Kratom Withdrawal Timeline, Symptoms & More

Some of the symptoms of kratom withdrawal can include:

There have not yet been enough studies performed to get a clear picture of kratom withdrawal in humans. We can look at some documented cases to get a rough idea of what is involved in the acute phase of withdrawal. Kratom withdrawal shares similarities to opioid withdrawal. Because of this, the timeline is similar as well. Depending on the amount and length of time that someone used kratom, the acute phase of withdrawal lasts roughly 4 to 7 days. It is recommended to seek medical help when facing kratom withdrawal.

Withdrawal symptoms begin around 12 hours from the last time someone used kratom. The first symptoms will be excessive sweating with an increase in anxiety. This starts off very mild and usually escalates over the first day. From roughly 12 to 24 hours after the last kratom use, individuals may experience:

• Muscle Pain
• Joint Pain
• Bone Pain
• Abdominal Pain
• Nausea
• Visual Distortions

A fever is also expected to begin during the first day and may worsen as withdrawal continues. Anxiety will increase and insomnia is common during the first few days. Cravings for kratom may also begin at this point alongside mood swings. The appearance of mood swings and their intensity varies between people.

During the next few days, depression may set in as well as cravings for kratom intensifying. The visual distortions that some people experience may disappear during this time. Tremors or shaking and impaired coordination usually appear during the second or third day. Insomnia, lack of appetite, and dehydration can worsen these symptoms. Fever will usually stabilize during this time.

Pain in the muscles, joints, or bones will decrease during this time. The abdominal pain may go away completely but nausea may persist for a few more days. Likewise, the tremors, fever, and coordination issues may resolve around the fourth day. A mild tremor may persist for a short time.

The worst of the physical symptoms are usually resolved at this point. There may still be minor, lingering symptoms. While the physical symptoms may begin to lessen after the first two weeks, anxiety, depression, and cravings may still persist for some time.

The lack of kratom regulation or quality control makes it hard to determine the exact doses that someone is taking. Higher doses of kratom will produce more intense withdrawal symptoms. Similar to opioid withdrawal, the longer kratom is used and the larger the amounts used, the greater the withdrawal symptoms will be.

For a more exact look, a collaborative study performed by the Universiti Sains Malaysia and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany seems to be definitive on this matter. They surveyed 293 regular kratom users and found that of those who used kratom for more than 6 months, more than half developed severe dependence. The average amount of the active metabolite mitragynine in the kratom drinks these subjects were taking was 79mg per drink. Those that had 3 or more kratom drinks per day had a much higher chance of developing kratom addiction, withdrawal, and cravings. Finally, the withdrawal symptoms become more intense the longer the drug is used.

The intensity of kratom withdrawal symptoms is linked to the length of time it was used and the amounts used. Depending on the amounts used, kratom withdrawal can be expected to fall somewhere in the range of 4 to 7 days. The less kratom used, the less intense the withdrawals were and the shorter the symptoms persisted.