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Still No Effects From Kava

Update: Success!

Taking 30 root/rhizome extract gelcaps did the trick--no sources allowed but the capsules were 200mg with 60 mg kavalactones. Took about 3 hours to really hit me, but I was *sure* I wasn't completely sober when it finally did. Felt uncoordinated, body a bit slowed down but mind racing. Was easily able to mask the effects from family members, though effects were strong enough that this did take at least *some* effort. Euphoria was definitely experienced but left something to be desired. (Never tried opiates or downers, either, so a user of these might be significantly disappointed.)

So obviously I just wasn't getting good kava from the powder. Never again! Albeit, it is *way* less expensive. This trip ran me $10.

Still feeling slightly airy at T+7:00 from dosage, though only when I move really.
 
enoughorangejuice? said:
kava did nothing for me except make my mouth numbish/tingly and it tastes like a cup of crack cocaine tea... (for real)

P.S. Never tried making tea out of crack, but I would describe the taste as more akin to, well, mud. It's an acquired taste, though, and I've come to kind of appreciate it, in a way, even if I still chug my kava.
 
I'd describe its taste as muddy, also. Using the kneeding (or massaging, whatever you want to call it) technique that I described in my first post, I've made very opaque, muddy-looking brews using probably ~6 heaping tablespoons of fresh ground kava root. I've come to kind of enjoy the taste also, because I associate it with the forthcoming effects. I usually drink it all down in a couple minutes as well, and I experience very nice effects (relaxation and subtle, but noticeable, euphoria) that last for a couple of hours.

(I've been taking Clonazepam daily for a couple of years now. They only give me euphoria when I take at least double my normal dosage, which I hardly ever do anymore. The strength of the kava that I've been making for the past couple of months would probably rival the effects that I'd get from taking double my normal clonazepam. Of course, they don't last nearly as long, but the relaxation and euphoria have been surprisingly potent.
 
fizzacyst said:
That I can personally attest to, as Kava kept me sane when I abruptly ran out of valium. I was almost down to 5mg/day (after 3 years at 30mg/day+ or other benzos), kind of jumping back up to 10mg when I needed it. Anyway, I had an unexpected supply problem and ran out. I stretched 4 days of valium into 2 weeks, and kept the anxiety at bay with Kava (mind you, while it helped so much I almost cried in relief, it didn't stop the full-on terror panic attacks).

Also, if you are getting extracts or raw plant matter, MAKE SURE it is only using the rhizome. Lots of places will sell you stuff that is made from the roots (which are different than a rhizome), or much worse trunk tissue or leaves, etc. Some places I've seen use the word root but obviously sell rhizomes. The lack of regulation makes "nutritional supplements" kinda dodgy at best of times.

Those looking to get mongfaced should look elsewhere. If you just want some minor chill-out type effects, its worth a shot. If you are dependent on a downer of some sort, you might just want to look elsewhere too. Its not going to compare favorably.

Thank you for the informative and useful post! It's a relief to know that I can rely on kava to alleviate the pain of benzo withdrawal as long as my tolerance is in check.
 
Maybe I should have worded that a little differently. You will def. still be in benzo withdrawal if you get to that point.

What it really helped with was keeping me calm until I could reload on the valium. the worst part of benzo w/d for me is not so much that constant feeling of magnified anxiety (though I've only withdrawn when I've had it down to low doses, so take that into account), but the panic attacks. I get them anyway. But when I get them in benzo withdrawal, OMFG... It feels like it will never end. I mean, I flip my shit, and probably look like someone thats been up for 2 weeks on speed.

The kava went a very, very long way towards keeping that in check. As long as I didn't have that panic to deal with, I was able to keep telling myself it would be ok, just another week until I re-up and get sorted out again. It wasn't pleasant by any stretch, but far, far better than it would have been (I think my GF would have taken me to hospital otherwise, honestly. I would freak for like 30min when the mail carrier would knock on the door unexpectedly)
 
I understand, I should have elaborated more. I don't get panic attacks normally, I just suffer from generalized anxiety. I can empathize though. The worst part of opiate withdrawal for me is the unbearable anxiety that just won't stop, it really brings me to my knees and is the only thing that makes it hard for me to get to work or out of the house at all. If I didn't get so much anxiety, withdrawing would be so much easier. With benzos I've yet to go through a full week of withdrawal yet. I let myself withdraw for 3.5 days on valium last summer and it got really bad, my muscles were twitching and I felt so out of it. Then the power went out in the house and I was unable to take a shower, and I also got a migraine so I eventually just gave in and dosed again. I've been tapering since then, and I'm going to be quitting in a few weeks. I have no choice actually. I hope it works out. My dose is low enough so I shouldn't have to worry about seizures, and I should be able to tough it out as long as I have things like kava to help me psychologically.
 
Yes, I think it will probably help a lot in that case then. If you get raw plant matter, the stuff grown on Kona island (Hawaii) seems to be pretty good IMO. I don't know if its a specific strain or environmental conditions or what, but it works for me.

