Kratom for Opiate Withdrawal

DISCLAIMER: This article is simply a collection of comments posted to our page by former opioid addicts. This is not meant to be a definitive guide. Opioid users should do as much research as possible on kratom before making a decision to acquire some. We encourage anyone reading this to be very careful, as mitragynine, the most abundant active alkaloid in kratom, could inhibit the metabolism of certain other drugs, according to this study. A majority of former opioid addicts commenting here suggest tapering off of opioids first, then introducing small amounts of kratom to deal with withdrawals.

Dr. Christopher McCurdy, who has studied kratom extensively at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, had this to say about kratom use for opiate withdrawal in a WebMD article:

“I definitely believe there is legitimacy to using kratom to self-treat an opiate addiction. I believe it from the standpoint of the material we know is pure and unadulterated and good. I just don’t know if all products available are consistently pure and good.”

People who use kratom typically don’t have withdrawals, says McCurdy, the University of Florida professor.

“That it helps them stop their cravings for going back to opioids and helps them with their mood. They feel good. They mention that they aren’t lazy like when using opioid prescriptions or addicted to opioids. They feel more productive and are doing things they love again, returning to a normal lifestyle.”

…

McCurdy’s research on mice shows kratom has a clear potential to treat opioid withdrawal with few side effects.

“It is probably addictive, but its addictive equivalent is something like coffee, which isn’t surprising because the leaf is in the coffee family,” McCurdy says. “We firmly believe that it will be very good for treating opioid withdrawal and may be a possible solution to the opioid epidemic we are facing as a country.”

But he says that would require testing kratom in clinical trials and controlled studies. He’s hopeful that will happen in the next 5 to 10 years. For now, he warns buyers to beware.

“You don’t know what you are getting, and I think that is the scary thing about going into self-treatment. On the flip side, I can tell you I get at least one email a week from someone on prescription opioids or heroin that states they have gotten off those drugs by using kratom,” McCurdy says.

Below are just a fraction of the comments posted to KratomScience.com from people who have used kratom to help them stay off of opioids. All of these have been posted to our pages in the past month alone. A majority were posted to this page, and this page. Hundreds of more experiences with using kratom for opiate withdrawal are posted there. Since kratom-related pages and accounts are consistently shut down on social media, we are currently working on our own forum where kratom consumers can talk about these subject specifically, and make it easier for those looking for help to find it.

Comments from Former Opioid Addicts

“I have been opioid free for 6 days thanks to Kratom. No withdrawal effects. I was on morphine 30 mg, 3x per day and Percocet 10mg, 2x per day. I had to reduce my morphine by cutting them in half for several days before doing kratom so the withdrawals wouldn’t be so bad when I jumped off to kratom. It worked like a charm. I did really good and so far, I barely feel 95% of any withdrawal.. once again I wish you luck.” – Bindi

“I would suggest 5 grams of red bali in the morning, afternoon, and before bed to take the edge off of withdrawal. If withdrawal symptoms still are too harsh increase dose by 1 to 2 grams each dose. Then after 7 days reduce dose and continue until PAWS subside.” – Corde

“This will be one of the hardest things to go they but well worth it. Because of the Fed’s looking to jump on people who giving dosing info, I decided to send you a message instead of responding out in the open. Reds are the best for withdrawals along with a small amount of greens for a mood lift and an energy boost without side effects. Micro dosing may be the best way to start. Your friend needs to know how they decide to consume kratom. By capsules, powder or by making a liquid. I would have motion sickness pills, Gatorade, small snacks (pretzels/potatoe chips) for salty/sweet cravings. Loads to drink so no dehydration. I would start with also taking magnesium and potassium ( for RSL and these supplements are lost quickly in our bodies) My suggestion is too purchase a kilo split a few ways. RMD(red maeng da), too me, is the best. Try 3grams to start, if they need more then another gram. Dose every 2 hours. I think using reds too start is best. Green can be used in a day or so for energy but mix it with red. If your friend needs more that’s Ok, everyone is different. If you take too much you throw it up but can start again. Nibbling on crackers, any kind, will help. The biggest thing is body pain and throwing up. I wish your friend a smooth transition.” 🙂 – Teresa

