Like I said before, I have never taken it. You can research it online. But the FDA wants to make it a Schedule 1 drug like heroin or LSD. So if you buy it, you maybe holding onto something very illegal. Some Senators have stopped the FDA for the moment, but I don't know how long they will be held off.

I know several living in Washington on mj and swear by it. They went the opioid route before it with no release of pain and this brings at least some comfort. It comes in many forms and several buy it to make into butter or such. The draw back...there always is one...is the cost, it is very expensive, but a little goes a long way.
I personally believe any pain medication should also be used in conjunction with another treatment, it's that part of us that never quits trying and pushing.

We had a very, very long discussion about Kratom on the old Site, I hate that all of those discussions didn't come over.

Kratom is a plant member of the Coffee plant family found in Southeast Asia. In 2013 when it first started showing a big presence the FDA's decision was to ban it 100%.

Now they've had such a big outcry from users of Kratom, they're trying to figure out how to start the normal process to consider it as an herbal supplement. They didn't go through the proper steps in the beginning though so they have to figure out how to launch a Public Comment Period, then they would go through their normal regulatory steps to decide whether to lift the ban.

Since Kratom is an Herbal Supplement it may not be up to the FDA to allow it. People are touting it more as an Addiction help, not a Pain med. That's what they're trying to get the FDA Ban released for. There have been several deaths over the last couple years due to Kratom overdose and side effects.

Its not the same as MJ, doesn't even come from the same family.

From what I read those deaths were with other drugs involved, but gets blamed on Kratom.

I really do think this is some kind of anti opiate lobby. So since they have reduced opiate pill deaths, illegal heroin type drug deaths are increasing. Those people would have been better off on pharmaceutical drugs even if they had obtained them illegally and for whatever high they are looking for. At least they would have known what they were taking. But politicians look like they are doing something good, even if it is backfiring for the chronic pain community and for the addicts they think they are helping.

They don't misrepresent, they say that the Kratom was used with other substances. The Journals I get my information out of have to be accurate, they don't just print, guesswork or opinions, this is factual, proven information.

Kratom has minimal opioid/stimulant like properties, which is why all governing agencies refer to it as a Herbal Supplement. It also Markets as a Herbal Supplement, no Agency made it do that. Kratom is used by more people as an Herbal Supplement to help with withdrawals from Addiction, then used for treatment of Chronic Pain....it just doesn't have strong enough Opioid qualities....its a branch of the coffee plant.

Science with an agenda is suspect. There are politics involved with medical research. What is proven is only proven until it is disproved. I've lived too long to think any medical journal article proves anything absolutely.

I also doubt it is possible to prove Kratom is responsible if there are other dangerous sustances involved.

I hate the climate of Medicine these days. Everything is suspect and nobody trusts anything. How is anyone supposed to heal from anything when nobody trusts anything. Patients don't trust Dr.'s, Dr.'s don't trust Patients, medicines, pharmacists, insurance companies.... It's insane and many bad things are going to happen before it ever gets better.

I think God for my bubble of good Dr.'s/pharmacists/Pdocs/Hospitals.....or my Naive faith in the Medical Field...whichever you want to call it.

There are some articles about kratom on Pain News Network http://www.painnewsnetwork.org/ which jenthalia posted a few days ago.

'But politicians look like they are doing something good, even if it is backfiring for the chronic pain community and for the addicts they think they are helping. ' ( AnnNY ) I was a social worker years ago and quickly learned the only person who can help an addict is themselves, no amount of support is going to be enough until they want to change. Of course back then we all thought we were going to change the world! Chuck Rosenberg DEA chief- does he have any medical or social work or specialist training? Doesn't seem like it, his background is in administration of criminal matters.

Actually, OldCP, I have had some really great doctors in my life. My old internist wasn't sure what was wrong with me, so he kept sending me to different specialists. Some of them were down right mean, but finally I got to the right rheumatologist. For me I have needed doctors who thought outside the box. I just went to see another really good rheumatologist. But a lot of doctors are what I call, "paint by the numbers" doctors. There are a lot of medical researchers that seem to think humanity is a giant group of clones. For instance, research that says, "There is no proof that opiates help people in chronic pain." It seems clear to me it does help some people with chronic pain. But OldCP you must have also seen how often medicine says one thing and then says another.

Ann, I've never seen a Research Report that says, "There is no proof that Opiates help people in Chronic Pain". I've seen Research studies that say the opposite. I've read many reports that say opiates help but also list ways in which Dr.'s need to be more careful in how they prescribe them. They need to make sure other Therapies don't work, that there are not surgical options, etc. And I've seen Studies that say, "Opioids help but need to be limited and used in conjunction with other non-narcotic meds and additional therapies."

