|
My Guaifenesin Story
|
|
I became chronically ill with Fibromyalgia in February 1997. Up until then, the symptoms I was experiencing were of nuisance value only, and I had no idea of what was to come.
It started with balance problems, then pain in my hands and arms. Strange headaches and all over body pain that moved around. Ear problems and pain in my face and jaw. Irritable bowel, cystitis, sinus, insomnia, skin problems depression, brain fog and the list goes on. It took nearly a year to be diagnosed and during this time, I was becoming sicker by the day.
This Fibromyalgia demon was ruining my life. I was 36 years old with 3 small daughters and a very busy husband. My Specialist told me they didn't understand the condition and they didn't really know how to treat it. Some things worked for some people, but didn't for others. He put me on Amitriptyline.
I decided I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in chronic pain and misery, so I learnt how to use the computer, amid intense Fibro Fog, and found Dr. Paul St. Amand's website about Guaifenesin. He has been using the drug as a treatment for Fibro for many years and is himself a sufferer, as is his nurse Claudia.
I went to my Doctor and told him I was trying the drug, and if he wouldn't support me, I would go it alone. He agreed to monitor me and after three years 2 months when I wrote this article initially, I was well on my way to recovery. Now, he refers his Fibro patients to me, if they are interested in Guai.
It has been a hard slog and I still have a way to go, but I can function now and live a fairly normal life. Dr. St. Amand's GuaiGroup and the International Guai-support group, helped me immensely and gave me the courage to keep going and continue with the treatment, when it got rough. I have made life long friends with peopl in the group, who live all around the world.
Guaifenesin is the only treatment I know, that works on the source of the illness not the symptoms. It can reverse one year's worth of build up in the body in two months. It is very efficient. So far, I have cleared back to about the age of 20 - 21.
Dr. St. Amand believes it is a genetic condition whereby, we inherit a defective kidney gene that cannot excrete Calcium Phosphate and Oxalates from our bodies. Therefore, this debris builds up to excess and starts causing problems. It attacks the cells and that is why so many of our body systems become affected. It is an energy deprivation syndrome.
Before you start the treatment you have to get a body map done. Any 'hands-on' therapist can do it - Physio/Massage therapist/Osteopath - as long as it is someone used to dealing with muscles. Where there are Fibro lesions, the muscle has an abnormal density. You must be consistent with your mapper. This is the only black and white proof you have of improvement. As you progress, the Guai will break up the lesions/ deposits and they will disappear. I think you can print body maps and instructions for mappers off the website.
Guai is a very old drug and its basic properties are that of a cough expectorant and mucus thinner. Dr. St. Amand calls it "a snot pill"! He has found, used in its pure form, at the correct dose per individual, that Guai can reverse the illness by breaking up the Fibro deposits. You start at the lowest dose then increase by 1/2 a pill every two weeks until there is an exacerbation of your symptoms. This is your therapeutic dose for life, and will reverse the illness.
The Guai tells the kidneys to excrete and this unwanted debris is purged from the body. It works in a cyclic process. At first mainly bad cycles, then as time goes on, good hours - days - weeks will emerge, until the drug has cleared out the whole body. Eventually the good cycles will outweigh the bad ones. It is a treatment that takes guts, faith and patience. You cannot expect to reverse an illness quickly, that has taken your whole lifetime to manifest.
40% of Fibromyalgics also suffer from Reactive Hypoglycemia. Another name for it is sugar and carbohydrate intolerance. Dr. St. Amand has developed a diet for these people which controls Hypoglycemia. His diet is on his website, which I will list below. Hypoglycemics who follow the diet, find their symptoms clear quickly. If you cheat on the diet you will feel bad. It is simple as that. I am not HG so do not need to do the diet. I still watch sugars and Carbs though.
Plant extracts or Salicylates that get into the bloodstream can interfere with Guaifenesin. This is why the first double blind study in the States failed. They are trying to raise more money to do a second study. See my sal-free list here.