“I quit my suboxone 2mg a day last week. It was very difficult even with the Green Thai Kratom I was using. I was taking 1 tablespoon of kratom every 4 hours for nearly 5 days. I have been on suboxone for 12 years. Coming off suboxone was one of the most hardest things I have ever done. I hope your attempt works but if it doesn’t don’t get discouraged because you can take very small amounts of suboxone and get your tolerance down like I did. Then you can make another attempt with Kratom and get better results. I hope this information helps stay STRONG” – Jason

“You can take yourself off Suboxone and go through zero withdrawals besides being a tiny bit tired, and kratom can help offset any of that . I tapered off 16 mg of sub a day Just by tapering slowly, on the days I felt a little groggy kratom more than helped. Tapering slowly is the key” – Adimusmaximus

“I jumped off of 150mg of methadone cold turkey. Then added a solid 4 weeks of banging heroin and fentanyl. Kratom will take it all away. I had to dose 10-15g first thing in the morning with a high quality maeng Da. Whole Herbs or OPMS have been my 2 strongest kratom brands. Oh, and redose maybe 5-6g every 4-6hrs. Listen to your body and you’ll know when to redose. Also look into potentiators and you can drop your amounts down b/c your tolerance will build fast as hell after daily use. Turmeric w black pepper pills at CVS will literally double the effect so be careful. Hope this helps…” – Jason L

“Kratom helps significantly ease opiate withdrawals through its alkaloids temporarily attaching (rather than binding) themselves to opiate receptors. It does not simply postpone withdrawal. It’s not going to do everything for a recovering opiate addict, but it can make a difference major enough to be life vs. death for the user.” – Bill

“Hey! I was an IV H user for 5 years. No Matt what you do, detoxing is scary and sucks but being clean is the best thing in the world. Kratom will definitely take the edge off and sleep will come sooner. I’d go a couple weeks without sleep. My husband and I prefer Maeng Da, loose powder. Since you are a heavy user, you will likely need a stronger dose of Kratom to address withdrawal symptoms. Don’t make the mistake of overdoing it, expecting a magical opiate feeling cause it doesn’t work like that post heroin use. You’ll just feel like shit. Start with a teaspoon and a half. I mix it in oj. Give it an hour and take more if needed. Every humans dosage will vary so a little trial and error period will exist until you find your personal dose. My love and good vibes to you and your journey of getting clean. It’s the hardest thing I put myself through and it took years of trying to actually stay clean. Feel free to email me if you have questions or need support” – Josee [email protected]

“Update: been taking kratom for 1 week now coming off methadone and wow does it work not only am I detoxing but I am also in a lot of pain due to a pinched sciatica nerve can barely walk and it helps with the pain and I don’t feel any detoxing symptoms unless I stop taking kratom for.more than 6 hours then the runny nose and tummy aches start etc… 4 mg of gold Bali which is a combo of red and a little dash of white for some alkaline so you feel a little more chipper for lack of a better word.. lol anyway I am so glad I read this forum and was able to get off there government koolaid shits evil.. I have tried a few other gas stations stuff but no good went on Google found a kratom shop with good 5 star reviews and went in they recommended the Bali and huge difference in the crap from gas stations.. highly recommend for pain and detox it’s a nice combo of red and white. Start at about 4mg wait 15 min increase if needed you will learn your limits fast you will feel a euphoric effect about 10 min after ingesting where the pain and detox goes away so fast that it’s pleasurable for 1 moment.. I hope this helps others like this forum saved me from myself better then PAR drug treatment center did but I do recommend you still get some kind of therapy religion emotionally al support or support group like AA i smoke weed also with it and no side effects weed helps me.not to think about it and crave and helps.me sleep.etc.. anyway I’ll update later I hope to not be on the kratom for more than a month will update later thanks everyone” – MadMatt

“Been there, done it (above) all! Crazy how the majority of us have the same story! Weaned myself off Of Oxi’s & have been on A Kratom daily dosage & Its A life saver! My husband is an ER Dr. & is skeptical on Kratom because it is not FDA approved but he has been w/ me through my 12 years of chronic back pain & Is supportive because Kratom is the only thing that curbs the pain & keeps me from constantly whining about how bad it hurts. Only thing is if we find a diagnosis for my back pain & figure out a permanent way to cure the problem & make pain go away I’m going to have to wean myself off of the Kratom as well. Sometimes when I wake up and don’t take my red kratom the night before I go to bed, I can feel my body going through withdrawls the next morning, they are the same withdrawals you go through weaning off of opiates. However looking forward to that day that we do figure it out and I am dependent on nothing at all. Grateful for what Kratom has done for me the last three years, don’t know what I will do if they ban this product. #KratomBeliever” – Shannon

