Contraindications:

It is not safe to work with Ayahuasca if you take the following medications or have any of the following health conditions: 

• Any medication that contains Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI’s) – these are known to cause dangerous side effects when taken in conjunction with Ayahuasca. It is critical that you stop taking these medications under the supervision of your doctor and allow plenty of time for your system to be cleared of these substances before working with Ayahuasca.

• Any medication which has an effect on the serotonin system, including Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) (i.e. antidepressants such as Wellbutrin, Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, etc). Combining these medications with ayahuasca can induce serotonin syndrome – far more severely than with foods containing tryptophan, and with potentially fatal results. We require guests discontinue taking SSRI medications under the supervision of their doctor prior to booking for a retreat to allow the system to clear in time.

• Other medications - decongestants, cold medications, allergy medications, antihistamines, sedatives, tranquilisers, amphetamines (including Adderall), some hypertensive medications, sympathomimetic amines (including pseudoephedrine and ephedrine), carbamazipine, methylphemidate (Ritalin), macromerine, phenelanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, asarone/calamus, some asthma inhalers, and diet pills.

• If you are in your first trimester of pregnancy.

• If you have a heart condition or chronic high blood pressure.

• If you have hepatitis or tuberculosis. 

• Bipolar 

• Schizophrenia

• Psychosis

Psychiatric Disorders:

The way in which Ayahuasca alters your state of consciousness can be dangerous to those with a personal or family history of primary psychotic or affective disorders like Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective disorder, or Bipolar 1 disorder.  It can also be dangerous for people who experience psychotic symptoms. This is because it can increase the risk of psychotic episodes in these groups of people.

People with significant trauma who have not yet learned fundamental coping skills or developed a safety plan (e.g. the stabilisation phase of trauma treatment) should not take Ayahuasca for the same reason they should not engage in therapies prolonged exposure therapy. Ayahuasca can lead to reliving traumatic experiences, and opening up repressed traumatic memories that can lead to significant emotional upheaval so it is important that participants with trauma feel psychologically ready for the potential of this.

Heart Conditions:

Ayahuasca increases heart rate and blood pressure (primarily "lower", diastolic). For a healthy person, this is not dangerous, but it can worsen the condition of a patient suffering from certain diseases of the cardiovascular system. If you are diagnosed with a pathology of the cardiovascular system, before the ceremony, please speak to the team before booking.

Herbs:

It is important to avoid the following herbs 2 weeks prior to your retreat start date:

• St. John's Wort

• Kava

• Kratom

• Ephedra

• Ginseng

• Yohimbe

• Sinicuichi

• Rhodiola Rosea

• Kanna

• Boswellia

• Nutmeg

• Scotch Broom

• Licorice Root

Recreational Drugs:

Avoid the following recreational drugs for 2 weeks prior to your retreat start date:

• Cocaine

• Amphetamines (meth-, dex-, amphetamine)

• MDMA (Ecstasy)

• MDA

• MDEA

• PMA

• Dextromethorphan (DXM)

• Opiates

• Mescaline (any phenethylamine)

• Barbiturates

Note about cannabis:

While not medically contraindicated, smoking cannabis before drinking Ayahuasca may darken and inhibit the overall experience.

Some specific pharmaceutical drugs that should not be combined with Ayahuasca:

• Actifed

• Adderall

• Alaproclate

• Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin)

• Amantadine hydrochloride (Symmetrel)

• Amineptine

• Amitriptaline

• Amoxapine (Asendin)

• Atomoxedine

• Befloxetone

• Benadryl

• Benylin

• Benzedrine

• Benzphetamine (Didrex)

• Bicifadine

• Brasofensine

• Brofaromine

• Bupropion (Wellbutrin)

• Buspirone (BuSpar)

• Butriptyline

• Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Epitol

• Chlorpheniramine

• Chlor Trimeton

• Cimoxetone

• Citalopram

• Clomipramine (Anafranil)

• Codeine

• Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)

• Cyclizine (Marezine)

