Contraindications: Just How Safe is Ibogaine Treatment?
This is the number one question you should ask when considering Ibogaine treatment. Ibogaine is not without risk and fatalities have occurred over the years. Living with opioid addiction on a daily basis is orders of magnitude riskier than undergoing one Ibogaine treatment, particularly when factoring in the risk of Fentanyl overdose.
Ibogaine fatalities have declined in recent years as treatment centers have come to understand the various risk profiles for Ibogaine patients. High risk individuals are primarily those with histories of heart and liver conditions. The Ibogaine experience is quite intense and does cause metabolic stress. It should be noted that detoxification is metabolically stressful as well.
Most fatalities that have been tied to Ibogaine ingestion have also been coupled with the ingestion of other prescription and non-prescription drugs in proximity to the Ibogaine treatment session. With proper medical tests, screening, avoidance of other drugs, and medical supervision during the procedure, the risks of Ibogaine treatment are greatly minimized.
You may not be a candidate for Ibogaine treatment if you have a history of:
Any history of blood clots, stroke, transient ischemic attacks, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, or irregular heart rhythms
Childhood congenital heart defects
Prolonged QT syndrome
Any other heart associated conditions or an enlarged heart
Impaired kidney or liver function
Certain psychiatric conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and epilipsy
Psychoactive Medications:
Ibogaine can interact and possibly increase the effect of certain psychoactive drugs. The efficacy of the Ibogaine treatment can also potentially be reduced if it is taken in combination with psychoactive medications. Antidepressants, amphetamines, and antipsychotics should be discontinued for one week prior to treatment, at minimum.
Fentanyl use must be discontinued for 2 weeks prior to treatment. It is recommended that patients switch to opiates with a shorter half life such as oxycodone or hydrocodone.
Methodone use should be discontinued 6 weeks prior to treatment, and best results are obtained by discontinuing use for 12 weeks prior to Ibogaine. Again, a short acting opiate is advised as replacement while the patient is awaiting treatment.
Suboxone (Buprenorphine) use should be suspended 6 weeks prior to Ibogaine treatment, and 12 weeks is preferable to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Move to short acting opioids while awaiting treatment.
Antibiotics, anti-fungals, Prilosec/Losec, should be suspended 5-7 days before an Ibogaine treatment protocol.
CYP2D6 Function – This is an extremely important detox enzyme that is responsible for about 25% of clinical drug clearance. Ibogaine is metabolized in the liver into nor-Ibogaine by the CYP2D6 enzyme (Cytochrome P450 2D6). Drugs metabolized with the CYP2D6 enzyme have the potential to interfere or negatively interact with Ibogaine. For further information, visit: The Effect of Cytochrome P450 Metabolism on Drug Response Interactions, and Adverse Effects.
Prior to treatment, prospective Ibogaine patients are required to submit medical tests to Rocky Point Recovery as well as undergoing a screening process at the clinic. A standard 12 lead ECG is a required submission as well as blood work to check liver and kidney functions. Urine will be collected on the day of arrival to check again for healthy liver and renal function, screen for drugs, as well as check for pregnancy in females.
QT interval lengthening drugs, foods, and herbs – The QT interval is measured by an ECG (electrocardiogram). A prolonged QT interval is a risk factor for heart arrhythmias. All QT lengthening elements should be discontinued before Ibogaine therapy. A comprehensive list is posted on https://crediblemeds.org/pdftemp/pdf/CombinedList.pdf.
