By Kimberley Flink, Guest Columnist
I’m 59, a native Floridian and spent most of my entire life actively outdoors. About five years ago, I woke up and could barely move, my body was wracked with intense muscle pain. I was in tears simply brushing my teeth, taking a shower, holding a coffee cup or even opening a door.
If I had to attempt to describe the pain, it would be similar to doing a triathlon and never practicing a day for it. Every muscle ached and throbbed in constant, chronic soreness. I felt like a little old lady when walking, standing and sitting, with groans of pain to boot.
Finally, after several trips to the doctor, they diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and a series of drugs were prescribed: anti-depressants, muscle relaxers, gabapentin and all the typical prescribed pharma arsenals.
Nothing helped with the pain. Instead they gave me side-effects that ranged from horrid headaches, weird sensations in my body, and the list goes on. So I set out to approach a holistic natural path.
Marijuana made me overeat and I didn’t like staying high. I cleaned up my diet, took organic superfoods and spent tons on supplements, all to no avail.
Then a friend recommended kratom. And from the first day of taking it I was literally in tears, thanking God for a respite.
I do not even take the recommended dosage, so as to not overuse it, and I do not take kratom every single day, so I do not become addicted. On the days I don’t take it, I’m suffering and hardly able to get out of bed.
I cannot imagine my life without kratom, as I am now able to spend time with my granddaughter, go on short outings and function somewhat normally. I do not get high, overeat and have no ill side effects. It gives me a little energy and dials down the pain level severely.
It would be a serious injustice to not have kratom available to people like myself, who suffer with chronic pain and do not want the heavy-duty drugs that people get addicted to or take their life by overdosing.
To compare kratom with alcohol, nicotine, opioids or other drugs that can cause death is absurd. I know what addiction is and those who say otherwise are simply abusing kratom. Or they’re using some other black market, knock-off product.
Kratom is the only thing that has given me a good portion of a quality life back. I thank God for it!
Kimberley Flink lives in Florida.
Pain News Network invites other readers to share their stories with us. Send them to: editor@PainNewsNetwork.org.
