Iboga Insight

Information

When setting out seeking Iboga treatment there can be a considerable confusion and potential danger.
Here I aim to offer solid guidance, to help you to approach this territory wisely.
Our primary concerns are working with individuals who have experience and the best standards of care and safety.
There are serious medical risks involved with Ibogaine and as Ibogaine professionals often work in legal grey areas, beyond regulatory and legal standards, there is a danger that some individuals are drawn in by less than competent, dangerous renegade practitioners. Alternatively, there are safe, but more capitalistic facilities, which may not offer such a individually tailored care plan or personal touch. I want you to find the right people to work with to meet your needs and desires most closely.
Take your time and choose a number of promising treatment providers or facilities. Imagine now that your job is to audition these people. Schedule calls with them and use your intuition and discernment. The sales pitch will be made, but what impression do you gain from the person who you speak to? What does your intuition tell you? Are they rushing or pressuring you in any way. Be careful to take note of any red flags.
Make sure that you ask them a series of questions that will give them a chance to explain who they are and the nature of their practice.
Discover why they are doing this work and why its relevant and important to them. Find out how long they have been doing this work.
here are a list of questions, adapted from Juliana Mulligan’s website. www.innervisionibogaine.com
1. What made you interested in working with Iboga?
2. how long have you been working with iboga?
3. Who did you train with? (Providers should have been through training, apprenticeships and mentorships. Its also important to understand that there are some unethical or deluded people who travel to Gabon once for initiation or who simply self style as experts and then set up trainings. These are clearly not safe, as working with Iboga requires a great deal of expertise. The same is true for therapists in the field, who may simply see this work as a way to make money or to seek some kind of prestige.)
4. What is your professional background and training prior to this work?
5. What kinds of treatments do you offer? (Choose a provider who offers expertise in the area that relates to you).
6. How long have you been offering treatments for my specific needs?
7. Can you tell me about your pre and post care integration psychological support and psychological support that is available during treatment? (Any good provider will not neglect this part of the process).
8. Is pre-treatment work and post treatment and ongoing psychotherapy / coaching factored into your costs?
9. Can I choose my own support and you will work in collaboration?
10. What medical screenings and tests do you ask for before treatment? (A competent and safe practice will insist at the very least on EKG and liver blood work. They should ask for your medical history, including medications and mental health history and diagnoses. They must also ask for specifics of history of seizure, liver health, diabetes and history of traumatic brain injury.) If a provider disregards or neglects the importance of these then move on and do not consider working with them.
11. What medications and substances do you screen for? If a provider fails to ensure that psychiatric medicines are ceased in advance of treatment, such as SSRIs, or amphetamines, such ADHD meds, then they are not safe. The provider should offer guidance on how to taper medications, or refer you to a psychiatrist.
12. How do you calculate dosing? Is a flexibility factored into your dosing protocols, to accommodate individual differences of sensitivity and differences in how they metabolise Ibogaine, and if difficulties arise?
13. How do you monitor patients during treatment and what care is offered during dosing? (Vital signs should be closely monitored and the team should not be overstretched so that they cant attend to you adequately. Water should be provided regularly and your comfort attended to.)
14. If relevant, you can ask: What is your process for detox from alcohol or benzodiazepines? If they claim that they can detox you directly from these substances, then they are not safe. Detox from alcohol and benzos is a very specific process and the consequences of doing this wrong, can lead to seizures and death.
15. If relevant, you can ask: What is your detox protocol for fentanyl and street opioids? (Today the heroin that was available decades ago is a rarity and in its place there is fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, terrifyingly powerful substances that lead to many deaths. There are also a proliferation of other synthetic drugs that contaminate this already dangerous supply chain. Another difference between old-school heroin and the other synthetic opioids and methadone and prescription opioid replacements, is the half-life of the drugs. Heroin is a relatively short acting drug, whereas others can be far longer acting, meaning that detox requires an entirely different approach. Providers should have an in depth knowledge of this process and should be able to explain this to you clearly.)
16. Do you have a medical doctor present during treatments?
17. How long has your doctor worked with Ibogaine? (The doctor should be very well informed on the specifics of Ibogaine and its risk).
18. What other medical staff do you have present during treatment?
19. Can you tell me about your nursing staff?
20. What do I need to do to prepare for treatment? A trustworthy and ethical provider or team will understand and insist upon a comprehensive treatment plan, which emphasises both physical and psychological preparation. Some physical prep that’s worth taking note of is hydration and electrolyte balance, screening for and tapering contraindicated medicines and drugs. They may also ask about your digestion and bowel movements. Be wary of any individual who suggests fasting or Kambo prior to treatment. This can be dangerous. A good practice will coordinate with or provide you with pre and post care psychotherapy or coaching.
21. Can I choose my own guide, therapist or coach? As with all therapy, the most important and first concerns should be, is this therapist qualified to help me? And do I like this therapist and want to work with them? You should not feel compelled to pay for therapy, which doesn't feel right for you.
22. What medical equipment and crisis management resources do you have at hand? (An AED, IV equipment, and an oxygen tank are necessary.)
23. What is your medical emergency protocol? And how close is the nearest hospital? (The closest hospital should be fewer than a 15 minute drive.) A cardiology department should be accessible in the rare occasion there is an adverse event.
24. What is the timeline of a treatment for my needs? (Your treatment, regardless of your needs, should not be rushed. There should be adequate time to arrive and prepare for treatment and also for rest and integration, on site. As stated previously, some detox will require a long protocol and this needs to be somewhat flexible.)
25. If anyone on the team has a history of substance abuse and recovery using Ibogaine, then how long after their recovery and working with the medicine? (Unfortunately, some providers use Iboga as a new identity and a role, in the place of adequate integration and transformation process and if there is less than a three year gap, then it may suggest that they are unsuitable for this work.
26. Do your staff engage in ongoing therapy, self care practices and supervision? (in order to uphold best standards of care and safety, a provider or team members must engage in self care, reflective practice and supervision. This is also true for myself as a psychotherapist and coach.)