The thing is I am a firm believer in all of these things. We didn't get to this place by happenstance. Non Pain Management Dr.'s have overprescribed narcotic meds for years for the simplest little thing, strep throat, headaches, a bruised or sprained toe, etc. All of these things have helped lead to where we are today. Coupled with the thousands of people who have accidentally overdosed on prescription narcotics and benzo's there was a definite problem. Now many different agencies are trying to fix it, and it's a bit of a mess. It seems in some States the atmosphere is more heated than others. It's going to take a while to straighten it all out. We've got a new President coming on in a couple months, that's also going to effect things. I don't think we'll see all this settle down until early next year. The sad thing is we as patience caused some of it. I know you don't use heavy narcotics, but I can remember at 14 and 15 having horrendous periods because I had severe Endometriosis. My family Dr. gave my Vicodin, Soma and Valium or Klonopin to get through them....they were cramps and yes they hurt like hell....but giving a 14 - 15 yr old those kinds of meds for cramps....it was ridiculous......and GP's and PCP's have been giving out heavy narcotic drugs and psych meds that they know nothing about all over the place for the last 15-20 years and yeah that caused a problem. We blame it on the Insurance Companies but they don't give out the meds, the Dr.'s do. We get mad if the Insurance Companies don't make enough of the meds we need, we get mad if they make plenty.

There's so much 2 face behavior going on in all this is just ridiculous. Too man Agencies trying to control it and change it and fix the problems.....too many Dr.'s trying to rehab their wrong behavior, too many patients who feel entitled to drugs regardless of what other therapies are out there that might help them....just too many people and too many fingers to point.

As for your comment about medicine saying one thing then saying another. If its not my Dr. or one of my Specialist, I don't care. I worry about the Dr.'s that treat me. I worry about the 2 hospitals that treat me, the pharmacist that I use, the Psychiatrist that I see, and the Insurance Company that I have. And for now I don't have problems with any of them and they're not in the same "pressure cooker" frame of mind as the medical field in MN apparently is. I don't waste my energy worrying about the "What Is" for the whole U.S., I use my energy to keep up with my medical community and for now, its okay.

Thank you all for you wonderful responses! It has given me a lot to think about! I see my PM on Thursday, I'm going to talk to her about it. I'm not expecting much though...this particular PM is more pill counter than real pain management. My old PM was amazing, but it was a 3 hour drive every month, which as you all know is soooo hard on the body not to mention the wallet. She did approve the pot though so who knows!
Wish me luck!
Bless you all,
And as always, wishing you all pain free days or at least pain free moments.

If you plan on trying it, you better hurry up and buy it before the DEA ban goes into effect!

The ban went into effect on sept 30 but the AKA (American Kratom Association) hired some high powered lawyers to fight the ban and have already had some success. The Dea changed the date to Dec 30 to give time for discussion on the proposed ban.

I have used it off and on but at this point, I think ibprofen does a better job at pain control. As far as the buzz goes, it feels like the buzz from the caffeine in coffee which doesn't surprise me since it is related to the coffee plant but it does have an affect on one of the opiate receptors in the brain so many people use it for pain control. It has about the same amount of strength as tramadol does. So if you have ever been on tramadol, then thats what you can expect. It is energizing in small quantities (like coffee is) and sedative in larger quantities. There are many different varieties available, some work better then others at pain control. If you take it, it's pretty much trial and error. You will know if you took too much because you will feel a little nausea which means cut back a little next time.

Hope this helps

God Bless

K as it was explained to me. I bought some and tried it. It is for peeps who are NOT on any opoids. In Canada it is used to get a heroin addict through withdraw for 3 days. No cravings after using it for 3 solid days. Some nausea which is actually a good thing. Watch peeps in Western Cultures come off of drugs and they vomit all the bad stuff out.

Low dose causes energy. higher dose...makes you sleepy and takes away pain. I used it. The first time I vomited....now I drink it with milk and do well. Can be mixed with fruit juice, smoothy (good). Good luck. Give it a try and let me know how you fare.

I have been using kratom for almost 2 years now, mostly for my anxiety- but also my chronic pain. The opiates helped at first, but then really lost their effect- and switching to anything stronger was not an option for the sake of keeping my job. I had to start looking for other options. Don't get me wrong- it's not 100% effective for me, but it certainly makes it to where I am on a highly functioning level and can be a better employee, wife & mother. Personally I say try it out for yourself, and if you'd like some advice on kratom support groups and more of my personal account- feel free to email me at pinkanything@gmail.com.