Citation: MindAsh. "The Way It Changed My Entire Life: An Experience with Ibogaine & Iboga (exp101513)". Erowid.org. Apr 8, 2017. erowid.org/exp/101513
I was using opiate based pain medication for approximately 9 years and I switched back and forth to IV Heroin for 2-3 years 2007/08-2010 before making the decision to take both the legal as well as medical risk to order ibogaine online and take it outside of a clinical setting. As I stated I did make sure to read up for weeks on the subject and also had my Primary Doc send me for multiple heart testing. I told him I needed the testing due to my family history as my biological father.
I somehow managed to get funding together via saving, selling possessions and also 3 very generous donations from online friends and made my purchase. A month my order had arrived.
Prior to my ingestion of Iboga/Ibogaine I had been taking daily doses of Harmala extracts, as I dosed ayahuasca brewed from Mimosa daily for the 2 weeks prior to my Ibogaine experience. I did not take any Harmala the day I started dosing Ibogaine or any days following but by having them already build a level up in my system I was able to extend my amount of iboga and ibogaine considerably as I was extremely sensitive to it due to the harmal namely harmine's effects. But mixing Iboga and/or Ibogaine with MAOI's even Harmalas of the RIMA class can potentially be fatal. Harmalas can still have an effect the day after taking them or for days if they have already built up in your system. I do not know how long exactly but this was taken into consideration in regards to safety.
I followed the guidelines of waiting as long as I could after my last dose of opiates wore off to make sure they were out of my system as mixing the 2 substances can be deadly and made sure my friend Peter (not his real name) came over to act as a sober sitter in case any emergencies should have arisen. I sat at my computer talking in a chat room related to hallucinogenics to help put my head in the right place.
Although I only took a mild flood dose the first day I continually dosed on both the TA and Hcl for the first 4 days until I had run out and continued to take small doses of the root bark 2 grams at most for the following week and a half. In all, over a 9 day period: 4 grams of TA, 2 grams of HCL, and 20 grams of rootbark.
After about an hour I felt the first effects coming on which were primarily ataxia better known as The Shakes and looked to my left and my first visualization manifested on my bedroom wall. A giant realistic 3D DNA double Helix even tho everything else looked absolutely normal. The chat-room people advised I go lay down for it so I left my computer and moved to my bed. While looking at the ceiling I next noticed that the sunlight coming in my room was literally pulsing on the ceiling and that the music I was listening to had begun to sound much faster than it normally would. I had absolutely no anxiety at this point and am the type of person who used to have insane panic attacks from psychedelics and even smoking too much pot but this was very relaxing as long as I didn't try to move.
I closed my eyes and strangely I found that I could actually see my room still and even tested this by putting a german down feather comforter over my head began moving my hand in front of my covered and closed eyes and to my amazement could see my hand fingers and arm clearly but differently as I could only see in red, and it was like being in a very very dimly lit room. At this point I noticed that the withdrawal I had started to experience before taking the ibogaine had vanished completely but I felt severely depressed like I was coming off of some kind of stimulant (this was the ibogaine cleaning out and resetting the affected dopaminergic receptor sites) used for ADHD medication and was very anti-social and not talkative with Peter. This passed after some time and suddenly it felt as if I had taken some kind of Dopamine elevating medication like what is used for ADHD. Basically it was like experiencing such a type of drug's effects literally backwards. Days even 2 months later I still felt emotionally amazing and never experienced any sort of crash as one would by taking medication to feel that way and to this day still 3 years later I may not feel it to such a heavy degree but I wake up every day quite happy and functioning.
The final hallucinogenic effect I will mention was the following. I turned my head to my left with my eyes closed and my jaw dropped as I saw my recently deceased Friend/Brother/Mentor standing right next to me as clear as anything I see this very moment, yet he did have a sort of glow around him with his arms crossed relaxed. When I looked at him he turned his head to me and although I couldn't hear a single word he said audibly, I easily read his lips which stated 'NOW DO YOU SEE!?' Which I am still interpreting what that may mean years later. The hallucinogenic effects in total lasted roughly 18 hours and I wasn't able to sleep for 3 days which really wasn't that bad considering the effects of the ibogaine had left me very energetic and overall in an extremely positive mood
the ibogaine had left me very energetic and overall in an extremely positive mood
. Following the experience this is what I noted.
During the experience I had literally no short term memory function as Ibogaine simulates REM sleep while keeping you wide awake essentially dreaming with eyes open but due to the nature of REM sleep short term memory is deactivated as the body has no real use for it during such a time even when simulated by ibogaine. My cravings or desire to take any drugs whatsoever even cigarettes had quite literally disappeared. I went grocery shopping and my body would literally not allow me to buy any crap food and to this day my diet has been changed dramatically due to these events and I feel MUCH healthier overall.
My depression, anxiety, periodic suicidal and self destructive/harming ideas and emotions had disappeared entirely and to this day still remain absent. My articulation of language and cognitive understanding of anything I studied in terms of scholarly topics improved dramatically. I started stretching and exercising.
When I was 27 I was diagnosed with some form of high-functioning Autism that basically affects social functioning more than anything, it had calmed down dramatically although it has returned to some degree but no real complaints. I went from years of living like a complete and unorganized slob bordering on being a hoarder and since, my house is kept at the very minimum uncluttered and clean as well as being organized more than ever.
I experienced no acute nor post acute withdrawal (PAW's) symptoms and basically my life in general has been far more relaxing as well as enjoyable ever since.
Don't get me wrong Ibogaine is not nor should it be viewed as a magic bullet, 3-6 months after my experience with it I had an abscessed tooth and had no choice but to take Vicodin for it. After a few days I came to find out that I was once again addicted to opiates at least on a physically dependent level so until I could afford more Ibogaine and since then I have been using Loperamide Hcl as a sort of at home and over the counter methadone type maintenance therapy with the primary difference being that Immodium/Loperamide does not offer any sort of high but when I take in high doses it does attach to opiate receptor sites along the G.I. tract causing the withdrawal symptoms to be postponed until it wears off. I did this for roughly a year and a half-2 years while saving up for a second dose of ibogaine thinking that since it worked for heroin and other opiates it should work for immodium/loperamide (unfortunately taking high doses of immodium/loperamide for a prolonged period causes its own withdrawal similar in effect as well as in length to methadone and plainly speaking is absolute hell).
Unfortunately I found out very quickly that Ibogaine did not work for Loperamide as the moment it wore off the withdrawal from the Loperamide kicked in and I was quite literally on the floor screaming turning purple trying to force my insides out of both ends. So since then I've been ever so slowly tapering down my Loperamide dose and am hoping I can get past this before it causes any serious complications in my intestines or colon as its primary intended effect is to paralyze the muscles much in the same manner as how pain killers cause constipation.
Aside from that and deciding to continue smoking Cigarettes I have absolutely no regrets and am a very firm supporter of this medication. Like I said I still have no cravings and even my Psychiatrist at a local counseling center is so astounded by the massive overall change in my persona that he asked me about the whole experience and decided to go study up some on Ibogaine as it apparently originates about a 4 hour drive from his own country of Chad in Africa I believe. But that about covers my experience with Ibogaine and the lasting effects it has had.
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