4 replies to this topic

[rbrich]

Hi, anybody here have any experience with kava? Looking for pain relief and help sleeping.
Thanks

[ROMO]

I don't know what Kava is.

Tell me about it.

I might want to use it myself.

 

"rbrich," Welcome to the CML club.

 

We are are own doctors.

 

Romo

[rbrich]

thanks Romo.  I've been on and off the site for the ~5 years since DX.  Mainly, like Chauncey Gardner, I like to watch.  Kava is a plant from the Pacific Islands that has many of the relaxation properties of alcohol but not the morning after issues as well as anti-anxiety properties. Some also say it has pain relieving attributes but those have been less studied.

 

https://kalmwithkava.com/  this company was mentioned quite a few times on an article I saw on CNN.com or on HuffPo about NFL players who are using it.  I bought their sample pack and will try it for the first time tonight.  They say not to mix it with alcohol though as it will double or triple the effects of the beer/wine, etc.  So no beer for me tonight!

 

Hopefully it'll work better for me than curcumin did (saw no impact).

 

Rich

[campanula]

This is a good question for your doctor. 

 

I used to live in the southern Pacific Islands and know about true kava, a narcotic root from the Piper plant.  I don't know about kava supplements found elsewhere, but if you decide to take these supplements, I would research them thoroughly.  Herbal supplements in the U.S. are not well-regulated and there is suboptimal kava circulating (e.g., different cultivars, other parts of the plant used instead of the root, etc.) There is some concern about liver toxicity and many countries (not the U.S.) regulate kava, some have even banned it.  I don't know what TKI you're taking, but there is probably nothing written up about its interaction with kava, anyway. 

 

It is big business now, and I am always skeptical when there is a lot of money and a lack of regulation.

[rbrich]

Campanula.  Thanks for the reply.  Yes herbs, etc. are always a bit sketchy.  I looked into Kava after reading this article,

http://www.espn.com/...fest-painkiller looked into a bunch of other articles and thought I'd give it a try.  I also looked into Kratom but definately looked like it could be trouble.  I am on Sprycel now (50 mg) and just got my latest test and I'm PCRU since last November, Yea!!

 

My biggest issue is side effects (right now pain in joints and bones) which is why I'm looking at things other than Oxy and Ibuprofen.

 

I'll post a follow-up after trying Kava for a little while.

Rich