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guaifenesin, has anyone , tried it or is using it.

tramadolknight profile image
20 Replies

Hi fibromites, A long time ago I purchased Dr starlanyls book on fibromyalgia, where she swears by guaifenesin as being a great help, my GP has never heard of this , nor have I found much reference to its use in the U K .Has anyone any experience of trying it ?

x

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tramadolknight profile image
tramadolknight
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Extremelygrumpy profile image
Extremelygrumpy

Umm just looked this up and found it is used in cough medicines which I know I can't take as the ingredient in cough medicines interact with my meds I am on... Also It was or maybe still is used to treat syphillis ...In reference to it helping fibro it does not sound promising... If its a supplement and costs money and promises the earth I tend to steer well clear of such products as I have wasted plenty of money over the last 23 years trying to banish fibro... Sorry if this sounds negative ... If you want to try it PLEASE check with your GP first as I didn't realise I couldn't take over the counter cough remedies and made my self feel quite unlike myself for a few days

Hello TK, thank you for your message. Here is a link to a discussion we had a while ago here on the theory of Guaifenesin, some of the discussion is quite controversial as you will see but Lindsey (FibroAction) and also Simon (FibroAction) discuss and substantiate this controversy at length.

I hope you find this both helpful and interesting too. :)

fibroaction.healthunlocked....

(((hug))) xxx

Libs

tramadolknight profile image
tramadolknight in reply to

Hi libertyZ, thanks for replying, but is this the right link, can't see anything on guaifenesin thanks

x

in reply totramadolknight

Hi TK, sorry about that, will check it out and get back to you, sincere apologies. xxx

in reply to

Try this TK, there have been so many changes on the HU platform lately that perhaps the thread was deleted and only Admin can see it, although we haven't been told this is possible yet. I am a bit in the dark here. If this link doesn't access the discussion, please let me know and I will contact HU (Health Unlocked) about it. Many thanks.

Libs xxx

fibroaction.healthunlocked....

in reply to

TK try this link, this will definitely work as it's from our main site at FibroAction -

fibroaction.org/Articles/Ci...

I hope you find this informative and helpful. Any problems, please give me a shout, any time.

Libs xxx

tramadolknight profile image
tramadolknight in reply to

Hi, thanks for the new link, about half way into it there is a big debate on guafenesin, with a canadian lady, again there seems to be nothing to substanciate it use in the u.k , seems more of an American/ Canadian issue, still, I would like to hear of anyone in the u k's experience if they have tried it.

thank for the info.

xx

tramadolknight profile image
tramadolknight in reply totramadolknight

in answer to my own question, I have just read an article on tinternet by a Mark London, from may 2010 on the myths and uses of guafenesin in fibromyalgia, fascinating reading if anyones interested in this subject

xx

Yes I really researched this last year. Its on cough medicine but not of the quality you need. There's a forum all about it. The problem is it is notoriously difficult to get hold of the stuff. Its expensive, but it only works if you cut out loads

of additives from your diet and toiletries. I personally found it too hard to follow. Really complicated.

And I already cut out toxins from food and living !

There is also a book about it I have at home. I'm not at home right now. If you reply to this I'll be able to find you again. I'll fish out the book title. I got it through amazon. Its all dependant on the theories of one doctor. His thinking is along the lines of my own theories so I was interested for a while.

Personally I think its more about the cutting out of toxins more that taking the guai....but some are getting some benefit so I wouldn't knock it x

Stepper

tramadolknight profile image
tramadolknight in reply to

Hi stepper, thanks for the reply, the reason that I asked the question is that I came across guafenesin for sale on amazon as a supplement for fibro recently, prior to this when I first read about it, I could only find it in cough medicine.

x

in reply totramadolknight

uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/U...

This is the group I was telling you about

The book is called

What your doctor may not tell you about fibroomyalgia fatigue.

