Exclusion criteria: who should not do an iboga full flood?

In short: Yes, there are some. For a full flood you should be physically fit, not acutely ill, and able to stop all your medications. Heart, lungs, blood pressure, liver and kidneys, acute mental states, brain damage and pregnancy speak against it. Methadone, Subutex, Suboxone and LAAM cannot be detoxed with iboga.

Why are there exclusion criteria at all?

Every clinic turns down a full flood with certain illnesses. Some of these reasons make little sense to me, others are obvious. A full flood can be very demanding for the body, and too little is known about how it interacts with other illnesses.

I do not come from medicine. That is why I advise everyone against supporting someone in a private setting who is currently ill or suffers from another illness, no matter what. A full flood is only an option for people who are fit, have no illnesses or ailments and can stop all their medications.

Which substitution drugs cannot be detoxed with iboga?

Methadone, Subutex, Suboxone and LAAM cannot be detoxed with iboga.

Which illnesses rule out a full flood?

• Heart: heart problems of any kind, whether pacemaker, heart valve or stent, disorders of the cardiovascular system, heart rhythm disorders and acute coronary syndrome (the life-threatening phases of coronary heart disease).
• Lungs: respiratory diseases, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, oxygen deficiency treated with steroids, chronic obstructive lung diseases such as severe asthma, as well as tuberculosis, sarcoidosis and sleep apnoea.
• Stomach and gut: acute stomach ulcers and acute bowel or digestive problems. They must be checked and fully healed before the full flood.
• Blood pressure: high blood pressure and hypertensive crises, meaning an acute rise in blood pressure, usually above 180 mmHg systolic and above 110 to 120 mmHg diastolic. Circulatory disorders belong here too. Your family doctor can check this.
• Liver and kidneys: acute or lasting liver damage, filtration disorders of the liver or kidneys, as well as TB, hepatitis and HIV in an active state.
• Mind: acute mental states, psychoses, including drug psychoses, schizophrenia and dementia.
• Brain: ischaemic lesions, meaning damage to brain tissue caused by a disturbed blood supply, and brain damage after earlier accidents.
• Pregnancy: No facility gives iboga during pregnancy, at any stage.

How do I find out whether I tolerate iboga?

Before every full flood, you first take a small amount to see whether you are allergic to the plant. I have never seen this in 15 years. But if there is one among ten thousand people, you should know before someone takes or gives a large amount.

What else should you look out for?

• Weight: Be careful with severe underweight or overweight. Anyone suffering from anorexia or bulimia should have their blood values checked before the full flood. With a BMI above 35 or below 18, I strongly recommend losing or gaining some weight before the initiation.
• Mind: Anyone suffering from schizophrenia or another mental disorder, normal neuroses excepted, should avoid psychedelics.

Does this also apply to microdosing?

No, this list applies to a full flood. For microdosing with root bark, one point is enough: if you have high blood pressure, have it checked beforehand.

What does this mean for you?

If none of this applies to you, from my point of view little stands in the way of a full flood. If you are unsure, talk it through with me beforehand. That is what my detailed intake questionnaire is for.

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