I would get that dose as low as you can before stopping... it really starts to suck that second week, and goes on for a looong time. I guess it varies with how much and how long you were using. I'm inclined to believe that low doses over time are probably much rougher than high doses over a shorter period, but thats all something for another thread I guess.
 
Kava Kava has been illegal in Canada and Germany since around 2004-2005, as well as many other countries. FOR GOOD REASONS. Around 2004-2005 there was a case that received international attention from the media; a few (5-6) people (not necessaily related by connections or blood) across Germany I think (somewhere in Western Europe for sure), who were HEAVY users of Kava Kava and suspected of being actually Kava Kava addicts, due to the amounts the users confirmed they were using, ended up in the hospitals across the country from what they didn't know at the time was irreparable liver damage. Eventually ALL the heavy Kava Kava users died from liver failure withing a matter of days.

Since then and BECAUSE of that case, Kava Kava has been made illegal in a number of developed countries like Canada (many other countries) and especially the country where all this happened. It may have been Belgium, either Belgium or Germany.


Just doing my job, letting you know that I HAVE tried kava kava in the form of capsules in extract form which did absolutley nothing for me except give me local anesthesia and I've even smoked them. But at that time I had ZERO anxiety or panick attack problems (now i'm on 4mg clonazepam a day) so mabye it MIGHT help me now, or better yet it would definatley let me see if it has anti-anxiety effects. BE WARNED THAT KAVA KAVA HAS DRASTIC EFFECTS ON THE LIVER if used excesively then to the point of irreversible damage. ON TOP IT HAS VERY SUBTLE IF ANY EFFECTS AT ALL, personally from the capsules I noticed only local anethesia but nothing in terms of stress relief.

Valerian is much better for stress and the capsules actually DO work as opposed to Kava Kava. 1000mg-1500mg Valerian should work when stressed, so a gram to a gram and a half PLUS it doesn't have any of the potentially deadly side effecta that Kava Kava does.
 
I've read some pretty good reports that it wasn't kava root, it was kava bark, and other additives that caused the damage... and there is no good reason someone can stop people from doing a drug if it's harming no one but themselves...
 
fizzacyst said:
Yes, I think it will probably help a lot in that case then. If you get raw plant matter, the stuff grown on Kona island (Hawaii) seems to be pretty good IMO. I don't know if its a specific strain or environmental conditions or what, but it works for me.

I would get that dose as low as you can before stopping... it really starts to suck that second week, and goes on for a looong time. I guess it varies with how much and how long you were using. I'm inclined to believe that low doses over time are probably much rougher than high doses over a shorter period, but thats all something for another thread I guess.

Yeah, that is exactly what I have.. "kona kava" powder. They really hype it up, and it is psychoactive at recommended doses, but I don't have much to compare it to other than gelcaps with random kava powder (most likely from kava root) that wasn't very good (and probably bad for my liver). Anyway, ugh.... I'm being as proactive as possible, but thinking about withdrawal that lasts for up to a month bothers me quite a bit.
 
I finally got some high quality kava today, and being completely honest, I cannot tell the difference between this and my kpins. I'm sure kava will help you out sonic.
 
Panic Station said:
why on earth do people take kava intending to trip or get fucked up?

makes no sense. go get some pot.

Two reasons:

a) Curiousity.
b) My weed hook-ups never fuckin' call me back.

Also it's socially acceptable, easier to hide the effects, and doesn't get me paranoid like weed.
 
xxl said:
P.S. : I've just ordered some kratom from the Netherlands. I promise to report fairly on the high .... Watch this space.
My report on kratom is at http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=364550

I first posted it in this sub-forum, then it was moves to TR (which I found out isTrip Reports), then it was closed with a suggestion it should have been moved to PDC (which I don't know what it stands for).

DATMA*



* = Difficult to Understand, Too Many Abbreviations
 
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flunitrazepam is the holy grail, only spoken of in myths and legends in my area.
i want some so goddamned badly...

i just got some kava in the mail. little baggies with 10 grams instant kava, my mouth is numb and I feel good. I'm not feeling 7 totem poles worth of enjoyment, but it's not bad.

more to come as i consume more kava...
 
Ahh, this old thread.. I never ended up having to go through benzo w/d, I've still been putting it off, but I take pretty low doses of benzos (usually 1-2mg of clonazepam/day). I don't get high, but I still get some therapeutic benefit from that dose. I'd like to try kava as a benzo potentiator, Does anyone enjoy kava in combination with real benzos?
 
kava iz safe 4 daily use,iz now avalible in canada and germany i think there were alwayz sum legal wayz 2 get it even there.its known 2 b safe,its amazing how sumthing can b used fine 4 like 1,000 years and then theres 1 study against it and sum dumb goverments react 4 bs political reason.i think it potentiates valium well.
 
I drank 10 grams instant kava, felt a numb mouth and mild relaxation, and now I have a headache. I don't know if the kava caused the headache.

It tastes like dirt. I'm wondering if the natives drank kava because geographic isolation and poverty prevented them from getting good shit. Send a crate of alprazolam to Vanuatu and perhaps kava will go the way of the dinosaur.
 
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