“I’m in a similar boat, started a 3 month IV Heroin habit back, not even sure why. And I went and bought some premier recommended red Bali from a boutique kratom store where I live, but a head shop. Blessed to have access to such a store first off. But I’m scared to just take the kratom and nothing more. I’m sitting here fighting doing a cotton shot just cause. I just took two teaspoons ( that clear plastic spoon they give you with your cup of powdered kratom ) not sure but I think that’s 5 grams worth? Wish I understood the measuring system a little better. But I wanted to write this to you, even though I don’t know you, you are not alone. My habit may not have been for very long but there’s still the intense fear of the hell if H withdrawal. I have fought opiates on and off for 14 years. I keep telling myself I need to give myself a chance, I’ll be honest I was taking 4 OPMS capsules from a head shop for a good year before I got back on the H. And I started taking those outta sheer curiosity. I had been clean clean off of everything for a good 6 months before taking the kratom opms ( purple leaf logo ) and I think I just bought a two pack and pooped em because that’s what we do as addicts or at least I do. I try and use or find that one manageable drug. Sigh” – Mr Friday

“I’ve been on suboxone for roughly seven years. This was to come off a 3 gram a day iv habit. Yes it saved my life at the time. Partially I suppose. Over the years I have tried everything and every way known to come off opiates to no avail. I even tried Ibogaine. Twice. Worked for normal opiates(heroin at the time) but not for suboxone. Sadly I relapsed after the ibogaine worked the first time while weaning my wife off. I also used a razor and cut an 8 down 32 times. Even 1/32nd of an 8 mg suboxone once daily produced the worst withdrawals I’ve ever experienced when stopped. In fact I went to jail for 14 days (dismissed. Honestly wasn’t me!) and when I got out I was still just as sick. If u are thinking of getting on subs they may seem like a lifesaver but they are not. It’s a lifetime contract for a large majority of people. Certainly the hardest to kick and Ive done the gambit. I’ve even seen ads to get OFF kratom with suboxone. That’s the sick health care system we have in the US. As long as they get a new customer they don’t care. I hate to say this but I’m some ways when it comes to opiate cessation in this country at least, don’t just listen to medical professionals. Hell they are likely to have had a lot to do with your current predicament to start with!

Now the good news…..believe it or not I dismissed Kratom a loooong time ago as too weak to help my kind of addiction. However recently I’ve been reading a great deal of research on it and decided to try it. It’s not just filling opioid receptors. Looking at current research and the areas of the brain Kratom effects I would swear this was made for opioid withdrawal. 15 days ago I took 1/3 of an 8mg strip for the last time. Kratom is the only thing Ive found that has made withdrawal from suboxone bearable. I actually feel perfectly fine at the moment. As a scientist I tend to be very methodical in approach and I base any approach off significant study. Addiction and biochemistry etc aren’t my field but whether it be by placebo or function, my approach has worked this far. Here is what’s doing it for me. Hey I don’t recommend just following what someone else is doing. Especially what I’m doing. I’m going to tell you what I’m doing and then ramble on about why and risks involved. Make ur own decisions. Seriously. It may not be my way but there IS a way back to a better life.

My worst and most unbearable symptoms are restless muscles, shivers, no energy, hopelessness, no appetite but I do NOT get cravings for opiates. If the last one applies to u I highly recommend u stay with what u got going until u get therapy and u are in a place where that’s the last thing u want anymore. I’m coming off subs and I’ve been on them for such a long time that the receptor set that’s screaming to be activated differs significantly from opiates. Bup is a strong kappa opioid antagonist. Mitragynine is actually a strong binder and kappa agonist. Kappa agonistic action is associated with aversion response. Salvia makes u not want another by activating these receptors in the accumbens. As far as Mu receptors go the partial agonist action is the same but affinity is far less between Kratom and bup. Additionally there’s decent binding with 5-ht receptors using Kratom. These receptors regulate mood but also modulate neuron responses. They also relax muscle tissue.