• Dapoxotine

• Desipramine (Pertofrane, Norpramin)

• Desvenlafaxine

• Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)

• Dextromethorphan (DXM)

• Dibenzepin

• Dienolide kavapyrone desmethoxyyangonin

• Diethylpropion

• Disopyramide (Norpace)

• Disulfiram (Antabuse)

• Dopamine (Intropin)

• Dosulepin

• Doxepin (Sinequan)

• Duloxetine

• Emsam

• Ephedrine

• Epinephrine (Adrenalin)

• Escitalopram

• Femoxitine

• Fenfluramine (Pondimin)

• Flavoxate Hydrochloride (Urispas)

• Fluoxetine (Prozac)

• Fluvoxamine

• Furazolidone (Furoxone)

• Guanethedine

• Guanadrel (Hylorel)

• Guanethidine (Ismelin)

• Hydralazine (Apresoline)

• 5 Hydroxytryptophan

• Imipramine (Tofranil)

• Iprindole

• Iproniazid (Marsilid, Iprozid, Ipronid, Rivivol, Propilniazida)

• Iproclozide

• Isocarboxazid (Marplan)

• Isoniazid (Laniazid, Nydrazid)

• Isoniazid rifampin (Rifamate, Rimactane)

• Isoproterenol (Isuprel)

• L dopa (Sinemet)

• Levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa

• Linezolid (Zyvox, Zyvoxid)

• Lithium (Eskalith)

• Lofepramine

• Loratadine (Claritin)

• Maprotiline (Ludiomil)

• Medifoxamine

• Melitracen

• Meperidine (Demerol)

• Metaproterenol (Alupent, Metaprel)

• Metaraminol (Aramine)

• Methamphetamine (Desoxyn)

• Methyldopa (Aidomet)

• Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

• Mianserin

• Milnacipran

• Minaprine

• Mirtazapine (Remeron)

• Moclobemide

• Montelukast (Singulair)

• Nefazodone

• Nialamide

• Nisoxetine

• Nomifensine

• Norepinephrine (Levophed)

• Nortriptyline (Aventyl)

• Oxybutynin chloride (Ditropan)

• Oxymetazoline (Afrin)

• Orphenadrine (Norflex)

• Pargyline (Eutonyl)

• Parnate

• Paroxetine (Paxil)

• Pemoline (Cylert)

• Percocet

• Pethedine (Demerol)

• Phendimetrazine (Plegiline)

• Phenergen

• Phenmetrazine

• Phentermine

• Phenylephrine (Dimetane, Dristan decongestant, Neo Synephrine)

• Phenylpropanolamine (in many cold medicines)

• Phenelzine (Nardil)

• Procarbazine (Matulane)

• Procainamide (Pronestyl)

• Protriptyline (Vivactil)

• Pseudoephedrine

• Oxymetazoline (Afrin)

• Quinidine (Quinidex)

• Rasagiline (Azilect)

• Reboxetine

• Reserpine (Serpasil)

• Risperidone

• Salbutemol

• Salmeterol

• Selegiline (Eldepryl)

• Sertraline (Zoloft)

• Sibutramine

• Sumatriptan (Imitrex)

• Terfenadine (Seldane D)

• Tegretol

• Temaril

• Tesofensine

• Theophylline (Theo Dur)

• Tianeptine

• Toloxatone

• Tramidol

• Tranylcypromine (Parnate)

• Trazodone

• Tricyclic antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Elavil)

• Trimipramine (Surmontil)

• Triptans

• Vanoxerine

• Venlafaxine (Effexor)

• Viloxezine

• Yohimbine

• Zimelidine

• Ziprasidone (Geodon)

For the safety and wellbeing of all guests, we need to emphasise that the preparation, guidelines and diet are an absolutely essential part of the process. The three most fundamental restrictions before and after a retreat are abstaining from recreational drugs, sexual activity and foods containing tyramine. If a guest decides to not adhere to these guidelines, they are putting themselves at risk of severe psychological and physical damage.