few different periods of using it daily for a good while, at a certain point every dose just makes me feel gross. Any and all benefits are gone and the anxiety would kick back in within ~2 hours if I didn't take another dose. The anxiety would go away, but I would be depressed and dusty feeling. Sleep also becomes completely non existent since it keeps me awake whether I take it or not.

Just my two cents, I still take it somewhat frequently, but its a bad every day solution for me.

 

[pnillyg]

Much appreciated. I guess my question is if there’s people who take it every day for extended periods and continue to get relief

 

[ShulginsReincarnation]

Much appreciated. I guess my question is if there’s people who take it every day for extended periods and continue to get relief

Yes, but it all depends on why you are using it exactly. It immensely helped with the aches and pains I had/have on a regular basis. I now find myself having to seek out a pain management doctor to help me since having quit this last time. If you are seeking relief from pain, then yes it works long term. If you are seeking to get "high" relentlessly (even though, as I said, I couldn't get "high" off kratom even if I tried because a partial agonist doesn't work that way for me,) then no because over time you experience functional tolerance to the drug.

 

[pnillyg]

So the nootropic effects go away completely over time?

 

[ShulginsReincarnation]

So the nootropic effects go away completely over time?

In my experience, yes they do and these effects are largely replaced with (as another user here mentioned) some rather unpleasant side effects such as anxiety and insomnia that are caused by an unknown mechanism. Considering the structural similarity of mitragynine and yohimbine, there may be some sort of connection between the two in terms of effect. However, I haven't looked into it myself as I never really gave it that much thought. In retrospect, the two do share a similar feeling in that regard and the re-regulation of receptors in the nervous system likely has to do with why these negative effects intensify while the positive effects fade away.

 

[pnillyg]

So if you had advice for me using it as matinence right now for cravings but only been back on for 7 days at 15-20gpd, coming off now would be the call or should i wait until im done traveling for the holidays.. they can taper with comfort meds and bupe granted the dependency will be worse by then and who knows how high the dose can get…

 

[ShulginsReincarnation]

So if you had advice for me using it as matinence right now for cravings but only been back on for 7 days at 15-20gpd, coming off now would be the call or should i wait until im done traveling for the holidays.. they can taper with comfort meds and bupe granted the dependency will be worse by then and who knows how high the dose can get…

I really can't be the one to make that judgement call, but I would tell you to do what you think would allow you to enjoy the holidays best. If you stop now, then you will have maybe a week of feeling kind of poorly. But, if you hold off its going to be much worse and for longer. Tapering with bupe and comfort meds is a good way to come off sure, but you're just prolonging the inevitable. All of these things should be factored in; will waiting until after the holidays be the end of the world? No. Will it be better to stop now? Yes.

Cost-benefit analysis says you should stop now and suffer a little instead of drawing it out.
Any other response is just rationalizing an addiction that you are beginning to form.

 

[AddictedtoChloroform]

7 years deep and I hit my maintenance dose schedule (about 6-9 grams, variability due to use of volumetric measurements instead of weight, three times daily) about 5 years ago. I did not find any significant increase in effect past this dosage so I stopped increasing the dose. I don’t really get much psychological benefit anymore as the majority of the pleasurable and motivational effects are not really present anymore. It does help stabilize my mood so that it doesn’t get so intensely negative at times, but I don’t doubt it also reduces my ability to feel intense positive emotions as well (both are still present, i am not numbed out, the peaks and valleys are just diminished). It is still helpful for pain though, and I also use it to reduce my urge to take stronger opioids. It has been mostly effective for these purposes. I also am motivated to take it to avoid withdrawal, and I find this is doable with two doses a day for me. I don’t recommend daily use if you aren’t trying to manage chronic pain or as a replacement to something more harmful like alcohol or strong opioids. If you want it to keep feeling good, you will need to space your doses out.

 

[pnillyg]

7 years deep and I hit my maintenance dose schedule (about 6-9 grams, variability due to use of volumetric measurements instead of weight, three times daily) about 5 years ago. I did not find any significant increase in effect past this dosage so I stopped increasing the dose. I don’t really get much psychological benefit anymore as the majority of the pleasurable and motivational effects are not really present anymore. It does help stabilize my mood so that it doesn’t get so intensely negative at times, but I don’t doubt it also reduces my ability to feel intense positive emotions as well (both are still present, i am not numbed out, the peaks and valleys are just diminished). It is still helpful for pain though, and I also use it to reduce my urge to take stronger opioids. It has been mostly effective for these purposes. I also am motivated to take it to avoid withdrawal, and I find this is doable with two doses a day for me. I don’t recommend daily use if you aren’t trying to manage chronic pain or as a replacement to something more harmful like alcohol or strong opioids. If you want it to keep feeling good, you will need to space your doses out.

That was very insightful thank you