I started taking Kratom the day before I stopped suboxone. I don’t think that’s important unless ur unsure if u can tolerate Kratom. When I stopped opiates I started taking 6 grams of powdered red Bali every 5 hours. Remember that this takes a minute to kick in. So take it an hour before any anticipated withdrawals. Playing catch-up is no fun and really ruins my whole day. I don’t feel right for 24 hours. In addition to this take comfort meds as needed. Imodium (specifically this as it also serves to replace dopamine in your body. In fact it is a modified dopamine molecule:) For general relaxation smoke some weed but I find going light works better than try to smoke myself into a coma. Keep in mind u are missing a lot of the transmitters ur brain needs in order for u to feel the euphoria of drugs so some old favs can feel very edgy and uncomfortable. Here is the controversial one. If u have a problem with stims don’t even think about this please. This is not being done to abuse it but in an effort to provide ur brain dopamine so that u are even capable of feeling comfort or joy or hope. Sorry to say but amphetamines sit on receptors and mimic dopamine. Since u aren’t producing any right now the only way I know of (unless u are a Parkinson’s patient) to get this is through amphetamine and methamphetamine. The whole class does this but these are the simplest oldest and yes….have the least side effects other than abuse potential. The others are less addicting but have way worse long term consequences. Amph is a simple carbon ring with a cpl more atoms. But yeah do this as little as possible. Like I use 10 mg of meth in a 24 hour period if I’m going to use it. That’s a therapeutic dosage. Not a tenth of a gram or a line. It’s a speck really. You won’t be high but u will notice that the sun got a bit brighter and u feel a bit of joy. At day 7 I started going down 1 gram a day in Kratom and the plan is to add an additional 2 hours between doses every other day until I’m down to two grams once daily and then I’ll jump off. I’m at the two grams a day mark but I still dose three times a day so it’s a few more days till the jump. I don’t anticipate much more than insomnia and some slight symptoms for a day or so. I hope;)

I can say honestly that other than stuff I would consider whiny (personally whiny….I get it. This ain’t whiny stuff!). All my symptoms disappeared after day 5-6. Any occasional ones that surfaced were easily dismissed. I only used stims 4 days. I smoked weed daily before and I still am but not for the reasons of withdrawal relief now. Comfort meds stopped at day two. I still don’t sleep well but I am amazingly sleeping at least 3-4 hours at a time. I won’t personally do sleep meds as I find those addicting personally. Once I stop it’s 3 weeks of no sleep so why bother I say.

Wish me luck as I wish you the same. Life on opiates is hell. It’s not a personal defect, a moral issue, and certainly not what anyone in their right mind would endeavor to achieve and the world needs to stop judging us as if. It’s CERTAINLY should not be a crime in and of itself to be addicted and possess what one is pathologically addicted to! You (and I ) deserve our lives back. This time I think is the one for me….it seems. But if it is not, you can bet I’ll be back with a different plan, more commitment or whatever is needed until I succeed. This wasnt the life that was for us.”

– k3nnyg

“I have to tell you all right now, GO TO DETOX. Get your body and mind straight FIRST. Trust me, When I came out I felt like I haven’t felt in 9 years. I felt new. I felt good. BUT my pain was still there. So, I asked about Kratom. I was pointed to kratom maeng da red. I started taking it the day after I got out. This is no joke, I have not even thought about taking a pain med. This stuff has seemed to help with the pain and head clarity So far, so good. I first tried the pill form, but since I am 6’2 and 205 pounds and the dosages I used to take I switched to the tea version. I use a spoon full and make a hot tea out of it in a good size mug. And it just works great. Anyone else have these results?” – Dizzle

“I was on Adderall , Just about every opiate. I have 5 boys (now) and really wanted to get off the opiates prescribed to me. Both Adderall and Percs became an addiction. I couldn’t function without them and eventually I was taking more than prescribed. My docs seemed to care more about money she kept me in opiates and eventually just changed the type of opiate but never got me off. One day I ordered a sample of kratom I didn’t do Enough research a d took 1 then 2 caps at 0.5 mg each cap. Naturally it didn’t help with pain at all and needed to take a perc. A few months later as if a “sign” every gas station and smoke shop was selling kratom. And pretty cheap. 3oz for 18.99 of Bali or Borneo or Meng Da wasn’t bad at all! I grabbed a bag. Took 2 heaping teaspoons (about 5-6 grams) 15 mins later my mind and body experienced relief of pain and energy and motivation. It was as if I took an Adderall and a perc at the same time. I have been using kratom for pain ever since. It really did change everything for me. Also helps with my mood a lot but naturally. Opiates create their own “happy” by producing (synthetic) dopamine while kratom recruits natural receptors. It’s been an amazing wonderful transition for me.” – Johnny RN

