Ibogaine for Opioid Addiction: Fentanyl, Heroin, Oxycodone, Methadone and Suboxone
Opioid withdrawal is the wall most people never get past. Ibogaine interrupts dependence through a mechanism that is not itself an opioid, which is why a single supervised session can suppress withdrawal instead of postponing it. It is also a cardiac-risk medicine, so it belongs in a clinic with a cardiologist present, not in a retreat.
What ibogaine does with opioid dependence
Ibogaine is not a replacement opioid. It acts on several receptor systems at once and its long-lasting metabolite, noribogaine, keeps acting for weeks after the session. Clinically, two things are reported consistently in the published case series and observational studies:
- Withdrawal is suppressed during and after the session, rather than being tapered over weeks.
- Craving drops sharply for a period that most observational work places between one and six months.
That window is the opportunity, not the cure. What you do with those months — therapy, structure, aftercare — decides the outcome. Any clinic that promises you a permanent cure from one session is selling something medicine cannot deliver.
Short-acting and long-acting opioids need different preparation
The substance you are dependent on changes the protocol:
- Fentanyl and analogues store in body fat and leave the system unpredictably. They require the longest stabilization and, in many cases, conversion to a short-acting opioid before treatment, with toxicology testing.
- Heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine are short-acting: stabilization is usually measured in days.
- Methadone is the hardest case. Its long half-life means a transition to a short-acting opioid is normally required before ibogaine, and that transition needs medical supervision.
- Suboxone (buprenorphine) binds tightly to the receptor and also needs a planned switch, not an abrupt stop.
This is why we ask what you take, how much and for how long in the screening form. Nobody is cleared for treatment from a web form alone.
Why opioid patients need cardiac supervision specifically
Ibogaine prolongs the QTc interval by blocking hERG potassium channels in heart tissue. In a person who has been using opioids heavily, two aggravating factors are common: electrolyte depletion (low potassium and magnesium) from poor nutrition and vomiting, and methadone use, which prolongs QTc on its own.
Our protocol is built around that:
- Pre-treatment EKG, full blood panel and electrolyte correction before any dose
- Echocardiogram when the history or the baseline EKG indicates it
- Continuous multi-lead telemetry during the active phase, with a board-certified cardiologist on site
- One-to-one ACLS-certified nursing and emergency equipment in the room
People with significant heart disease, uncorrected electrolyte imbalance, severe liver disease or certain medication combinations are not candidates. Turning someone down is part of the standard.
What the 7-day program includes
Arrival and baseline diagnostics on day 1, preparation and electrolyte optimization on day 2, the monitored session on day 3, rest and psychological integration on days 4 and 5, and the discharge plan on days 6 and 7. The full day-by-day breakdown and what is included is on the program and pricing page.
Related articles
- Ibogaine for Opioid Addiction: What the Evidence Really ShowsOpioid dependence is the condition where ibogaine has the most research. A clear summary of the studies on heroin, painkillers and withdrawal, success and relapse rates, safety and what makes results last.
- Ibogaine for Fentanyl Addiction: How Treatment Works and Its RisksFentanyl changes how ibogaine treatment must be done. Why a transition period is needed first, what the research shows for opioid withdrawal, the specific risks and what a safe medical protocol looks like.
- Ibogaine vs. Methadone and Suboxone: How Opioid Treatments CompareA balanced comparison of ibogaine and maintenance medications for opioid use disorder: how each works, what the evidence shows, the risks, and how patients on methadone, Suboxone or fentanyl are prepared for ibogaine.
- Ibogaine and Benzodiazepines: Why They Are Not Treated the Same WayIbogaine does not treat benzodiazepine withdrawal, and stopping Xanax, Klonopin or Valium suddenly can cause seizures. Why benzodiazepines need a gradual taper first, and how people who also use opioids can be treated safely.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to be in withdrawal when I arrive?
- No. You arrive stabilized on a short-acting opioid under our instructions. Arriving in full withdrawal makes treatment less safe, not more effective.
- Can I be treated while on methadone or Suboxone?
- Not directly. Both require a planned transition to a short-acting opioid before ibogaine, which our medical team schedules with you during screening. The transition itself must be supervised.
- Will one session cure my addiction?
- No. Ibogaine interrupts dependence and opens a window of reduced craving. Recovery depends on the integration work and aftercare that follow. We include a 90-day aftercare plan at discharge for that reason.
- Is ibogaine legal in Mexico?
- Ibogaine is not a scheduled substance in Mexico, which is why medically supervised treatment is available here and not in the United States, where it is Schedule I.