Thank you!  I appreaciate your perspective/information on switching to tramadol before Iboga, epecially about the effects on serotonin and noradrenaline receptors, swim wasn't aware of this & its definitely something for him to take into consideration.  Swim really wanted to avoid taking any strong opiates(especially heroin)& the rituals & people that go along with them.  It would be tough for swim and risky after being on suboxone & being clean from opiates for close to a year.  Even though the buprenorphine in suboxone is a strong opiate itself swim does not get any kind of high from it, & he is on a very low dose(less than 1/2mg daily) Also, even if swim did want to try switching to oxycodone, morphine etc, it would be very hard for him to even be able to afford to buy a few weeks worth of it, or possibly even obtain it at all.

Tramadol was considered especially since it is weak.  Swim really became interested in using tramadol for this proccess because he has a friend who did it successfully.  She went from 3 years on suboxone & she tapered down to .2mg suboxone daily, then switched to tramadol for a few weeks.  It worked out well for her, she chose to do small weekly doses of Iboga after stopping tramadol instead of a flood dose, since she wasn't able to take a whole week to do the flood.  She has had success with this method, & has been completely clean & sober for over 6 months feeling good, also she has had no PAWS since taking Iboga.