“Go get Maeng Da Kratom….Take a teaspoon every hour until you don’t feel miserable.

The risk of taking too much kratom vs being addicted to IV opiates aren’t even measurable.

When I was getting off of a 5 year 450mg per day Oxycodone habit I was taking a teaspoon in the morning and one at night AFTER I did a 14 day taper down to 60mg without any help. My girlfriend one morning made my dose for me and used a tablespoon and doubled it thinking I wasn’t taking enough. It had no ill effects. I only found out when discussing dosages with her and the possibility of overdosing.

Do not use Kratom while still taking a ‘normal’ dose of opiates. Take Kratom as a crutch only when you feel miserable from withdrawal. If you do this you won’t get negative effects of Kratom, it will merely act as a tool. And if you take a dose of Kratom don’t expect to feel ‘good’ while in withdrawal, it only takes the edge off and helps you sleep and at first only 10 to 20 minutes after the dose, as time goes on meaning days… expect to be able to sleep longer, and once you can sleep for a few hours, start reducing the Kratom dose so you don’t get hooked on Kratom itself which is very unlikely from my experience.

There is no free lunch people, Kratom isn’t going to magically make update withdrawal completely go away. Don’t fool yourself, Suboxone and methadone or near me postponing withdrawal because of their half life.

If my post helps one single person then I’m happy. I wish I knew about Kratom years ago.”

-Someone

“I had that happen to me (on pain meds for years-ended up suffering more on them) I used the Kratom instead – it helped my withdrawal immensely . And it has pain killing properties. You can still take your pain meds but keep time between using them because the Kratom fits your opiate receptors so the pain meds may not work as well but you won’t need them as often or as high a dose. I just went off of mine completely. ( I was on methadone for my pain and it’s probably what caused my heart failure and other horrible side effects.) I now usually only use the Kratom for my pain. It truly saved my life. I was in heart failure and didn’t know it (doctor’s thought I was to young, even though I told them that it felt like heart failure and I’ve been an EMT on our ambulance service for over eight years.) if I would have just went cold turkey off the awful pain meds I was on- my heart would definitely have given out & I wouldn’t be here today. I can’t stress the many ways that Kratom has helped me and many of my family members.” – Michele

“I was taking oxycodone for 7 years. Tried to wean off it several times but the withdrawals were unbearable. Started taking white Maeng Da kratom 5 months ago and I have not had a pill since that day! It really works! Plus I have energy and it elevates my mood. I mix it into a glass of water. Take it on an empty stomach. Try 2 grams (tsp) to start. Wait 30 minutes. If you don’t feel anything take another gram and wait another 30 minutes. Take another gram if needed until you find your perfect dose. Effects should last 3-6 hours. Good luck! It has saved my life!” – Steve

“I just got off methadone after being on for over 10 years for pain management/addiction. You don’t want to take kratom while you’re on opioids. The next day after you stop, start with the kratom. You’ll want to get gold Bali. Take 3 teaspoons worth and try to get your doctor to prescribe Gabapentin/Soma/Clonidine. Take the kratom in hot water (about 8 ounces of water). I’m 16 days without methadone and I feel pretty damn good considering. This combination is something I put together from past experience and it works. It really helps.” – Thomas

“Hey guys, I am an individual who has overcome opiate addiction with Kratom. I can give you all of the info you need and would love to help. Email me [email protected] “- Davey Gravey

“I was on 120mg of methadone for years. You have to start dropping 10mg a week. You shouldn’t start feeling ill until your down at 50. I then waited until I was in withdrawal for over 24 hrs and then began suboxone. I then decreased the subs by half and then quarters and then began kratum. To jump of methadone at 115 isn’t recommended at all. I escaped the wrath of withdrawal this way and I was a hard core IV heroin addict in NYC for decades. Start breaking your subs into halves and then quarters. That’s how I did it. Then I started using kratum and didn’t have any serious withdrawals at all.”  – Jimmy