They did not realise that patients on this treatment must be Salicylate free. Anything that we put on our skin cannot contain any plant products. There are lists of safe products and medications to use at his website. (hair shampoos, makeup, etc.) These salicylates block up the Renal tubules which is where the Guai works its magic. Plants and vegetables are safe to eat because they are processed through the digestive system and stomach. I always garden in gloves and am extra careful with lemons and onions. It pays to be salicylate free before you start the treatment, as you don't want the Guai to have to do its work twice. Blocking will show up on your body map, as there will be no improvement and more lesions will have appeared.
|
|
|
I will have to keep taking Guai forever. You cannot change genetics, but as it has no side effects I have no problem with taking it. A year ago I started my two older girls on Guai. They are 14 and 11, and both have abnormal lesions in their muscular systems. I am not taking any chances with their health and do not want any of my children to ever have to go through the nightmare I did. By starting them on Guai now, I will prevent the illness from progressing.
It is wonderful to be participating in life again. I can now, iron, vacuum, clean, garden, walk, exercise, dance, write with a pen, travel in a car, and my headaches, which were my worst symptom, no longer dominate my life. They come and go still, but last a very short time. I still have deposits in my neck and shoulders and these cause my headaches. These lumps will probably be the last to clear as they are the old ones in the tendons. Muscles seem to clear first, then tendons. There is less blood supply to tendons so they can be quite painful when clearing. Whichever areas you have stressed in your life, will be where the worst deposits are.
I am happy to help anyone interested in starting the protocol. All of the information is on the website, and I would suggest reading that first. See my Guai dosage list here.
New Zealanders have recently been denied a Guai supply from Australia because of new legislation there. "Positive Living" has been going to the United Kingdom for supplies which Jacqui was importing for some people.
However, we recently ran a survey amongst users to ascertain if it would be viable to have a reputable, manufacturing pharmacist compound Guai for us here, at prices that were acceptable to the long-term user.
This was done in conjunction with Dr St Amand and has been finalised with our service for you which started in June 2002.
By ordering through Jacqui at 'Positive Living' (see order form), you can procure high quality Guaifenesin here in New Zealand.
This direct method of distribution of Guai avoids advertising protocol and extra overhead costs. Our bulk buying reduces costs to the consumer.
Please support this scheme and help keep prices low. Order Form
So, Guai is now available in New Zealand
and any quantity of high quality 300 mg and 600 mg lactose-free, gelatin capsules which have an immediate action, followed by a sustained action, may be obtained from 'Positive Living' here in New Zealand.
The price is very cheap, considering what it cost me to bring Guai in from the States, the last time I ordered it. Our pharmacist requires your medical adviser's name and details with your first order, although Medsafe do not require him to ask for prescriptions. Overseas orders require a prescription from your doctor to satisfy any Customs inquiries.
Please ensure you have read Dr St Amand's book and you may wish to obtain the video he produces as well. These are obtainable directly from Positive Living, and a percentage of the prices go to Fibromyalgia Research if purchased direct.
Do read all you can about Guai on our website here at Positive Living, at The Fibromyalgia Treatment Centre, and through using the Guai Group at Dr St Amand's website.
It is necessary you have a supportive adviser, preferably a G.P. and/or a person who can map for you as described in Dr St Amand's book.
At present, there are two specialist G.P.s in the North Island and one in the South Island who will see you on a referral from your own G.P. Dr Jonathan Kuttner of Papakura has spoken at several meetings since December 2002 in Auckland and at our First N.Z. Fibromyalgia Conference in October 2003. We sincerely hope to hear him again.
I hope this letter has been informative and helpful. Bye for now.
Regards to you all,
Megan Parker
Gisborne.
You may email Megan. Click here
We are very apreciative of Megan's assistance. Please be respectful of the time Megan gives us, in a voluntary capacity, from her busy family and working life. - Ed.
