Active Low-Carber Forums
Atkins diet and low carb discussion provided free for information only, not as medical advice.
Home Plans Tips Recipes Tools Stories Studies Products
Active Low-Carber Forums
A sugar-free zone


Welcome to the Active Low-Carber Forums.
Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, Neanderthin (Paleo Diet), CAD/CALP, Dr. Bernstein Diabetes Solution and any other healthy low-carb diet or plan, all are welcome in our lowcarb community. Forget starvation and fad diets -- join the healthy eating crowd! You may register by clicking here, it's free!

Go Back   Active Low-Carber Forums > Main Low-Carb Diets Forums & Support > Low Carb Health & Technical Forums > Fibromyalgia, CFS, S.A.D.
User Name
Password
FAQ Members Calendar Mark Forums Read Search Gallery My P.L.A.N. Survey


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   ^
Old Fri, Mar-14-08, 08:15
kelly77's Avatar
kelly77 kelly77 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 184
 
Plan: my own
Stats: 215/170.5/145 Female 69
BF:
Progress: 64%
Default Anyone taking Guaifenesin for Fibro?

I've just been reading about the Guaifenesin protocol for fibromyalgia and may want to give this a try. Is anyone taking guai, or has taken it, and what is your experience with it? What dosage are you at and are you avoiding salicylics as well? It seems that many have found some relief from this drug therapy. I'd really like to hear some personal experiences. thanks!
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2   ^
Old Mon, Mar-31-08, 08:28
ruthla ruthla is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,011
 
Plan: Protein Power
Stats: 190/169/140 Female 62 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: New York
Default

I looked into it, but then decided against it because of having to remove salicylates. Everything that actually works for me is a saliclyate- topical pain rubs that enable me to fall asleep when the pain gets too bad, lavendar oil in the bathtub to releive pain and help me relax. Even the all-natural moisturizers that I use- the only ones that don't set off my chemical sensitivities- contain salicilates.

I just can't see starting a new treatment program that's going to work slowly, and have its ups and downs, and has the potential to make things worse before they get better- and not be able to use ANY of the things that provide short-term relief!

I also know that when I cut out saliclates from my diet for a while, when I first started DD on the Feingold Program, I didn't notice any differences really. But then when I re-introduced saliclyates, I felt so good! A nice serving of tomato sauce got rid of headaches and overall body aches. I truly think my body NEEDS the salicylates to feel my best.
Reply With Quote
  #3   ^
Old Mon, Mar-31-08, 09:42
kelly77's Avatar
kelly77 kelly77 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 184
 
Plan: my own
Stats: 215/170.5/145 Female 69
BF:
Progress: 64%
Default

Yeah, I don't see it being practical to try to remove all salicylates. you'd practically have to live in a vacuum. and i'm not interested in becoming so anal about finding out every little ingredient in every little thing that I come in contact with. but i wonder about trying to do the guai alone and just see if it makes a difference. it's hard to find guai alone without additives. i had to order some on the internet as everything in the drug stores was for mucus control and contained other chemicals.

today its cool and wet here and i ache all over. NOT a nice way to go to work and be here all day feeling like this. all i want to do is be in bed at home. i'm a terrible grouch today and wish I could find something to feel better.
Reply With Quote
  #4   ^
Old Tue, Apr-01-08, 08:17
kelly77's Avatar
kelly77 kelly77 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 184
 
Plan: my own
Stats: 215/170.5/145 Female 69
BF:
Progress: 64%
Default

on second thought, I think I'll just save the guai for the next cold or flu I get.
Reply With Quote
  #5   ^
Old Sat, Apr-12-08, 14:20
Sunshiney1 Sunshiney1 is offline
New Member
Posts: 5
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 132/126.5/120 Female 63
BF:
Progress:
Default

Yes, I am on the guai protocol and it has completely changed my life. I cannot say enough good things about it.

It is not nearly as hard as you might think to avoid salicylates. It took me no more than a week to weed through my stuff, buy new stuff, and learn about what I could and could not use.

