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SSRI withdrawals are ruining my life will Iboga help? Options
 
gt4all
#1 Posted : 3/24/2012 4:38:06 AM
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I took effexor for a year and stopped cold turkey. The brain shocks and other discontinuation effects remained for over seven years. I just got on Cymbalta and it has helped but when I miss a dose it is terrible. Will Ibogaine reset my neurotransmitters?
Please help.

Thank you so much,

GT
 

Good quality Syrian rue (Peganum harmala) for an incredible price!
 
۩
#2 Posted : 3/24/2012 4:58:21 AM

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I Am really sorry to hear about this. I am by no means a doctor, or an expert, but seeing as how you are in the USA, you may want to try ayahuasca. Just banisteriopsis caapi tea. ~50-100g taken once a week or so and see if this helps. You can add chaliponga leaves to the brew (DMT containing leaf) to potentiate the ayahuascas effects.

This is a semi legal option (iboga definitely is not, and also the internet iboga trade is contributing to Gabons rainforest destruction from what I have heard) and is also not as physically dangerous as iboga is, as ibogaine has been shown to cause rhythm fluctuations in one of the heart beats. Always good to get a heart panel and ekg before using iboga just to make sure you are good to go.

I can't say for sure whether or not these two things will help you, but I would say they are worthy of experimentation. I hope you can find some relief and healing. Welcome to the DMT-Nexus! Keep us updated with your progress, please!
 
Felnik
#3 Posted : 3/24/2012 5:25:11 AM

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I had a hell of a time getting off lexapro back a few years ago.

I remember trying to stop cold turkey was a disaster. vitamin D helped with the taper eventually.
tapering off it took forever and i literally had to cut the pills into tiny fragments by the end of it.

The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
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corpus callosum
#4 Posted : 3/24/2012 9:31:44 AM

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Cymbalta AKA Duloxetine is actually a SNRI ie inhibits re-uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine.Its moderately hard to come off, but a little less taxing than coming off venlafaxine.Abrupt cessation of venlafaxine is by all accounts properly nasty.

IMO/E, coming off such meds depends on the duration of use and dosages used and to a lesser degree, the indication for which the cymbalta was being used.Its an anti-depressant but can also be used for anxiety +/- depression, painful peripheral neuropathies and also bladder overactivity (in females).

A slow dosage taper with use of the med once you get to the lower doses taken on alternate days (or, in some patients, a tiny dose every 3 days) works and is relatively painless- but not necessarily as quick as one would like.
I am paranoid of my brain. It thinks all the time, even when I'm asleep. My thoughts assail me. Murderous lechers they are. Thought is the assassin of thought. Like a man stabbing himself with one hand while the other hand tries to stop the blade. Like an explosion that destroys the detonator. I am paranoid of my brain. It makes me unsettled and ill at ease. Makes me chase my tail, freezes my eyes and shuts me down. Watches me. Eats my head. It destroys me.

 
corlan
#5 Posted : 3/24/2012 10:51:10 PM
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Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in the package that Effexor be slowly tapered off at the rate of 75 mgs per week. If are mad at the company you can report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 . The feeling of electric jolts to the head comes with tricyclics as well. Ibogaine is rough on the body as well as the mind. I don't have the exact quote at hand but I recall that Ibogaine is described as MAOI with regards to serotonin and I strongly believe that combining a SNRI with iboga is risky without a 2 week washout period . i have not typed letter in years and i could use a night of sleep so the spelling sucks. I am looking info on SNRI withdrawals and iboga. Best wishes .
 
arcanum
#6 Posted : 3/24/2012 11:05:16 PM

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I could second ۩'s rec. on the B. caapi tea, I'd been taking on and off for the past 5 years a Tramadol ( very similar to venlafaxine) and Clorzepate ( benzo) combo. But it got to the point where I was almost continually in withdrawal.
The B. caapi tea swept away the withdrawal symptoms for 2- 3 days, which was nice ( as was the general experience it gave me). I don't think either, that the admixture of DMT would help in a SSRI withdrawal state.

