May 2000
[Nina and David used the indra iboga extract available from www.indra.dk in Denmark. Pseudonyms used throughout at author’s request.]
This is Nina. Today is the first day I have been able or inclined to check emails or type anything. I just read what I posted to the list. Yes, feel free to post that. Also Doug is going to dictate his experience to me and you may post that also.
David- “I was very sick when I first took the iboga extract and was very concerned about taking the extract too soon after my last hit of heroin. I had read on the internet the “Story of Ibogaine” I think that was what it was called, anyway I wanted to make sure I gave the drug all the chances. The first day I was relatively comatose, but I did feel like I was being protected. It felt like the “Iboga god” was there and protecting me from the horrors of withdrawal. I felt like I was going to be saved at any moment. The withdrawal itself wasn’t anywhere as bad as it could have been without the iboga and I believe that it really helped reduce the amount of suffering and I would suggest to anyone to take it (as long as their health allows and they have someone to watch then every moment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because no matter how strong you are you are at the mercy of the drug and you need someone to make sure that you don’t hurt yourself).
I want to add here that I really believe Nina and I didn’t have any problems that lead to our addiction. Well, maybe stupidity, but we both had the money and liked the feel and went too far. Anybody who wants to talk about the last five days please feel free to email us. We’ll give you the straightest answers we can. If you would like to have us do something in more detail give me (Nina) a couple more days to heal.
This is Nina – I was really disappointed in the ibogaine experience. I understand that all are different, but YUCK. Unfortunately how my experience turned out was that Doug was too far gone to tell me where the stash dope was and I had to either get sick for days until he came around or take the iboga and hope for the best. I took the iboga alone. I took care of David for about the first 20 hours or maybe a bit less then I was a goner for two days or so. We both survived, but I can see how either of us could have easily died just from puking and aspirating vomitus. Not being able to see for hours can also be a danger. I didn’t see visions and the kick still hurt, but last time I kicked cold I wouldn’t have been able to sit down and type for another week or two. It did help, but it was not the panacea I expected from the experiences on the list and archives. David would use it again. I am not so sure. He definitely got more benefit then I, but maybe I had higher expectations.
Update received from Nina and David March 2002: David is still clean from the treatment and would like to encourage other addicts to take ibogaine.