Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 22:55:55 EST
From: Chris Jenks <infinity@sj.bigger.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list <ibogaine@ibogaine.org>
Subject: GHB To Reduce Withdrawal
Dear Everyone,
I was just checking out the Lycaeum at http://www.lycaeum.org and found
the following new article. I realize we've discussed GHB on this list
before without any solid conclusion, but this first hand report sounds
informative. I understand that GHB recently because a controlled substance
in California. What a coincidence.
Enjoy,
- Chris
Using GHB to Mitigate Opiate Withdrawal
by Bilbo
We have a 27 year old daughter whom we love dearly. She has
been away from
home for about eight years, and recently it became apparent that
she had become
addicted to heroin. This was the result of a few years of smoking
and of nasal
insufflation. When we as a family confronted her and asked her
permission to help her
through whatever process was necessary to the ending of this
addiction. She collapsed
emotionally and said, "Yes, please do."
The reader will have to forgive me if I write this in less
than an abstract and detached
manner, as I am writing about our flesh and blood, for whom we
would walk through
fire, and whose life style had at times wounded us beyond that
which we would have
thought ourselves able to recover from. So great is love
sometimes that it leaves us
confused and yet willing to face undreamed depths of risk and
pain. Thus we began the
process of restoration of our family.
She had seen enough of the government and regulatory control
and "strung-outness"
that goes with methadone treatment, and wanted no part of that,
(for which we were
most grateful). Although she had a strong dread of the "great
sickness" which surely
was heading her way, she was bravely willing to "hole up" in our
spare bedroom and
endure whatever might be her lot. She had been sick before and
loathed the prospect;
yet loathed even more the continued slavery and premature death
that would most
likely be her portion otherwise.
I had read several mentions of the use of various substances
useful in mitigating the
effects of opiate withdrawal on newsgroups on the interned; among
them LSD,
ibogaine, and GHB. Because of several social and spiritual and
family dynamics, and
because of the availability of GHB, it seemed the likeliest of
the possibilities.
I posted an inquiry to a individual I had read on one of the
well known news groups
who had mentioned GHB as an option to ibogaine. I asked for any
references he might
know of that mentioned any clinical protocols for the
administration of GHB in opiate
withdrawal. (While I acknowledge that the mechanisms of action
for these two
compounds could not be more disparate, GHB seemed the only likely
candidate). In a
couple of days this person replied with the abstract of a study
from some Italian
medical researchers which had used GHB as the agent for
mitigation of symptoms of
withdrawal.
I am currently unable to locate the specific research, which
was originally published
in an international journal of neuropsychiatry. However, the
portion containing the meat
of the issue I was interested in remains clear. The cohort of
volunteers numbered, I
believe, in the several of dozens. Those who received the GHB,
rated their experience
of withdrawal as greatly modified by the application of periodic
doses of GHB during
the course of the several days of withdrawal. The need for any
additional medication
for sleep, for nausea, and several of the other acute symptoms
was greatly reduced or
totally eliminated in the majority of persons undergoing treatment.
The protocol for the administration of GHB during the initial
and acute phase of
opiate withdrawal is as follows: 0.025 grams of GHB per kilogram
of body weight
given orally every 3 to 4 hours for the first three or four days,
and then the same
amount every 4 to 6 hours over the next 6 to 10 days. I, for
instance, weigh about 210
#, or 95.5 kilograms. The desired dosage for me, therefore, would
be just under 2.4
grams of GHB every dose period. A person would take his or her
weight in pounds,
divide that by 2.2 to get the weight in kilograms, and then
multiply that product by .025
to obtain the desired dosage in grams.
A person would want to take the normal "sleeping dose" of GHB
prior to bed time,
and follow this with another full sleeping dose in middle of the
night if awakening
occurs. That amount for most people amounts to about 0.1 grams
per kilogram. During
this dosing schedule it is best if someone else is on hand to
assist with getting to and
from the bathroom if needed in case of difficulty in walking.
The object is not to render the individual unconscious, but
rather to allow a modicum
of activity and rest, while interrupting the acute symptoms of
the withdrawal. In as
much as these individuals have a demonstrated syndrome of
dependence, it would be
wise for the helpers to pre measure the day's dosages ahead of
time and possibly label
them or assign them to specific times for administration, thus
eliminating the tendency
toward seeking oblivion on the part of the patient.
My dear daughter specifically took me aside several days
after her acute withdrawal
phase was over, and told me that "in case I didn't realize it,"
she wanted me to know in
no uncertain terms, that GHB was nothing short of a miracle for
her. She initially
wanted to have me make it available to several of her friends who
had tried multiple
times to "kick" unsuccessfully. As much as I would like to be a
help to others, I
decided that it would not be practical or prudent for me to
become known as a
supplier of this remarkable compound to a circle beyond my family
and friends,
however noble the purpose.
So at this time my only knowledge of the efficacy of GHB in
the relief of acute
symptoms of opiate withdrawal is by way of a two or three year
old medical study, and
of much more significance to me, my dear daughter's emergence
from the dark and
scary world of addiction to heroin.
It seems that many, who would be very glad to leave that
slave master behind, are
unable to do so out of fear of the physical and psychological
punishment meted out to
those who dare to rise up in pursuit of freedom. GHB offers a
safe, non-toxic, and
gentle guide for those who would take the underground railway to
freedom in the 90s.
My dear daughter was home with us for Thanksgiving, and
kindly consented to add
a few remarks of a first hand and personal nature to this report:
GHB reduced my symptoms of heroin withdrawal to perhaps
1/10 of
what I would normally have experienced. Having maintained a
fairly
sizable habit, (from one to two grams daily for several
years) I had
undergone painful withdrawal many times, and was nothing
short of
amazed at the mildness of detoxing with GHB.
My symptoms usually included nausea, cramping,
headaches, sweating,
watery eyes and nose, extreme sensitivity to light and pain,
physical
weakness, sleeplessness, and a general sense of restlessness
and
discomfort.
With GHB, however, I was relaxed, even at the point when
symptoms
are normally at their most intense, and had enough energy to
take walks
and do light work. Physical discomfort was mild. I had few
aches or
cramps, and enjoyed a healthy appetite. At night I was given
a slightly
larger dose, and slept comfortably and soundly for four to
six hours at a
time. I felt emotionally more stable than usual. Whether
this was due to
my secure environment, actually getting sleep, or a
combination of the
two, I cannot say. Notable to me was a marked reduction of
the intense
craving for heroin that usually accompanies "kicking".
I do not doubt that everyone's experience with GHB will
vary slightly,
but I found it to be remarkably beneficial. While I would
heartily
recommend it to anyone facing the pain and misery of heroin
withdrawal,
I would also suggest having competent support readily
available for the
first three or four days.
HTML by: James Farrell
Last Updated Tuesday, 02-Dec-97 17:45:00 MST