Guaifenesin Protocol - Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if I'm blocking guaifenesin?
The Blocking Test
The blocking test is a tool to help determine if you are blocking your guaifenesin with exposure to salicylates. It will be less accurate if you have just started your guaifenesin (because your cycles are still severe) or if you have been on guaifenesin a long time (because you should have less to flare). Bear in mind that it is to be used as a clue--additional information in conjunction with a symptom diary.
Here's how you do a blocking test:
The blocking test is a tool to help determine if you are blocking your guaifenesin with exposure to salicylates. It will be less accurate if you have just started your guaifenesin (because your cycles are still severe) or if you have been on guaifenesin a long time (because you should have less to flare). Bear in mind that it is to be used as a clue--additional information in conjunction with a symptom diary.
Here's how you do a blocking test:
- Double your dose of guaifenesin for one week.
- If the increase in dosage causes an increase in any of your symptoms you are NOT blocked.
- If however you DON'T experience any increase in symptoms you MAY be blocked.
- To ascertain if this is the case, stop using any non-essential products and check all your products for salicylates.
- If you have any question about your products contact Dr. St. Amand's office([email protected]) or a member of the Admin Team via the Guai Group.
- If you now experience change--you feel worse-- when you eliminate products-- then it's likely you were blocking with one of the the products you stopped using. If you didn't experience any change, then it's likely you were not blocking--or one of the products you are still using is a blocker. You need to check those more carefully.
- If you were blocking you can continue using any products which were confirmed as Salicylate Free and go back to your previous dose of guaifenesin.
- Discontinue using any of your other products which cannot be confirmed as completely Salicylate Free and continue focusing on your experience.
- Don't add any product to your daily regimen unless it can be ruled salicylate free.
- If you were NOT blocking then raise your dose from what you were taking. Your dose was too low.
How can I tell if a product contains salicylates?
Claudia's Salicylate Search Resource:
DO NOT USE:
If you are doing this properly, looking things up should be minimal.
However, if you see the word:
For medications, over-the-counter or prescription, all you need is the chemical name of the medication. It should be on the bottle. If your medication is a generic (tramadol for Ultram, for example) that IS the chemical name. Drugstore.com or any of the drug information websites or any pharmacist can give you the chemical name. If the compound you are checking is a salicylate, the chemical name will reflect that fact. An example is: Pepto Bismol which is bismuth subSALicylate.
If you are checking an over-the-counter supplement all you need to do is ask yourself if the supplement is the name of a plant. You cannot take flaxseed or borage oil because they are plants. You can't take ginseng or Echinacea as those are plants. You CAN take melatonin, malic acid, 5HTP, Co-Q 10 because those are not the names of a plant. You can take any vitamin or mineral (there is no plant named Vitamin A or magnesium) but you must check them for added medicinal herbs or bioflavonoids. (quercetin, hesperiden or rutin).
You must make sure any product that you use in your mouth does NOT contain MINT of any kind including wintergreen, or menthol.
When dealing with protein powders or other items that may contain concentrated plants be sure to look at the ingredients. If the box reads: NUTRITION FACTS you are holding a food and you can have it. If the box reads SUPPLEMENTAL FACTS you are holding a medication and you must check it against the above list as you would any other medication.
Tea: Do not drink any mint tea or any tea from the camellia plant such as white, green or black.
DO NOT USE:
- Any chemical with the syllable SAL in the name (SALicylate)
- Any chemical with MEN in the name (MENthol, MENthyl aranthinate)
- Oils with a plant name (except soy, wheat, corn oats, rice)
- Gels with a plant name (except soy, wheat, corn oats, rice)
- Extracts with a plant name (except soy, wheat, corn, oats, rice)
- Any butter except Cocoa, Shea or Mango Seed
- Tree bark extracts such as: Pycnogenol, Camphor, Bisabol, Balsam
- Meradimate (sunscreens)
- Meroxyl (Sunscreens)
- Bioflavinoids (Quercetin, Rutin, Hesperiden) in vitamins
- Mint flavor of any kind including wintergreen, or Mentholatum
If you are doing this properly, looking things up should be minimal.
However, if you see the word:
- oil, or
- gel, or
- extract
For medications, over-the-counter or prescription, all you need is the chemical name of the medication. It should be on the bottle. If your medication is a generic (tramadol for Ultram, for example) that IS the chemical name. Drugstore.com or any of the drug information websites or any pharmacist can give you the chemical name. If the compound you are checking is a salicylate, the chemical name will reflect that fact. An example is: Pepto Bismol which is bismuth subSALicylate.
If you are checking an over-the-counter supplement all you need to do is ask yourself if the supplement is the name of a plant. You cannot take flaxseed or borage oil because they are plants. You can't take ginseng or Echinacea as those are plants. You CAN take melatonin, malic acid, 5HTP, Co-Q 10 because those are not the names of a plant. You can take any vitamin or mineral (there is no plant named Vitamin A or magnesium) but you must check them for added medicinal herbs or bioflavonoids. (quercetin, hesperiden or rutin).
