Using Ibogaine With Different Opiates

 

Using Ibogaine for detox from differing opiates

• I'm writing this piece in response to questions around the suitability of Ibogaine detox from short acting opiates like heroin vs long acting like methadone and subutex.

• I would like to make it clear that in no way am I a professional in the field, I'm writing only from my personal experience and what seems to be the general consensus from various forums and mailing lists composed of Ibogaine users and treatment providers.

My blog was recently used in a thread on the suboxone forum as evidence that Ibogaine doesn't work for long acting opiates like Suboxone or Methadone.

The person quoting me (without my permission) and also by the way had no personal experience of Ibogaine was arguing that Ibogaine has no effect on PAWS and cravings and that it only postpones the inevitable withdrawals.

It is generally accepted that Ibogaine is much more effective for treating SAO's like heroin, it's also true that most treatment centres (any that genuinely care anyway) advise people switch to a SAO for at least a month before treatment.

This doesn't mean Ibogaine does not work for LAO's like subs/methadone, because with a suitable dosage regime and some willpower from the client it can!

Dosing for detox from heroin vs methadone/subs are very different, LAO's hang around for a long time, especially if they have been used for many years.

As with any opiate detox there is no quick fix, this does not mean Ibogaine doesn't work! and it annoys me when people say otherwise.

To complicate matters, there has been many 'clinic's' popping up in Canada and Mexico offering 'instant, painless detox'. Inevitably people are going to be let down, high expectations play a big part in peoples negative views to Ibogaine. 

A lot of these 'clinic's' are run by unscrupulous providers that are looking to make a quick buck.

I've heard many horror stories about people being left under dosed, in pain and thrown out if they kick up a fuss. These providers are exploiting desperate addict's, looking for a way out.

Another problem with Ibogaine is as it is still experimental and schedule I in the U.S there isn't much research going on, and a lack of scientific evidence about it's efficacy.

No one is even sure still exactly how it works. We know it affects pretty much every system in the human body, it seems to fill opiate receptors although it is not an opiate, and it seems to empty the receptors of any existing opiates thereby having the perceived effect of 're-setting' tolerance.

I can vouch for the tolerance re-set personally, and I can also say 100% that it stops acute withdrawals by around 95% for around three days (after a full flood dose)

This, by the way is true for any opiate, methadone or heroin (I've used it for both)

The issue of PAWS is a big one, and will exist whether Ibogaine has been used or not, and this I think is the crux of this argument.

People say Ibogaine doesn't work because some people struggle with PAWS and cravings post detox.

Well of course some people will! Ibogaine or not!

There are a small majority of people that have successfully detoxed with a single flood dose and did not suffer PAWS, cravings and are still clean today.

But for most people, especially people with years of use behind them and those using LAO's boosters will be needed, and sometimes even a second flood dose.

For methadone/Subutex, after the initial 100mg 'test' dose, a flood of around 19mg/kg is given, boosters of around 400mg(TA) or 200mg(HCL) are then given as required for as long as the next two weeks!

Please do not write off Ibogaine as a treatment option simply because some people struggle afterwards... I have tried pretty much every method of detox over the years and Ibogaine is the easiest I have ever done.

Next to a traditional quick methadone reduction and cold turkey, Ibogaine is a walk in the park.

And don't take my experiences as evidence it will not work for you! 

Every one reacts differently to Ibogaine, and everybody's body is different, the speed the Ibogaine is converted, the amount's of body fat that hold LAO's longer, age (research has shown those over 30 have a higher chance of attaining abstinence) and willpower have so much to do with your chance of a successful detox that it's not sensible as simple as taking one persons word for the outcome of your treatment.

Do your homework, read the existing research papers, get medically checked before contemplating treatment and make an informed decision.

Dealing With Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome PAWS

Unfortunately PAWS is a major cause of relapse after opiate detoxification.

Heroin and opiates attach themselves to various brain receptors, serotonin, dopamine, mu/kappa etc

They interrupt and replace the brains natural production of these hormones which provides the lovely, warm, happy feeling you can only get from opiates.

This is where the length of abuse comes into play, someone with a short term (less than a year) habit will hardly suffer at all, the brain will quite quickly recover and start naturally producing the hormones again, usually within six months. Whereas a heavy long term users brain can take years to recover!

PAWS is long term, low grade withdrawals, sneezing, sweating and chills, restless legs, goosebumps, stomach cramps and general anxiety.

Because opiate withdrawal is in my opinion quite largely psychosomatic these low grade withdrawals can quite easily in your head be turned into unbearable pain... and knowing that a tiny bit of heroin will not only take it all away but also give that lovely warm feeling is sometimes too much to deal with!

Some OTC remedies and medications that can help with PAWS and  acute withdrawal symptoms include...

Quinine - For cramps and RLS
Imodium - Cramps and diorreah
Paracetamol/acetaminophen - For keeping temperature regulated and aches and pains



Herbal supplements that can help (especially when recovering from ibogaine) are...

High Dose Vitamin C - 1000mg Plus Daily
Vitamin D
Vitamin B complex
Omega 3-6-9 Complex  

Fish oils help the body repair the synapses in the bran damaged by opiate abuse, zinc will also aid cell renewal

Also:

St John's Wort for depression, although be aware there are some contra-inications with SSRI's
And Rhodelia Rosea is really good for fatigue and lethargy post detox/ibogaine

Valerian can aid sleep (better than benzo's where possible)

When I was really struggling with 'kicky' and achey legs I would walk up and down the stairs in my flat..
I would take a bath whenever it got unbearable, this often meant 5-6 hot baths a day! Adding Epsom Salts helps too!
After that I'd rub deep heat all over my legs and use a hot water bottle...

