My Experience with Kambo: Medicine from the Giant Monkey Frog

Kambo treatment today. My 14th treatment since the Summer of 2022. I hadn't done it since July of 2024, so I was nervous how it was going to go. As always, it was a doozy. 

Thankfully, I only have to drive a little over an hour to my wonderful practitioner, Nikki. Her story is wild....she was deathly ill for so many years and tried every conventional treatment imaginable. Finally, out of desperation she flew to Vegas and had three Kambo treatments over the span of a few days. Despite her skepticisim, she instanly felt better than she had in years. She continued doing Kambo on a regular basis, amongst diet and other things that she knew were necessary to get her health back.

She developed such a close connection and passion for this medicine from the Amazon's Giant Monkey Frog, that she felt compelled to get certified to serve Kambo. She is an amazing and inspiring human being. I am very grateful to have found her and honored to be served Kambo by her.

The "medicine" is a secretion that is safely removed from the frog's back. They momentarily capture them in the jungle to gather this holy goo. Nikki gets hers from Peru, and only buys from companies who perform humane practices with the precious frog.

So, it works like this...

I show up at Nikki's home and meet the other folks who are there for a treatment. (It is almost always done in a group, as Nikki loves the communal dynamic. I've done it once or twice just with Nikki, and I totally agree that it's a much better experience in a group.) We all chat for a bit, getting to know one another while entertaining Nikki's adorable dogs and cat. Then, we all head down to her cozy finished basement to settle in and prepare for the ceremony. 

Nikki goes around the room, asking us each how we've been feeling lately and what we are there for, as well as what we are thinking for the location and number of points for the day (more on this in a bit). With her guidance, we come up with the plan of action and then settle into our spot on the sofa and start drinking our water. We are to drink 48oz of good clean water to help with the purging once the medicine is applied.

As Nikki likes to say, "Kambo needs a place to swim." Meaning, a typical kambo treatment is for the purpose of purging aka vomitting. You fast food and drink for about 12 hours prior to the treatment. Since her session's are usually at 11am, that means you don't eat or drink after waking up that day. 

While drinking the 48oz of water in 15 minutes time, Nikki burns small circular marks on your skin so the medicine can be applied and then instantly enter your bloodstream. Today, I had 3 burns on each ankle and 2 on each ear, for a total of 10 "points," as they are called. The chosen locations on your body are caluclated based on your symptoms and past treatments. Nikki has a knowledgable understanding of chakras and accupressure points, and treats accordingly with your input. It's a collaborative effort, and I love this because she wants her clients to use their intuition to see what feels right. 

As we are finishing our water and have openend points aka burn marks, Nikki starts preparing the medicine. It looks like a waxy or gluey substance, light tan in color. She then applies a small amount onto each point, and then the show is about to begin!

It doesn't take long to feel the effects of this potent medicine. Some points act faster than others (ears quicker than ankles, for instance). You feel heat and intensity in your body, your blood pressure momentarily rises then falls, then the nausea soon starts kicking in.

This is why the water is crucial. Since you've fasted, there's nothing in your stomach except a large amount of water. This helps you purge toxins in your body. Kambo uses its higher intelligence to work its magic to stir up and purge whatever needs to go. You also get some swelling in certain parts of your body which sometimes can change from one treatment to the next.. My face (especially lips) always swell, which is comical because it makes me look quite froggy. This is very common.

The purging and intensity usually lasts between 30-45 minutes, and it is not for the faint of heart. I forgot to mention, but there are no hallucinogenic properties to Kambo; however, there is most certainly a deep spiritual thing going on. Anyone who has done Kambo will tell you. 

Kambo is loaded with peptides...over 16 which have been identified. Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Peptides play a critical role in biological processes. 

Once you feel complete with your purge, Nikki removes the medicine and you finally get to rest. This is always such a moment of relief after doing some really grueling healing work! It typically takes about 30 minutes for my nausea to mostly subside. I lay back on her reclining sofa covered in a comfy blanket and close my eyes and listen to the oft-played tribal music playing in the background. 

After about 45 minutes, Nikki brings us some yummy herbal tea so we can begin replenishing our body with nutrients. We debrief how our session was and she is always full of encouragement at how strong we all were. We all laugh and chat for a bit, then head up for some snacks and a yummy home cooked meal to replenish even more. 

It's incredible how this experience bonds you with folks who just several hours ago were complete strangers. Now, we are hugging and feel like close friends. After finishing our meal, we say our goodbyes and leave that place completely transformed. My drive home isn't bad. I'm always a bit tired afterwards, but I typically feel instantly better, just as I did today. I had put this one off for too long, so hopefully I wise up and go sooner than 10 months next time. 

I get that this can sound a bit wacky, especially if you are completely unfamiliar with plant/frog medicines. But when you are sick and desparate and find something that works, you don't give a shit how wacky it sounds. Hands down, this has been the treatment that has helped me the most in my journey with Lyme disease, beginning in March 2019. I've tried many things, and this is the one I have consistently stuck with because it has helped me feel better. 

As they say, "Don't knock it 'til you try it."  Ribbit🐸