Kratom - Anyone use it?

[ctom87]

I went to pick up some woodworking supplies at my local Rockler, and on my way out I went into the CBD store to see if there was anything for back pain. (Sidenote: I remember talking earlier in the year about seeing a dr for this, but I haven't gone due to COVID in March/April/May...and my back seemed to be doing better. I think this was due to a complete lack of physical activity. I went for a jog a week ago and my back pain immediately flared back up.)

The store also carried something I had never heard of before... Kratom. Really brief research shows that it is related to the coffee plant, hails from SE Asia, and has been used for roughly 200-300 years. In modern times, there are a bunch of people that have said it helped them escape pill and heroin addiction. It has the same alkaloids are opiates but won't show up on any drug test.

I had $10 so I bought some "green maeng da" powder. I took 1 teaspoon... about 30 minutes later, I had no back pain. I also noticed I was in a better mood, which is another thing they said would happen. My energy increased as well.

I was very skeptical when I made the purchase... Just curious to know if anyone here has ever heard of it or tried it. What's your experience been like?

[Pipeliner1]

I just started using it about a week ago for some tendinitis I’ve had,seems to help some but not as good as a painkiller but not addictive like painkillers.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

I think I read something about it being used by opioid addicts to help them get clean. I also read it has its own dangers. I don’t remember what those were, though.

[Playa]

I think I read something about it being used by opioid addicts to help them get clean. I also read it has its own dangers. I don’t remember what those were, though.

Yeah- it’s physically if not psychologically addictive. Once your body become physically dependent, if you cease taking it you may experience withdrawal symptoms similar to a heroin or pill popper addicts.

It also changes the receptor pathways in the brain. That feeling of happiness you experienced can become something cannot feel without the chemical present in your system. Potentially requiring higher doses to achieve the same level of “happiness”.

It theoretically can impede the efficacy of actual narcotic meds. Ie if you have surgery or have an emergency it may require medical professionals to administer higher more frequent doses of meds to control your pain to tolerable levels because your body is accustomed to certain amount of opiates binding to the receptors on a frequent basis.


Tread carefully.... that’s all I will say. An opiate is an opiate