“I have been taking Kratom daily for exactly 2 yrs now and I’m 38yrs old. I was previously addicted to pain pills and that was for 11 yrs up until August of 2017. Now also I was a heavy hitter and I had taken just methadone for the last 5 yrs of my addiction which between going to the clinics and my plugs I was taking 200 mg a day.. some days I can remember taking 290 mgs and I couldn’t even think about any type of work, getting up out of bed, socializing, etc without it. I can’t stress how bad I hurt… I’m a millwright and I’ve worked hard and out in the weather etc most of my entire life and I’m about 5ft 11 and was about 260lbs when I stopped. 

Now I want you to understand that there’s only 1 of you in the world and you know… what you get out of the pills. High, Euphoria,Socializing,Work, happier, and of course pain relief. Now for me I was introduced to the Kratom by another former addict just in conversation one day and I had done lost my entire life, family, great jobs, friends, material things, credit, freedom,self pride, I mean no care at this point. Knowing I had Overdosed twice in the past 2 months I had to research it and man I was in a ride brother I had no idea of. I mean that I’m from a smaller town that didn’t have it hardly at all and nobody around knew what I was searching for and so I started researching all I could and to be honest with you there was a few times I only continued to do it instead of relapsing because I was legal and I could work and I could carry it on me and I didn’t have the withdrawals half as bad and I could also generally go to any city for work and pick it up in a local smoke shop etc. 

Your body is screaming like a baby for that methadone and also your body’s like, “what in the hell is this shit you just put in me?” I’ve read several times that people may get headaches real bad and nausea etc when they first start taking it because their body’s trying to adjust and does soon but for me I didn’t have any of those things happen. So fast forward to today currently I guarantee that if you are taking methadone and 130mg a day you’re definitely going the right way and it’s 70% easier to walk away and not want them not think about them dream about them etc. 

I was on suboxone, subutex, and Xanax and nothing phased my craving until the Kratom. I would Highly recommend Green maeng da or green Malay… that’s something in 15 mins of taking you can be getting shoes on, brushing teeth, talking etc… feeling normal…  after you’ve taken Kratom only for maybe 1 to 2 months your body’s gonna be so much more back to normal that you can go a day if you had no choice and not miss work or if it’s a couple hours after you got up your gonna be okay though. now I personally take Kratom 2 times a day but I’ve got several friends I’ve introduced to that may take it 4 times a day but the difference is a serving may be 2 to 8 gms if if it’s a crushed leaf Kratom. I take powder it’s the freshest I can get and it’s the strongest feel-good and energetic Kratom offered because it’s dried the shortest amount of time and so I will take a huge serving of 10 gms personally in the morning but that’s it for the next 12 hrs at least and my friends may take 3 gms 3 times throughout that 12 hrs so everyone is different…I personally now buy in kilos and I have about 4 strains I like so I have several pounds of it all together… it’s a lot cheaper and it’s definitely fresher that way 95% of the time. Now if your trying to just get pain relief and feel the euphoria and you’re not caring about anything else right now then you need The Classic well known Red Bali for certain its the strongest pain reliever & best feeling in the world the longer you take it and off methadone the more it’s gonna continue to feel more and more completely opposite of pain. I take that as my 2nd dosage in the evenings after the shower etc and the entire evening is great and I have an appetite but I don’t overeat like I did with methadone. 

I was a consistent weight until I started pain meds and definitely after I went from Roxie’s to methadone it increased from 175 to 289 now I’m 180 again and I honestly never ever even think about a pill or if I’m around any I could have 2000$ in my pocket and I won’t even consider buying one etc. it’s saved my life I’m certain of it. Now I’m sure there’s all kinds of opinions and whatever but maybe you both can have the best success and you both have your life that’s yours back and remember that’s a leaf off a tree it’s not made in a lab or some pharmaceutical company. The chemicals aren’t their to control those receptors as strongly. I hope this way over lengthen comment is helpful to y’all and anybody else that it can. God bless y’all and keep ya head up it’s not easy but your not alone and together we stand my friend. Take care from Ga”

• David W.