Hello All, I need some advice

Hello everyone, I’ve been a lurker on the forums here for some time and I’m happy to finally post, I’ve learned so much here already. 
I’m 22 years old and considering returning to school soon, perhaps to study Ethnobotany. When it comes to ethnobotanical and entheogenic plants, Iboga and the traditions accompanying its use have captured my imagination more than any other. I am utterly fascinated by this patriarch of the psychedelic pantheon, and I feel very drawn to it. I have loved studying Africa since I was a little boy, and Ibo calls my name. 
However, I have had heart palpitations throughout my life that are impossible to ignore. They feel like a sort of “flip flop” punctuating the otherwise steady rhythm of my heartbeat and at times can be fairly arresting. Because of this phenomenon, I had an EKG four years ago at a local hospital (before I ever knew about Iboga). The tests all came back healthy, and my doctor, the head of the cardiology department, confirmed that I do not have an arrhythmia and told me “the structure and function of your heart is perfectly normal.” However I am aware that an EKG can miss things and is not foolproof, and so my concern has lingered. I should add that I am very active and work out daily, and never have any problems with prolonged hard exercise. 
I have read extensively on Iboga’s effects on the heart, as well as some of the unfortunate deaths that have occurred over the years. I have the utmost respect and reverence for this medicine of medicines, and I would never dream of approaching it without due diligence and care. I also realize that, though it would break my heart (no pun intended), I may not be a candidate for Iboga. And so I turn it over to you, what are your opinions? Would I be okay, or should I focus on other medicines?

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💬 6 comments

6 Comments

roxine· 8d ago

Hi susanetta67! Welcome! Have you ever suffered from anxiety? I thought I was having heart issues and it turned out it was anxiety attacks but I knew I had anxiety too. I had an EKG and it came back fine and they knew it was just the anxiety. Maybe you should get a second opinion and get your heart checked before because it is very dangerous to take Iboga, as you know, with a heart condition. I wouldn't recommend it until you KNOW for sure that it is okay. Glad to have you here! roxine

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brightwillow· 8d ago

Welcome! Great post and good questions man...you are very young and seem quite intelligent, I think you will make a marvelous student of ethnobotany Addressing your concerns, lala as ever is spot on, I vote second opinion, and certainly take extreme care to any anecdotal 'advice' you receive online - yea even here. It is difficult to shell out shoulds and should nots when dealing with such serious matters. If all your tests came back normal, and you visited a specialist (cardiologist) one would call that cause for jubilation perhaps. But listen also to your inner voice, you know your body better than any doctor or machine, maybe meditate or pray, whatever style fits you - on this and though I'd lamely advise 'asking around' when it comes to the life-and-death stuff, how can one really ever be safe in counseling another? I hate to welcome you then leave you flat, but in good conscience I can not say either way my friend. Again lalababa gives strong advice, maybe heed a second opinion and go from there? All the best and please stick around!

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susanetta67· 8d ago

Thank you both. roxine, I think you're right about the anxiety, I've dealt with it in the past and my palpitations do seem to accompany stressful periods in my life. In any case, I will certainly seek out a second opinion before attempting to commune with Iboga, preferably from a doctor who's heard of it, if I can find one. Whether or not I am able to partake of the sacred root, I can guarantee I will continue to study it from an ethnobotanical perspective. It's waaaay too fascinating to ignore! In the meantime, I'll remain optimistic.

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Shroomy· 8d ago

Hey susanetta67 and welcome to Ibogaine Club. Heart palpitations aren’t necessarily directly related to the heart. There are a number of possible causes - for example, related to the thyroid, stress, electrolyte imbalances, or even esophageal reflux through activation of the vagus nerve. It’s also important to understand that a regular ECG doesn’t always catch these kinds of episodes, which is why Holter monitoring is recommended. Electrolyte imbalances are especially important in the context of ibogaine, so testing in this area is essential as well.

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lane_drifts· 8d ago

Hi, Definitely take another EKG & checkup if you are worried. Sounds like you worrying about the original EKG might indeed be anxiety, since the good news is, that it came back negative :-) Good luck!

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softsparrow· 6d ago

If you overdo your body it is commonly the palpitations, use l-carnitine it gives the body the boost, athletes and men with hurt problems take it. It helps the mitochondria to work effortlessly, combined with K and Ca it is the best you can abuse your body more easily for gim

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