Kratom Saved My Life
/By Kim DeMott, Guest Columnist
I was diagnosed with lupus in 2013 after spending several years with unexplained chronic pain, debilitating fatigue and other awful symptoms. Lupus was the first of many chronic conditions that I would be diagnosed with in coming years, including fibromyalgia, Sjogren’s syndrome, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, anxiety and depression.
To treat these conditions, I was prescribed 28 different medications a day, including massive amounts of powerful opiates like oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine, along with high doses of benzodiazepines such as Ativan, Xanax and Klonopin.
Even though I was taking all these medications, I was still in pain, had bad anxiety and no quality of life. I was housebound and practically bedridden (or at least couch-ridden) most days. I had to use a cane, walker and even the walls in my house to walk on the really bad days, which is no way for a young woman and mother of two to live.
My health became so bad that in the fall of 2014 my doctors labeled me permanently disabled and told me to get in-home support services and file for SSI. I was only 29 years old.
I would have to tell my kids that mommy was in too much pain and too tired to take them to the park, play with them, pick them up, take them to school or be involved in any of their activities. This caused me and them to miss out on precious time and memories we can’t ever get back.
I couldn’t cook, clean, drive, go to the store or even go for a quick walk. They would see and hear me hiding in the bathroom or bedroom crying from the pain and the feeling of failure I felt as their mom.
I couldn’t take a shower, brush my teeth and get dressed in the same hour because I would have to rest after every task I did. Getting dressed consisted of putting on clean pajamas, because that’s the only thing that wouldn’t hurt to wear. I became isolated and depressed. I stopped answering my phone, texts, messages and emails.
KIM DEMOTT
The medications that the doctors put me on made me gain a ton of weight and made me feel incredibly dizzy, sleepy, forgetful, sick to my stomach and like I was in a fog. These side effects led to even more medications being prescribed, which meant more pills to add to the already huge amount I took daily. I was so depressed and hopeless that I actually attempted suicide a few times.
For over two years now I have enjoyed drinking my kratom tea a couple of times a day. It helps promote my mood and energy like a cup of coffee would. The tea also relieves my aching joints and muscles, making my chronic fatigue and pain much more bearable.
I am in no way cured and my pain is not completely gone, it never is and never will be. But the discomfort is down to a level that I can deal with, live with and function at. I still have bad days, but they are nowhere near as frequent or as bad as they used to be.
Kratom has greatly improved my quality of life and dramatically changed it for the better. I’m not spending every day on the couch or in bed anymore and my kids have their mom back. We are doing so much more together.
Not only are my kids happy, but so are my fiancé, family and friends. Everyone tells me they have seen a huge change in me and that I am much more like the old me, which is something I have longed for since everything started. For the first time in years I don't feel like a prisoner in my own body and like my chronic illnesses and pain control me.
I am healthier, happier, take better care of myself and eat better. I’ve also been able to lose weight since I can cook and exercise again because I have better mobility. I even feel confident that I will be able return to work again someday soon and plan on returning to school this year.
I look forward to each day and excited for what the future will bring. Most importantly, I am setting a better example for my kids. All thanks to this plant. Kratom has truly not only saved my life but also given me renewed hope. Without this plant I do not believe I would still be alive today.
Kim DeMott lives in California with her two children.
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The information in this column should not be considered as professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is for informational purposes only and represents the author’s opinions alone. It does not inherently express or reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of Pain News Network.