I was terribly freaked out about the sals too, what a waste of time and energy I spent worrying about it! It's a no-brainer now, I don't even think twice about it.

What finally made me change my mind and go for it was this:

I could either continue to get worse and worse, for the rest of my life...with little "cures" and band-aids here and there. I could continue to have really bad days, and a few "good" days scattered in there.

Orrrrrr....I could bite the bullet, possibly feel worse for a short amount of time (in comparison to feeling like CRAP for most of the rest of my life!) and then eventually get better. Permanently.

I chose the latter and I have never regretted it. I am still clearing the phosphate deposits out so I go through cycles where I feel crummy again. However, they are NOTHING like how I felt before the guai. When I do start cycleing again (feeling bad becuase I am clearing all of the crud out of my body), all I can think is "OMG, I used to feel WORSE than this MOST of the time! I cannot believe I lived like that!!!".

It's been a god-send for me and I am so thankful I have found it!
Reply With Quote
  #6   ^
Old Thu, Apr-24-08, 10:27
kelly77's Avatar
kelly77 kelly77 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 184
 
Plan: my own
Stats: 215/170.5/145 Female 69
BF:
Progress: 64%
Default

Sunshiney1 - so what changes have you made to eliminate the sals? Like specific products you use that you've changed to? What foods did you eliminate - basically what was the process like for you?
Reply With Quote
  #7   ^
Old Thu, Apr-24-08, 10:41
ruthla ruthla is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,011
 
Plan: Protein Power
Stats: 190/169/140 Female 62 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: New York
Default

I've found incredible relief from removing dairy and gluten from my diet. I even react to gluten topically- if the gluten is wet and I have any cuts on my hands (bread crumbs aren't problematic; cleaning up a bowl of pasta is.)

So, I'm no longer feeling completely cruddy all the time, even without taking guai.
Reply With Quote
  #8   ^
Old Sat, Apr-26-08, 09:58
Sunshiney1 Sunshiney1 is offline
New Member
Posts: 5
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 132/126.5/120 Female 63
BF:
Progress:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kelly77
Sunshiney1 - so what changes have you made to eliminate the sals? Like specific products you use that you've changed to? What foods did you eliminate - basically what was the process like for you?


Kelly ~ you do not need to change your diet, only topical products that you put on your skin ~ make-up, lotion, cleansers, shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, etc.

The only "diet" thing would be mint gum or mints...you cannot have mint in anything.

Here is the best way to describe it: you can not use any product with an ingredient with the word "sal" in it ~ no salicylic acid (that is an easy one!); you cannot use any plant-derived ingredient with the words oil or extract on the end (so, no "orange oil" or "lavendar extract") and no "aloe" anything. There are a few other no-nos but these are the big ones.

I buy all of my products at the regular old drugstore ~ Walgreens, CVS, Rite-Aid, whatever. I do not use any "weird" or hard-to-find products. It takes me 2 seconds now to scan the back of the product's ingredients list to know if I can use it or not.

Here are some examples of things I am using right now: a Revlon lipgloss, eyeliner and mascara, a Maybelline foundation and powder, Pantene shampoo and conditioner, and a CVS brand lotion that smells REALLY good!

There is a message board dedicated to helping newbies get on the protocol, and that was very helpful in the beginning. I learned a lot there, but I have not needed that board since about 2 months into the protocol.

I hope this helps!
Reply With Quote
  #9   ^
Old Thu, Jun-05-08, 02:42
VegGrrl VegGrrl is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 42
 
Plan: Mine
Stats: 127/127/120 Female 5'5"
BF:
Progress: 0%
Default

I tried it for 9 months, didn't work despite following it to a T and being directly under the doctors care. If anything I got worse, and then never better, probably because I had to give up some things I used to cope. No one I knew who was on it, even people who tried it for over a year and hadn't been sick long, got better. I even went to one of their support groups, and the leader, who happened to be an employee at the doctor who made this up, was the only one who claimed it helped her. If you ask me it's just a great big scam!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:01.


Copyright © 2000-2024 Active Low-Carber Forums @ forum.lowcarber.org
Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.