I have been using kratom 3 times daily for the past 8 months. I was clean from heroin for 6 months before I started and was just looking for something to fill the void. The first 10 times or so I got a decent buzz, similar to 20mg of oxy, due to low tolerance. Now after extensive use, it still has it's benefits, but it's no longer something to get "buzzed' off of. It gives me energy in the morning, similar to a cup of coffee, and after that, I use it to maintain. I work a physical labor job, and have been able to work for 14 hours without even sitting down or taking a break, for about 8 months now. I've worked my way up to a manager position because the higher ups saw my drive.
I used to get opiate feelings from it, now it just feels like a better version of coffee to me. If I really want to catch a buzz from it, usually on my days off I'll mix in some benzo's or phenibut, as this actually allows me to feel euphoria from it. Twice a month I use UEI too, which feels just as good as any pharm opiate to me.
When I quit, like others have said, depression in the form of uncontrollable rage tends to take ahold of me for 2 days, although I had anger problems before kratom, which is why I started self medicating with it in the first place, so these are just my old mental health issues reappearing. The only withdrawal symptoms caused by kratom itself tends to be runny nose, and EXTREME lethargy. To the point where I could just sleep for 3 days until the WD is over. I never get gastric problems, or severe pain, or restless legs, and it is a cakewalk compared to opiates. I believe the lethargy is caused by not only the opiate withdrawal, but kratom also affecting your adrenergic receptors. It's similar to quitting coffee and a 15mg per day oxy habit at the same time.
The good part is, due to kratom only lasting about 2-3 hours, the withdrawals are insanely short. Quitting heroin was 2 weeks of hell, and then months of dealing with PAWS. Kratom is 2 days, 3 days tops, and there seems to be no PAWS that goes along with it. I believe that kratom is not like a traditional opiate in that it causes receptor downregulation. I feel like it just tickles the opiate receptors you already have, not make more like heroin does.
Plus, kratom mainly works at the delta receptors, and not the mu. This is why I was able to stop taking my seroquel and abilify, and just self medicate with kratom. Kratom saved my life. Honestly if kratom was illegal, my life would be ruined, as I was in and out of mental health hospitals my whole life, and after finding kratom I got a job and worked my way up to a management position.
Just remember that not all addictions need to be a bad thing. I go through about a kilo a month, which costs me about 135 bucks. I usually spend 500 at once and buy 4 different strains of 1 kilo each. 135 bucks per month is way cheaper than my psychiatrist, psychologist, and RX's would cost me.