If you have an understanding friend that will massage your legs its orgasmic :)
I had an acupressure treatment on my feet in rehab once and it was bloody fantastic!

It's really all about nursing your body back to health, eating well, meaning plenty of green vegetables, nuts, pulses, fruit, oily fish etc...


As I've mentioned before, a small daily dose of Ibogaine is great for PAWS and cravings.. start with 600mg (root bark) and work up if more is required, it's best to take it in the morning as it can cause insomnia.
If your using TA or HCL use titrate the dose up from 200mg and 100mg respectively.
A lot of people grind it down and mix it with a chocolate milkshake or something similar every morning.

Other than medication, post ibogaine therapies that have been shown to be beneficial include, talking therapies, acupuncture, exercise and sex (always good for an endorphin release after opiate WD, plus exercise will help with RLS and cramps)

If you are really worried about relapsing then a Naltrexone implant could be a good idea, although quite expensive and only available privately, Naltrexone is a full opiate antagonist, it completely blocks any opiates ingested rendering the drug useless..

As mentioned above, counselling has been shown to be an important part of recovery and most people that achieve long term abstinence employ some kind of talking therapy.

Saying all this though, the daily battle with your brain and body screaming out for heroin is one of the hardest things anyone can go through, and anyone that does has my full respect.

Ibogaine can definately help,  the liver converts it into noribogaine whichis stored in fat cells and slowly releases, this in most people, stave's off cravings for up to six months!
So my best advice for PAWS would be to micro-dose with Iboga rootbark.
The trick is to find how much you can take before you notice any psychoactive effects.
For me this is around the 1000mg a day mark.
Get some gel caps and weigh (with mini scales) 300mg Iboga rootbark into each of them.
You need to always take any Iboga in the mornings as its a stimulant in low doses.
Start with 300mg (1cap) one day and titrate up by one more cap daily, until you reach a level where you can feel any psychoactive effect. This is your limit.
Usually between 600-1500mg first thing in the morning is enough.

You want to take enough to relieve any withdrawal symptoms but not trip or notice any stimulating effect.
For the large majority of people, rootbark will relieve PAWS almost completely or entirely.
It really is the best thing for it.
Rootbark in low doses isnt dangerous and has some really beneficial effects.
You can buy it ready powdered or as actual bark.
I buy the 20 gram sachets from Iboga World and it costs around £75-80 usually.
This is enough for about a month though.

Ignore any rumours of it being addictive or habit forming. Trust me, Iboga is not something you would want to take daily if you didn't need to. Iboga wouldn't let you get addicted to it!

A lot of ex-ibogainers still use weekly or monthly top up (boosters) of rootbark.
A common and effective dosing regieme seems to be: a quarter teaspoon weekly and a half teaspoon monthly.
You can also put the powder into a smoothie of you prefer.

People have said things like 'I've heard of people becoming dependant on bark' or 'I don't want to swap one thing for another and still depend on taking something every day' ....
Well, as far as I'm concerned, I'd much rather take some Iboga when I need to than be dependant on heroin or methadone!

I think Iboga is safer and better al round than an opiate addiction! 

One day at a time...

Cliche I know... sometimes it's minute by minute!

I haven't used for nearly a week though!

The hardest part, besides the constant PAWS, is filling the space left where the drugs used to be!
When your life has revolved around finding cash, scoring, using, every day for many years, when you stop your mind is still filled with using thoughts!

Heroin has a way of getting to you at every possible opportunity! Even when I get small bits of broken sleep I dream about it! Literally, scoring, cooking up and injecting, only to wake up and realise its just a dream! It's torture!

I have the added problem of having been an injector, I have a needle fixation, I part-time tattoo and body pierce and have always been into needles and anything medical.
When I was younger and more rebellious, piercing and tattooing myself was a constructive form of self harm for me.. when I was 16 I started to pierce myself and was covered within a few months!

I need more Ibogaine.. I've been advised to take a small daily dose for as long as I need it to keep the cravings and PAWS away.. I've ordered some and I should have it by the end of next week so it's just a waiting game now!


I need a distraction, I'm scared of exchanging one addiction for another. when I cleaned up a few years ago I developed a ketamine habit within 18 months..I was taking up to 4 grams a day by the end of it, I even went to rehab for it! Unfortunately there's not much you can do for a K head, in rehab they just dosed me up to the eyeballs with diazepam for the anxiety.. didn't work.

I ended up using heroin again, and stopped the K instantly...

Why is addiction so complex!? Why is there no magic bullet?!

Ibogaine is the nearest thing we have and I intend to use it as long as is takes to keep me safe.. my mother has actually offered to buy me some for a Christmas present!

That little voice

In the back of your head.. never goes away...

Go on, a little bit wont hurt... you have no tolerance now.. a ten bag will have you nodding....

You can have one hit and not get hooked again, as long as you don't carry on.....

Im not sick, i'm not particularly craving, but fourteen years of the same behaviour day in day out takes it's toll..

Especially something like Heroin, the rewards process is so massively fulfilling... especially when your sick.. there's nothing quite like having a hit when you've been strung out for a good day...

So.. Ill struggle through it.. somehow.. maybe I should take my booster and lay in bed all day again...