Fibromyalgia Treatment with Guaifenesin; The Guai Protocol or Non-Protocol

July 21, 2009 by Lisa

In about year 3 of my recovery, I discovered Dr. St. Amand’s Protocol to reverse Fibromyalgia with guaifenesin, the medicine in Mucinex. 

I started on the protocol, using the instructions in Dr. Amand’s Book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia.  I stopped using all products containing salycilates (Dr. Amand says they can block the Guai) and I started taking mucinex twice a day.

Success! I had phenomenal success.  I started on a Thursday and by Sunday my muscles in my neck had stopped ‘splinting’ which means they were holding themselves in unnaturally tense and stiff positions.  I didn’t feel great or anything, but I felt a lot better than I had been feeling.

I never experienced any ‘cycling’ which is what many people say when the medicine makes them feel worse at first.

The Guaifenesin program takes time – lots of time.  I’ve heard the estimate that for every year you have had Fibromyalgia symptoms, you can expect to ‘clear’ on Guai for 2 months.  So, if you have had fibro symptoms for 20 years, it could take you almost 4 years on Guaifenesin to get down to little or no symptoms. 

So, Dr. St. Amand has a theory behind the method by which Guaifenesin reverses Fibromyalgia.  Read his book or his website for his true words, but my interpretation of his book is that he believes Fibromyalgia is caused by a gene that causes people with fibromyalgia to be missing an enzyme that allows phosphates to be released out of the body through the urine. 

If the phosphates can’t get out via the urine, then they build up in the body and the body puts them in all your cells, and eventually these stuffed-full cells cause tiredness, soreness, stiffness, and rob you of energy on a cellular level. 

Guaifenesin is supposed to allow the kidneys to release the phosphates, and as soon as you start taking guaifenesin the body will start pulling phosphates out of the cells and you start peeing them out.  The process can only go as fast as your kidneys allow, which is why it takes months or years.

In my experience, I believe that Guaifenesin actually acts on people with fibromyalgia in a different way.  Guai has a property that allows it to act as a pain reliever and skelatal muscle relaxant according to Wikipedia. 

Guaifenesin also has other known neurological effects, including an analgesic effect that is related to its action as a skeletal muscle relaxant – Wikipedia

I believe that this muscle relaxant effect is what causes Guaifenesin to work to reverse fibromyalgia.  I believe that learning to deeply and truly relax is the number one thing that anyone with fibro can do to help themselves, and if your muscles are relaxing due to a medicine, then your healing can begin.

I believe cycling can be explained in two ways: one being that people who have fibromyalgia many times are sensitive to medications, and two being that as the muscles relax they let go of stress chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol that had been trapped in there – then the body has to process those chemicals and get them out.

I have written an ebooklet on my experiences and opinions about the guaifenesin protocol and taking guaifenesin as a muscle relaxant or fibromyalgia reverser, and it’s here The Truth About Guaifenesin and Fibromyalgia

Have anything you want to share re: guai and fibro?  Leave a comment below.



Highly Recommended: 30 Days to Feel Better From Fibromyalgia

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Comments

7 Comments on Fibromyalgia Treatment with Guaifenesin; The Guai Protocol or Non-Protocol

  1. The Best Natural Remedy to Heal and Stop Fibromyalgia Pain and Fatigue : Release Fibromyalgia Blog - Reverse Fibromyalgia with the Weber Method on Tue, 21st Jul 2009 5:46 pm

    2. [...] is why Guaifenesin works I believe, because it lets your muscles relax, even if your brain is still in [...]

  2. GB on Thu, 15th Apr 2010 2:03 pm

    3. I am a pharmacist and I agree with you. The effects of guaifensin as a muscle relaxant are NOT well known within the medical community. It is actually structurally related to a commonly used medication called carisoprolol that is used as a muscle relaxant. Also guaifenisin is used in veterinary medicine as an aide to anesthesia.
    I have had good results with long acting guaifenisin tablets in triple the OTC dose.
    I often take this once daily to aide in the aches, tenderness of fibro. But I can tell you also that the approach to fibro MUST be at multilevels including EXCERCISE.
    Thanks for telling everyone about guaifenisin use , it IS a good choice in the fibro fight..

  3. annemari on Sun, 13th Mar 2011 1:31 pm

    4. Like a breath of fresh air reading your guaifenasin thoughts. Having 11 years firo-CFS I just last month began the protocol-and am intersted in hearing someone elses experience with it. I know it’s likely to take even 2 years to totally regain my old stamiana, concentration, strength but am hopeful when I get a few odd reactions from 2400 mg daily guaifenasin with no other meds taken. No doctors have helped in 11 years except to let me go on disabilily for as long as that lasted and now await a pending SSI case. I am my own healer thus far as I suppose many others are with this illness-especially those forced to rely only on MediCal doctors who are uninformed and unintersted in FigromialgiaCFS.

  4. admin on Sun, 13th Mar 2011 2:14 pm

    5. GB, yes, multilevel approach – what a great way to put it. I totally TOTALLY agree. My approach was very multilevel, and here I am 8 years later, and feeling really good almost all of the time. :) My biggest thing was I never gave up. I never threw in the towel. I never said “well, I guess I’m going to be sick for the rest of my life”. I think that’s important.

  5. admin on Sun, 13th Mar 2011 2:16 pm

    6. Hi annemari, thank you! I am so glad to see people get something out of my experience and writings. So you just started. How exciting for you! :) I know it probably doesn’t seem like that from where you are, but now when I look back upon that time it is exciting to me. There were a lot of changes while I was on guai :) best of luck to you!

  6. Lorrie on Fri, 31st Aug 2012 5:27 pm

    7. Gosh I tried the protocol for three years and did not get better at all. I am just putting this out there because people are either absolutely evangelical or sometimes scared to admit it didn’t work. I did everything right-nothing. My PT is now saying she thinks I may not have ever had it but myofascial pain instead or MS. Tests are being run.

  7. admin on Fri, 31st Aug 2012 9:55 pm

    8. Hi Lorrie,

    I have heard of people saying they didn’t get better. I think Dr. St. Anand would say they didn’t eliminate salicylates. I think perhaps you having something else might be more likely. but no one can know for sure – everyone is different..

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