Sunday 2 September 2012

Day 12?

Well, everything's fine so far!

No PAWS (I'm still taking around a gram of bark every morning though)

No physical cravings, just dealing with breaking that daily use routine

Someone mentioned becoming dependant on bark, well, it's better than heroin and trust me it's impossible to become addicted to bark, your body wouldn't let you.

There does come a point where the receptors are so flooded with iboga/nor-ibo that you reach a point that any more wouldn't help

I feel ok, not depressed as such, more just a bit flat which is to be expected after any long term opiate addiction
I think there's a lot to be said for really trying to change your habits, so easy to just lay on the couch and feel sorry for yourself, actually making an effort to go to meetings, therapy, exercise. Makes all the difference!

I gave up all my free will this time, handed over bank cards, cash, disposed of all the paraphernalia. No needles, cups, swabs etc in the house.

That was the hardest bit,handing over my power. Has to be done though 

6 comments:

Salvina said...

Hey Sid glad your still off opiates. Like someone said here already be honest as much as possible. If your really craving then say it, if your in any sort of withdrawals albeit mental or pshycal then say it, any depression and low mood feelings just be honest, as this will give us an account of each individual and how it varies. We will know if its choice or withdrawal or even the Iboga just making you irritated.

I need some tips. I have been on subutex fr the last 7 years and am thinking of doing the Iboga route. But I want to be best prepared as I can. Shall I be off subutex for a while as people have said? shall I take boosters to help me wean off subutex? is that wise?

LadyLaga said...

Hello!

Just found this blog. I did my Iboga treatment 3 1/2 months ago for pain killer addiction and heroin. My trip was scary, heartwrenching, intimidating but also a little awesome. I felt withdrawals during my treatment, but after treatment they subsided slowly somewhat. But I still some crappy withdrawals for the next 2 weeks, now am in PAWS, but I do take boosters in capsules but I am not sure what is the deal with them, I still cant sleep properly, have the restlewss legs, the anxiety is scary and yes like everybody else has said the hateful depression. I don't know whether I would have felt worse had I not done ibogaine, but surely after 3 months I should be myself? I shouldnt have these symptoms after doing a HCL flood dose and taking boosters almost every week. I do know I had enough ibogaine inside my because my sitter was monitoring my blood pressure and it almost dropped, I puked up but took ibogaine again, it did the best it could to my body and receptors. But I wish I was feeling much better by now. The firsdt week I felt very empotional, very clean but after that I feel the same as I am now. At least I didnt rattle as cold turkey. Anyway hows hope I can get better soon and this shitty depression does lift, dont know if its ibogaine which is making it or just PAWS, but I wasnt on opiates for very long though. Anyhows wish people the best and hope I dont need to take an opiate again to feel good, maybe I will go on an antidepressant? who knows.

Sid said...

Lady gaga lol

Hi!

Firstly, great to hear your still not using pills! Well done!
It's quite unusual to be in withdrawals during an actual flood! Most people report 80-100% reduction, I didn't have any.
There are a lot of variables though, often females seem to need more than men, also depends on what type of metaboliser you are, in the particular Enzyme that converts ibogaine into not-ibogaine and 12 hydroxy.
Some people are slow metabolisers and others are super fast.
You were on pills right? Oxy's or something?
These are classified as 'short acting opiates' despite any slow release action (OxyContin) and are a lot easier to come off than methadone or subutex.
At three months I'm surprised your still not feeling great, I'm sad for you :(
What I'd suggest is up your rootbark boosters, I mean it's perfectly normal to be taking up to 2 grams DAILY (in the morning to avoid insomnia)
You want to find the level at which your paws are relieved but you feel no psychoactive effect.
For me this was around 900mg daily.
As you say at least you didn't rattle cold turkey, the ibogaine makes things a lot easier for sure!
The restless legs I can relate too, mine went on for months when I came off methadone, the only things that helped were hot baths, up to six times a day, with plenty of Epsom salts..
Bath salts actually alter the osmotic balance in the water and draw out toxins.
I used to bath and them smother my legs in deep heat, my partner would sometimes give me a leg massage which helped loads too.
I'd definaely consider taking more bark, it sounds like your a poor metaboliser, I'm sure it would help to get those nor-ibo levels up in your body!
It's theorised that there is a limit to the amount you can take before the receptors are flooded and capped and any more has no effect but at such low levels you'd be fine.
How about doing a small HCL or TA booster too?
It's usually recommended to do one seven days after a food, others say a month or at the three month stage.
Regarding antidepressants, I used 'Venlaflaxine' when I came off methadone years ago (no ibo, just a long meth taper) and they lifted me just enough to not be suicidally depressed.
The SNRI's are better for us opiate users.
BUT! You cannot take them with ibogaine, ibo works on the Seratonin/noradrenaline and dopamine systems.
If you were to add an SSRI or SNRI to the mix it's very possible you'd get seratonin syndrome which ain't pleasant!
Let me know how you get along anyway!

S
X

Sid said...

Also re the insomnia, like I said, ibogaine is a stimulant in low doses, after a flood there is a need for less sleep for a while.
Try some melatonin (OTC) or valerian :)

Sid said...

One more thing,
This thing about iboga causing depression is a misnomer, years of opiate abuse causes depression.
When you've flooded your seratonin/noradrenalin/opiate and dopamine receptors with opiates for a long time your brain reacts by producing less, when the opiates are withdrawn it takes many months, sometimes years for it to adjust.
The evidence from studies and anecdotal reports show iboga lifting depression, hell, people use it I'm small therapeutic doses to treat long term depression!
There's some, unjustified evidence that people can become dependant on rootbark, well I can assure you ibogaine is not something you'd want to take relationally. As you well know!
It's impossible to become dependant on it, your body wouldn't let you!
And at the end of the day, what's better?
Opiates daily, or pharma antidepressants?
I know which I'd rather do, a lot of people with years of clean time under their belts after ibogine still take boosters occasionally. Some a quarter teaspoon a week and half once a month seems to work well.

Sid said...

Hey Salvina, my replies were aimed at you too by the way.

Yes it's definately a good idea to be off subutex for as long as possible before you take Iboga. I mean a minnimum of a month but the longer the better!

It definately makes a big difference post flood how bad the PAWS will be.
Coming off heroin and coming off subutex are two completely different animals.