Don't know about Iboga and SSRI's., thought it was more for Opiate and Alchohol problems,which are real psychological addiction rather than a medication withdrawal reaction.

Seven years seems rather protracted though, you should nevertheless consult a specialist as to why that might be.

 
Hyperdimensional Cuttlefish
#7 Posted : 3/24/2012 11:21:46 PM

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It wasn't an SSRI, but I was on Seroquel (given by a dumb doc who didn't know what he was doing), for about 6 months to a year before I quit it.

The withdrawal was nasty, but I seemed to get over it with help of aya and extracted DMT.
All these posts are on behalf of Stimpy, my yellow bullhead. He is an adventurous fish, and I feel his exploits are worth sharing...so much so, I occasionally forget that HE is the one who does these things. Sometimes I get caught in the moment and write of his experiences in the first person; this is a mistake, for I am an upstanding citizen who never does wrong. Stimpy is the degenerate.
 
GratefulDad
#8 Posted : 3/25/2012 12:51:00 AM

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Using iboga anywhere near these types of drugs can be VERY dangerous, as iboga works on such a large number of neurotransmitters, with serotonin being a major one, anything that effects this heavily, needs to be completely out of the system, and sometimes quitting cold turkey can cause problems. I would suggest asking the doctor what is the quickest and easiest way to get off of all those types of medication as safely as possible, before even thinking about using iboga/ibogaine. Serotonin syndrome would be horrible, and possibly fatal!

Any anti-depressants, or anti-psychotic medications should be discontinued safely before using iboga. Benzodiazepines are safe with iboga. But various OTC supplements can have negative interactions, as well as some foods, or drinks can even be a bad idea. For instance, white grapefruit juice, which inhibits an enzyme in the liver that breaks down various other drugs (potentiates opiates and other drugs), can effect the metabolism of ibogaine. If you go to a provider, you must be sure to be 100% honest and tell them any and all medications, supplements, herbs, etc. that you have taken within the last few weeks to months.

This doesn't mean you can't get treatment, but it can possibly delay it, until it is safe for you to undergo such a serious and powerful experience. Those with a history of mental illnesses could also be a bad idea in a lot of cases, just as with any psychedelic, however, many tribes would use it in this way for certain, specific ailments.

It works extremely well for beating various addictive substances and habits, but many drugs are very dangerous with iboga and it may or may not help with withdrawal for any of these. Although, it is my belief, that in some cases using iboga properly can eliminate the source of the problem you began taking the pharmaceuticals for in the first place. But that is just something I like to believe, I have only anecdotal stories to tell about some of these types of healing reports.

Keep in mind, though, the Bwiti have been passed down knowledge and rituals for thousands of years, and with the limitations on our western research, the ability to rethink in new ways, and communicate as well as we should to learn certain benefits from the ancient traditions, there is very little hard data in using iboga for healing other various ailments. Also, the indigenous use probably has very poor data recorded in many of the remote areas where it is used as a medicine, along with probably a whole other slew of local herbs and plants with healing properties, that they use as well.

I suspect it could be beneficial in a lot of cases that aren't necessarily considered something you'd treat with iboga, but to find more than anecdotal evidence, there really isn't enough scientific data on it, other than for addiction interruption, nor are studies being done to really find the full treatment capabilities.

There are reports of people quitting xanax with an iboga total alkaloid extract, but stopping those cold turkey can also cause seizures in some cases, so just because I read that someone did it, doesn't necessarily mean that I wouldn't taper down as the doctor suggested before quitting them completely. For those with that problem, ideally, IMO it would be best to do so before the flood, so the iboga has an easier job fixing your imbalances, and you can start off right away developing new healthier patterns, which is the key to success.

One old habit, helps you fall back into another, and so on. Starting off clean and fresh after an iboga experience, while making conscious choices to build the life you envision for yourself, is the way to use iboga to improve your life. It can provide withdrawal relief, especially for opioids/opiates, and craving relief for a multitude of other drugs/negative behaviors. It can improve mood and outlook on life, and allow you to view it from a new perspective. It can help you break addictions to things you never realized you were addicted to, such as sugar, caffeine, other self destructive habits, etc.

