17-year old son wants to use Kratom

[deb111]

I have a 17-year old son who has been diagnosed with mild bipolar disorder (NOS) and we are in the process of getting blood test, EKG for his psychiatrist to prescribe Depakote.  He has bought Kratom over the internet before, and my husband and I thought it was a type of tea, but later found out it's illegal in several countries ( it is legal in the US), and that it has psychoactive properties.  He has been bugging us to buy him more, saying that it really helps him with sleep and anxiety.  Can you tell me if you know anything about Kratom and how safe or dangerous it is?

Thanks.

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

I did have a patient-- actually it was the husband of a patient-- who took large amounts of Kratom daily for thoracic outlet syndrome, a chronic pain condition;  one morning he had a grand mal seizure over breakfast,  and was in the hospital for weeks while they tried to figure out what was going on.  He had multi-organ system failure-- liver, kidneys, heart, plus seizures and neuropathy-- and the mass spect of his plasma showed some undetermined chemical that didn't belong there.  He eventually recovered with some residual organ damage;  they didn't find out if the chemical was from the Kratom or some contaminant added to the plant, maybe a pesticide.

This is probably the main danger with something like Kratom-- you don't know what others are putting on the stuff that you are putting in your body.  Maybe one of the guys packing it in Thailand has a beef with Americans....  No, couldn't happen!

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

Its a leaf from an Asian shrub - frequently from Thailand .....  blown way out of proportion to its real properties.......would be similar to comparing valium and valerian root. Kratom does help minimally with opiate withdrawal ..... also used in SEAsia for its sleep type properties and its sedative affects. - - - - -  Never heard a thing about toxicity with it. Were it too high power you would not be able to have it shipped and imported. Because its illegal somewhere doesnt say everything. L-Tyrosine is illegal in Australia and its just an amino acid.

[dave42a]

Depakote often works quite well as a mood stabilizer but please make sure you ask the prescriber/pharmacist---somebody who is very familiar with the drug about the potential side effects and risks. Of course, its always wise to do that with any drug --some more than others though.  

[deb111]

My gut tells me not to let him use it, especially where we need to monitor how well the Depakote will work for him.  It's also very expensive.  Thanks for the advice.

Deb