Kava Kava for Tinnitus — Post Your Experience!

For me I bought a fine strainer and agitate it in a bowl of cold water.

This is the Kava that I got:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VDFQKDW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I use a strainer bag off of Amazon and knead it for 7-10 minutes in a big bowl. Still tastes like muddy water but less of the dirty texture. I looked around on Kava Forums for recent lab tests. The vendor Art of Kava had a variety with a really high kavalactone percentage and good recent reviews so I bought some of that and it’s pretty strong. I think they’re out for a while though so the medium grind Loa Waka from Kalm with Kava would probably be good too.

 

Happy it is helping you!!

 

Doubled my Kava dose today from 75mg to 150mg kavalactones, and tinnitus is noticeably down, as is hyperacusis related irritation. Tinnitus is still totally audible, but it's softer and like it's pushed back. It lets me tune it out a lot easier.

 

Good to know the hyperacusis is down, too! I may have to try it since I respond well to Klonopin...

 

I think it's worth a shot. I kinda was able to tune out my tinnitus all morning and not be nearly as irritated/achey from my work calls.

 

Last night before I went to bed I started getting a bad spike. It lingered all night while trying to sleep but faded this morning. Everything is calm again especially after drinking Kava in the afternoon. So I'm basically 7 days in a row free of a long lasting spike, which hasn't happened in around two months. It could be a coincidence or it could be Kava.

 

Anybody finding that Kava affects their dreams? Mine have been exceptionally long and vivid.

 

I don't generally remember mine so I can't say one way or the other.

 

Do you notice doing multiple days in a row the effect gets stronger? I've observed after 2-3 days of use it's better than only 1 day, and there is sometimes a lingering effect for me after 3 days in a row where the first day off is still gentler than baseline.

I explained to my neurologist what I was doing and read her the posited below pharmacology, and she thought it made sense, and was fine with me taking it, for what it's worth.

"The pharmacological properties of kava are postulated to include blockade of voltage-gated sodium ion channels, enhanced ligand binding to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptors, diminished excitatory neurotransmitter release due to calcium ion channel blockade..."

 

I’ve actually had fewer dreams since I started taking it.

 

I’ve only skipped one day so far so I couldn’t say. It still doesn’t affect my tinnitus though, only my hyperacusis and anxiety. I didn’t respond to Klonopin either so I must not be sensitive enough.

I think it might depend on the variety/chemotype. I started drinking the Koro from Art of Kava two days ago and both nights I’ve had intense semi-lucid dreams.

 

Seems like a natural combination of Lamictal, benzos and Pregabalin. I should try this but I fear interaction with benzos.

 

That is very interesting that Klonopin doesn’t help your hyperacusis but Kava does. Makes me even more curious about trying Kava in hopes of getting even more relief than Klonopin...

 

Ya I think it would potentiate benzos - I generally leave a buffer between when I take Xanax and when I take Kava.

 

It's worth trying but I wouldn't go into it expecting much. It's a small effect.

 

Got it, thanks for the heads up.

 

I can't find much on this but I did find this Reddit thread.

Maybe ask a doctor. I want so much for you to find something that helps.

 

Had a monstrous spike last night. It started coming on this morning again until I drank Kava. It appears to definitely put a stop to a bad spike, but the problem I'm noticing is that it's not a lasting effect. It only seems to be effective for a few hours until the sedation of Kava begins to fade. I guess that's good that it can give me relief for half a day, but I wish it would last the whole day like taking a Clonazepam. I could drink it twice throughout the day, but this stuff definitely gets very expensive. I wonder if taking it as a capsule for the remainder of the day would help keep the spike away.

 

I’ve had good luck with the capsules.

 

I also use the capsules - if I take 2 the effect seems to be good for the day - it starts to fade a bit but still better than baseline. Alternatively, you could figure out your minimum dose and sip throughout the day, but not sure if that would be viable for your tolerance level.

 

Where are you getting your capsules from?

 

The same source GBB quoted earlier in the thread.

 

Just to be transparent, I am getting blood work done to test my liver enzymes next Tuesday. I wouldn't take Kava without routine check-ins with my primary care physician, despite the risk of liver damage being relatively rare.

 

Kava arrived today, earlier than anticipated. I got the Micronized Tonga Pouni Ono.

My anxiety, tinnitus and hyperacusis burning have all been really bad lately so if this addresses at least some of that I will be extremely happy.

 

I will keep my fingers crossed for you!

 

I haven't had a bad spike during the day for about 9-10 days now, which basically hasn't happened for the whole year, but I still get some nasty spikes at night before I sleep, or while I'm sleeping. I woke up with it bad this morning and again about an hour after drinking Kava it gradually faded. It might come back tonight though as the effects wear off.

It's strange, it's like Kava kind of puts it off for later.

 

The more I drink this stuff the worse it tastes Maybe that’s what people mean by reverse tolerance. It sure does make you feel good though. Also, I skipped the last two days and there was a definite increase in tinnitus/hyperacusis so I agree that there is a lingering effect of some sort.

 

Or take Silymarin to protect your liver.

 

Once I doubled my dose and took it for 2-3 days, the effects were very pronounced. I was functioning a lot better at work - the tinnitus was much more diluted and not nearly as forceful for me. I usually take meds to go to sleep as soon as I can at night, but with this I was staying up late to play video games and just generally enjoying myself.

The past 3 days I’ve been abstaining to test where my baseline is - on the 3rd day I was genuinely not having a good time again. I had become very accustomed to low tinnitus. Will start back on things tomorrow for a relaxing Christmas.