But this is not universal for everyone who takes it. Some aren't ready, some don't have the discipline or focus to stick with the path, some don't have their therapeutic/mental health issues worked or sorted out, some lack a support group they can turn to, and some are just wired differently, I suppose.. Some people miss the message completely, when being overwhelmed by the sometimes difficult physical experience, and they forget about all the benefits that they could look at during and afterwards.

I'd say, get clean of anything that's possibly dangerous (obviously opiates are something you don't want to take with it, but you can dose iboga when you begin to feel withdrawal starting, for those who need it for that purpose), find a provider (that you truly feel comfortable with in every way), or a sitter that is willing to research all kinds of safety precautions, what to watch for, one who is not the type to freak out should you start saying or mumbling crazy things in a trance, but will do something should anything get serious/dangerous. They should read all the available internet information, and preferably have some background in psychedelics.

You might even wish to sign up over at http://eboka.info to get more advice, find some professional treatment providers, and other very experienced members, that would also be happy to chime in on their thoughts, ideas, experiences, and safety recommendations.

If you find someone that you feel comfortable with, can trust, and offers a reasonable price, or you find your own sitter and supply, then start planning how you'd go about it all. I'd also pick up a small amount of root bark, and try some micro-doses (300-1000 mg powdered bark), and when comfortable, maybe even possibly work your way up to a few grams of bark over a couple hours, by just swallowing the ground bark and washing it down with some juice or water, until you get a nice little buzz going. Then lay back, relax, close your eyes, and sort of get to know iboga, without taking the full plunge. This can definitely be beneficial itself, and can also help you get familiar with the material, and probably make you feel a lot more comfortable when it's time to go for the flood dose!

But again, not until you're off any pharmaceuticals. (SSRI/SNRIs are bad news with iboga!)

Good luck!
 
SpartanII
#9 Posted : 3/25/2012 9:13:27 AM

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arcanum wrote:
Don't know about Iboga and SSRI's., thought it was more for Opiate and Alchohol problems,which are real psychological addiction rather than a medication withdrawal reaction.


Alcohol and opiates are physically addictive too. Sad


 
arcanum
#10 Posted : 3/25/2012 7:36:23 PM

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SpartanII wrote:
arcanum wrote:
Don't know about Iboga and SSRI's., thought it was more for Opiate and Alchohol problems,which are real psychological addiction rather than a medication withdrawal reaction.


Alcohol and opiates are physically addictive too. Sad




Oh really? I hadn't realised Rolling eyes
 
david42
#11 Posted : 4/5/2012 5:14:51 PM
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I was on high doses of Zoloft and Klonopin and got off with no withdrawals on the first day of using Iboga. I don't know if it works as well on every single person but I went to an amazing place called Iboga House in Costa Rica. It's been three months, still depression free. I thank god for Iboga ever day and want you all to know that it can help you a great deal as it has me.
 
entheogenadvocate
#12 Posted : 4/6/2012 12:43:59 AM

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I'm so sorry this happened to you for such a long period of time. I also went through extreme withdrawals with Effexor, despite the fact that I tapered off at a slower rate than recommended.

It would feel like electric shocks were shooting through my entire body with each step. It was one of the weirdest/most uncomfortable physical sensations I have ever experienced. Unfortunately, I didn't get completely educated on the withdrawal symptoms, and I thought the symptoms were the initial stages of insanity due to too much LSD use (I hadn't tried DMT yet at this time).

Thanks to google, I figured out what was wrong with me. I dealt with the electric shocks, nausea, blurry vision, and dizziness for about 4 months. I cannot possibly imagine going through this for as long as you have.

I can't recommend anything for your symptoms. However, once you are completely off the Effexor, changa and ayahuasca are amazing medicines that will help prevent you from needing anti-depressants again. I wish you much healing.



All posts are completely fictional and for educational purposes only
 
 
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