Question 1

i'm 29 weeks pregnant, what are side effects of kava right now? could the benefit outweigh the risks? pharmaceutical medication is not an option.

Accepted Answer

No: Do not know the risks to the fetus. Discuss with your ob.

Question 2

safe to take kava and valerian root?

Accepted Answer

Mostly: If you are not taking other medications and use proper doses, these may be safe.  Both are sedating and can cause reactions or possible allergy.  Valerian root may cause disturbed dreams and other side effects.  Kava has been associated with liver toxicity which may be due to the wrong part of the plant being used.  Use trusted sources that use the right part.  Kava root not stem or leaf.

Question 3

how long does kava stay in your system?  would it have a half life like a prescription drug?

Accepted Answer

Depends: It depends.  Effects can last up to 12 hours; metabolites can stay in your system for up to 2 weeks.  At most use one kava capsule three times a week and take a full week off each month. it is preferable to use kava no more than two times a week. Kava use on a daily basis can harm the liver. In rare cases, daily kava kava use can lead to severe liver harm: may result in total liver failure.

Question 4

can herbal supplements that come from china such as kava kava or valerian root have benzos or other substance that are not listed on the bottle  ?

Accepted Answer

The two: Herbal supplements you listed do not contain benzodiazapines. However, i can not vouch for quality control for whatever company sells the supplements in question.

Question 5

can kava kava extract, valerian root or st. johns wort cause a false positive for benzos on a hair follicle test?

Accepted Answer

No: Hair follicle testing relies not on screening tests, but on the confirmatory/definitive tests when bands of substances are found in hair.  The results are highly accurate, and are not effected by washing or coloring or anything that is on the outside of the hair. It has been shown that some herbal supplements, esp from china, actually contain benzos and other substances not listed on ingredients.

Question 6

passion flower, valerian root or kava which is best for anxiety with less side effects?

Accepted Answer

No single best: Just like there is no best single drug for anxiety, there is no single best herb. We are all unique biochemically and a drug or herb that might work great for one person may not help another at all. Of the 3 you mention kava causes the most side effects. You can try passion flower ; valerian to see which works better for you, but holy basil (tulsi), rhodiola and l-theanine are also worth trying.

Question 7

hardly slept at a for more than a week. tried, valerian root, melatonin, kava, motrinpm, ambien, and xanax (alprazolam). xanax (alprazolam) helped two nights but does not work now.also tried relaxation techniques suggested.help?

Accepted Answer

Insomnia: You have tried many alternatives but have tried psychotherapy to uncover the root causes of your sleep disturbance. If not seek a consultation with a mental health professional who specializes in treating insomnia, this could very helpful to you. Best.

Question 8

hi my husband is having such bad anxiety and depression it is making him throw up. would st johns wort or kava help? valarian root was working

Accepted Answer

Psychiatrist: Would recommend seeing family Doc for a possible referral to psychiatry. Not a great idea to self medicate with these type of symptoms.

Question 9

i threw away the ativan that the doctor gave me because it doesn't mix well with my other meds plus i don't want to get addicted,i drink tea every night for anxiety and i'm wondering which of these is the best- valerian root,kava,or chamomile?

Accepted Answer

See below.: It's great you decided to try less addictive ways to reduce your anxiety. Chamomile is probably the safest tea to help you relax. You may want to drink less if you  take aspirin or another blood thinner with it. Valerian is helpful for sleep and anxiety, but it may cause insomnia, upset stomach and irregular heart beat in some people. Kava has been linked with a few reports of liver disease.

Question 10

are herbal supplements for anxiety and depression - such as kava kava, valerian root, and yerba mate - safe to use with the mirena (levonorgestrel) iud?

Accepted Answer

Yes: The herbal supplements for anxiety are no more or less safe with a Mirena (levonorgestrel) IUD than without and do not effect the effectiveness of the IUD. Just as with all medicines, herbs do have risks and side-effects.

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Doctor answers about:

Kava kava root medication

A member asked:

I'm 29 weeks pregnant, what are side effects of kava right now? could the benefit outweigh the risks? pharmaceutical medication is not an option.

A member asked:

Safe to take kava and valerian root?

A member asked:

How long does kava stay in your system? would it have a half life like a prescription drug?

A member asked:

Can herbal supplements that come from china such as kava kava or valerian root have benzos or other substance that are not listed on the bottle ?

A member asked:

Can kava kava extract, valerian root or st. johns wort cause a false positive for benzos on a hair follicle test?

A member asked:

Passion flower, valerian root or kava which is best for anxiety with less side effects?

A member asked:

Hardly slept at a for more than a week. tried, valerian root, melatonin, kava, motrinpm, ambien, and xanax (alprazolam). xanax (alprazolam) helped two nights but does not work now.also tried relaxation techniques suggested.help?

A member asked:

Hi my husband is having such bad anxiety and depression it is making him throw up. would st johns wort or kava help? valarian root was working

A member asked:

I threw away the ativan that the doctor gave me because it doesn't mix well with my other meds plus i don't want to get addicted,i drink tea every night for anxiety and i'm wondering which of these is the best- valerian root,kava,or chamomile?

A member asked:

Are herbal supplements for anxiety and depression - such as kava kava, valerian root, and yerba mate - safe to use with the mirena (levonorgestrel) iud?

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