R.Paul St. Amand MD and Claudia Craig Marek

in reply to

you do have to cut out all salicylates completely for it to work. You have to check everything. ....mouthwashes, toothpastes, shampoo, conditioner, deoderants, lotions, ointments, medications. lipstick, cosmetics, sun screens, herbal remedies. Its a very long list. Any hint of salicylates blocks guai

in reply to

UK-FMS-GUAI · UK Support group for Fibromyalgia (FMS) sufferers on Guaifenesin

Thats the name of the Yahoo group x

tramadolknight profile image
tramadolknight in reply to

thanks for the info, the article that I mentioned by mark london on the myths of guaifenesin is well worth a read he has some different views on how it may work

xx

electricjaws profile image
electricjaws

i tried this a few years back you can't buy pure guiafenesen in u.k ( only in cough medicine)so i use to buy it from the u.s.a, the thing with doing this protocol is you cannot be in contact from any form of salycilates as it prevents it working, now there are salicylates in hundreds of toiletries (if you look on the ingredients for example on a can of deodrant, also soil has salicilates in so for example if you potted a plant and got soil on your hands that would block it working, it is a very hard thing to do ,i followed it for a year but felt no benefit except a big fat hole in the bank balance(, before i went ahead and did the guaifenesin,i did a years research about it that is how i know about the salycilates info), it cost me a fortune buying stuff that did not contain salycilates (toiletries etc) i don't wear make up but you will be hard pressed to find make up that has no salycilates as it seems that make up without salyicilates are far and few between, rare as hens teeth and expensive ,so it is not as simple as buying the guaifenesen online and popping a pill, it is really difficult protocol,also one you have to do for life, save your money and treat yourself for a few massages!!!

Janeio profile image
Janeio in reply toelectricjaws

Hi, I’m new on this forum please can you tell me if the guaifenesin is working, I’ve just bought a book that mentions as a treatment I’m really interested

tramadolknight profile image
tramadolknight

Hi , thanks for replying, I found it for sale on amazon, 400mg, 200 tablets for £12 .95. Make ups not a problem for me, (being a bloke ) lol, as nothing else has worked for me, I,m still looking for answers.

x

LindseyMid profile image
LindseyMid in reply totramadolknight

Be very careful buying any medication online - at the end of the day, you don't know for sure what you're getting! And if something is not legal to be sold in the UK, then it is illegal to import it from an internet retailer.

There is no good evidence that Guai works for Fibro, despite some big studies.

chezzie profile image
chezzie

First, as for evidence, I am sorry but there have not been ANY "big" studies on whether Guai works for fibro. There was one study years ago but it is not valid because it was very small and the people tested did not follow the protocol in full.

However, I have personal evidence, as I have been doing the guai protocol for years. I am so sorry to see the confusion about it here and elsewhere. I suppose it's due to the fact that it is not a moneymaker; it's over the counter, and there is no incentive for drug companies to fund research.

When I was diagnosed I came upon the guai protocol by chance on the website fibromyalgiatreatment.com. I discovered it had a list of internists and other doctors who work with it. To my surprise, one was very close by, so I went on the protocol under her supervision. It was not easy at first, but I did not have to continue seeing the doctor after two visits. There was also a local support group for guai, led by a nurse, and it was free. The meetings were really helpful and I met dozens of people there who were doing it. Many were women much older than I, and they reported good results, symptoms diminished or gone. Believe it or don't, I am just telling you what i know. They also advise going on a hypoglycemia diet if you think you need it. I have never tried it but some might want to.

The guai is not expensive at all, compared to other meds. Guaifinesin is a mucus thinner, which is why it's in cough syrup. And it's derived from a very old medicine from willow bark; it has no conflicts with the other meds people with fibro take - or ANY medications, as far as I know.

It is NOT impossible to follow the protocol!! You can find a list of salicylate-free skin-care products, shampoo, makeup, etc. on that page and on the LISTSERV group for guai linked to it. They update it regularly. So for the UK person using guai now, please see that website to make sure you are not using things with salicylates, like menthol. I use baking soda to brush my teeth and it works fine. However, if you accidentally do ingest or use something with salicylates, never fear, in 24 hours the effect wears off!!

Look up Dr. St. Amand for more info... he's written a few books.

chezzie profile image
chezzie

Another thing to consider is this: it really does no harm to try the guai protocol. Nothing to lose, and a LOT to gain.

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