In today's post I am going to do something that I have wanted to do for a long time...and while I can't prove or disprove its effectiveness, I can tell you some things about the guaifenesin protocol for fibromyalgia.
This treatment was developed by an endocrinologist who himself has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. He theorizes that people with fibromyalgia have low energy because they have low levels of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). His theory goes on to say that the deficiency of ATP is due to an excess of phosphate. The drug guaifenesin, he says, helps the patient's kidneys to rid the body of the phosphate excess, allowing the body to produce more ATP.
There is very little information about whether or not this theory is true or untrue, and whether or not guaifenesin is actually an effective fibromyalgia treatment. One thing is for sure; this drug has been around forever and ever and is generally free of interactions with other drugs and is well tolerated by most folks. Some people have experienced some nausea from the drug...but that's about it.
If you are a fibromyalgia patient and are thinking about this protocol as a treatment option, there are some pros and cons to consider.
The pros:
This treatment was developed by an endocrinologist who himself has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. He theorizes that people with fibromyalgia have low energy because they have low levels of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). His theory goes on to say that the deficiency of ATP is due to an excess of phosphate. The drug guaifenesin, he says, helps the patient's kidneys to rid the body of the phosphate excess, allowing the body to produce more ATP.
There is very little information about whether or not this theory is true or untrue, and whether or not guaifenesin is actually an effective fibromyalgia treatment. One thing is for sure; this drug has been around forever and ever and is generally free of interactions with other drugs and is well tolerated by most folks. Some people have experienced some nausea from the drug...but that's about it.
If you are a fibromyalgia patient and are thinking about this protocol as a treatment option, there are some pros and cons to consider.
The pros:
- The drug is safe for most anyone, including children.
- No real drug interactions with other medications a person might be taking.
- Worst side effect is nausea, and if it happens, it's usually short lived.
The cons:
- One must avoid all products containing salicylates, which are said to make the guaifenesin protocol less effective. Many products that we use every day contain salicylates, including aspirin, menthol rubs, herbals, etc. So if you choose this protocol as a treatment, you must be very careful about this aspect of the treatment. You will have to carefully research and choose other medications and products that you use every day.
- Cyclical flare ups are to be expected, especially in the early days of treatment. According to the protocol's creator, this is a sign that "it's working." The flare ups will be more intense than what you are accustomed to, but over time things will even themselves out.
- Eventually you will reach a point where you're in remission if you stick to the protocol long enough. The longer you've had fibromyalgia, the longer it takes to reach this point.
Here's an interesting little aside that I learned while researching this post:
The physician who created the Guaifenesin protocol developed a different method that from standard "tender point" criteria that most physicians use to diagnose FMS. Mapping, as it is called is a technique in which the physician uses their finger pads to "iron out" underlying tissues. While doing so, they are looking for swollen spots in muscles and connective tissue and make notes of them. As treatment progresses, they go back to the spots they've "mapped" to observe changes--progression or improvement--of the condition.
If you'd like to read more about the Guaifenesin protocol or mapping, here are some links to get you started. You'll see some of the information I've shared here along with some other information to get you started if you want to try the protocol.
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