OT: A supplement-Kavinase, anyone tried it?

[jencat824]

I'm considering a product (supplement) for my hubby for insomnia - Kavinase. I friend is highly recommending it, but I find the best info on the web for sleep is here, so I'm asking you, my friends, if anyone has tried it and if you think it works.

Ingredients are: Proprietary blend (Taurine and 4-amino-3-phenylbutyric acid), Microcrystalline Cellulose, Vegetable Cellulose and Magnesium stearate.

Statement I have found is: The description of this supplement states that it is able to deliver on the advertised benefits by supporting optimum GABA levels, the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter. The formula offered by NeuroScience contains a derivative of this naturally occurring neurotransmitter, known as Phenibut, which can easily cross the blood brain barrier to produce the wanted effects.

Thanks for your help,
Jen

[Julie]

It's KavinaCe and I'd be careful about taking anything that you don't really understand. It may well affect how Cpap works for your husband, it may relax his throat muscles which is one thing he doesn't need, and there are other more proven ways to deal with insomnia than herbal stuff.

[jencat824]

Thanks Julie, that's the kind of info I was looking for. Apparently I've even been spelling it incorrectly in my internet research. I guess we'll just skip this one. He is currently taking 5-HPT, GABA, & Valarian Root. He cannot take anything prescription due to his CDL.

His CPAP therapy is working beautifully according to his data. I don't want to damage his CPAP therapy in any way, so I'll just keep looking for another supplement to add to the mix (if any). He is sleeping some now, in the beginning he wasn't sleeping more than a hour at a time & his CPAP data told the story. Now he can get about a whole sleep cycle in before waking, then he fights to go back to sleep, then before he can complete another sleep cycle its time to get up. I'm just looking for the magic pill that probably doesn't exist. Thanks for your time responding.

Jen

[Julie]

You know, there's a 'resident' expert on insomnia here... Robysue, and I'm sure if you put the dx in your title, or PM her, she'll have more to say!

[jencat824]

Thanks, will do.

[49er]

Thanks Julie, that's the kind of info I was looking for. Apparently I've even been spelling it incorrectly in my internet research. I guess we'll just skip this one. He is currently taking 5-HPT, GABA, & Valarian Root. He cannot take anything prescription due to his CDL.

His CPAP therapy is working beautifully according to his data. I don't want to damage his CPAP therapy in any way, so I'll just keep looking for another supplement to add to the mix (if any). He is sleeping some now, in the beginning he wasn't sleeping more than a hour at a time & his CPAP data told the story. Now he can get about a whole sleep cycle in before waking, then he fights to go back to sleep, then before he can complete another sleep cycle its time to get up. I'm just looking for the magic pill that probably doesn't exist. Thanks for your time responding.

Jen

Jen,

As an FYI, I tried it when I was suffering withdrawal insomnia during my taper of psych meds and was desperate. It didn't do bleep.

Forgive me if you have mentioned this before but is his nasal potency good? I am convinced that can be a major impediment to being able to stay asleep on the machine. Unfortunately, resolving the issue is easier said than done, particularly if the usual remedies don't work and surgery isn't an option. But there are a few other things for me to try that aren't costly.

The other issue is caffeine and I feel like a hypocrite for mentioning this since I am still drinking some even though it isn't alot and I don't drink any after 7am. But I am getting to the point where I feel I really need to try to eliminate it to see if this is an issue.

Is this an issue for your husband? I realize this could be quite tricky since due to him driving for a living, he might need it to be alert on the road. But I thought as an admitted hypocrite:), I would throw it there for your consideration.

I really feel for you regarding the CDL laws. I am concerned that because of their biases against medication, they might have inadvertently make your husband a lot more dangerous driver since he appears to not be sleeping as well.

Best of luck.

[jencat824]

49er,

Hubby has horrible nasal passages, but uses a FFM. He puts the mask on when going to bed & doesn't remove it until he get up in the morning. He is NOT caffeine free, but limits use to the am, stops at noon.

In his case, the DOT (which regulated CDL rules & regs) seems that they have forced him to decide 'job' or 'sleep'. I don't think he is unsafe driving, he never gets sleepy behind the wheel, he just feels tired & doesn't have energy on the 'bad' nights. When he has 'good' nights he feels great the next day. He feels without CPAP he would not have been able to cope with having his Temezepam pulled so suddenly. He says daily that CPAP has helped him a lot overall.

This insomnia runs in his family. His mom has it, but has undiagnosed OSA too & has been unwilling to be tested because she didn't want to wear a mask to sleep. That has become a non-issue now, since she is dying. He also has 2 brothers with the same insomnia. I remember his grandmother also had insomnia. His mom said grandma slept around 3 hrs a night, tops, so that gives me a clear picture that it runs in the family. Both his brothers are resistent to CPAP, one brother diagnosed severe OSA but will not use his CPAP (he is dying too, so no longer an issue). Another brother won't be tested. They are a very stubborn family!

Only my husband has tried to help himself, which shocked me. When he asked to have me get him in with my sleep dr, I almost fainted! He has complied with everything to do with his CPAP & his numbers look great. AHI averages around 0.4, even better than mine.

Thanks for your take on the Kavinace, sounds like I won't be trying that at all. I've PM'd RobySue & plan to have him do everything she suggests.

Jen