You must make sure any product that you use in your mouth does NOT contain MINT of any kind including wintergreen, or menthol.
When dealing with protein powders or other items that may contain concentrated plants be sure to look at the ingredients. If the box reads: NUTRITION FACTS you are holding a food and you can have it. If the box reads SUPPLEMENTAL FACTS you are holding a medication and you must check it against the above list as you would any other medication.
Tea: Do not drink any mint tea or any tea from the camellia plant such as white, green or black.
Where can I get Guaifenesin?
1. Mucinex™ is the FDA approved time-released guaifenesin 600 mg. This can be purchased at any pharmacy. It is a bi-layered tablet containing both long and short acting guaifenesin. Our suggestion is that when using Mucinex begin at a full tablet twice daily to insure enough long-acting. If reversal symptoms are too severe then switch to the Marina del Rey 300 mg. capsules.
Coupons for discounts can be found on various websites, so check around. Also can be purchased from discount stores such as Walmart and Costco, on amazon.com or on Ebay.
2. Compounded Guaifenesin from Marina del Rey Pharmacy (www.fibropharmacy.com or 310-823-5311). Capsules.
There are two strengths of this product available: 300 and 600 mg. Patients should start with the 300 mg. strength (twice a day) and double that after one week if no change is noticed. If the 300 mg. twice a day does not cause a flare of your symptoms, you double that dose to 600 mg. twice a day and can switch to the 600 mg. strength.
If you live outside the US you will pay less import duty if you purchase it with a prescription. The prescription should read Guaifenesin 600 mg. dye free. Research what your country will let you import in one shipment, usually a 90 day supply. For details contact Marina del Rey Pharmacy 310-823-5311 but first be sure to check your local laws. (www.fibropharmacy.com)
3. Extended Release Guaifenesin 600 mg. tablets
This product is manufactured by Perrigo and is sold in pharmacies as a generic brand. (Called things like Mucus Relief, etc.) It must say EXTENDED RELEASE. Currently not being manufactured because of a supply issue it can still be found by shopping around. Some pharmacies currently have it on sale: stock up if you like this product. Also ask a manager to order some for you.
Start this product by cutting it in half, 300 mg. twice daily. If no change you would increase the dose by taking a full pill twice a day. After a month the dose would be raised (if no change) to one in the morning and two at night.
WARNING:
GUAI-AID 600 mg (and other strengths) is NOT long acting guaifenesin. We do not suggest this as a stand alone guaifenesin although it can be used as an add-on to a longer acting product. The advertising for this product is consistently misleading and we advise patients to avoid it for that reason.
Coupons for discounts can be found on various websites, so check around. Also can be purchased from discount stores such as Walmart and Costco, on amazon.com or on Ebay.
2. Compounded Guaifenesin from Marina del Rey Pharmacy (www.fibropharmacy.com or 310-823-5311). Capsules.
There are two strengths of this product available: 300 and 600 mg. Patients should start with the 300 mg. strength (twice a day) and double that after one week if no change is noticed. If the 300 mg. twice a day does not cause a flare of your symptoms, you double that dose to 600 mg. twice a day and can switch to the 600 mg. strength.
If you live outside the US you will pay less import duty if you purchase it with a prescription. The prescription should read Guaifenesin 600 mg. dye free. Research what your country will let you import in one shipment, usually a 90 day supply. For details contact Marina del Rey Pharmacy 310-823-5311 but first be sure to check your local laws. (www.fibropharmacy.com)
3. Extended Release Guaifenesin 600 mg. tablets
This product is manufactured by Perrigo and is sold in pharmacies as a generic brand. (Called things like Mucus Relief, etc.) It must say EXTENDED RELEASE. Currently not being manufactured because of a supply issue it can still be found by shopping around. Some pharmacies currently have it on sale: stock up if you like this product. Also ask a manager to order some for you.
Start this product by cutting it in half, 300 mg. twice daily. If no change you would increase the dose by taking a full pill twice a day. After a month the dose would be raised (if no change) to one in the morning and two at night.
WARNING:
GUAI-AID 600 mg (and other strengths) is NOT long acting guaifenesin. We do not suggest this as a stand alone guaifenesin although it can be used as an add-on to a longer acting product. The advertising for this product is consistently misleading and we advise patients to avoid it for that reason.
what is Short Acting Guaifenesin? Do I want it?
This guaifenesin called short acting or immediate release guaifenesin is available in 200 and 400 mg strengths. It is sold as a store brand generic and also available from Marina del Rey pharmacy:www.fibropharmacy.com.
For those requiring higher doses than 1200 mg a day of long acting, you may add short acting to save money. A long-short acting combination is very effective: for example two long and two short twice a day seems to work for all but extremely high dose patients.
Once you have found your dose you can add short acting as per your own tolerance to speed up clearing.
WE REGRET HAVING TO POST WHAT FOLLOWS BUT DUE TO UNSCRUPULOUS MARKETING TECHNIQUES WE MUST:
DO NOT USE GUAI-AID PRODUCTS IN PLACE OF MUCINEX OR COMPOUNDED GUAIFENESIN. FOR MOST PATIENTS IT WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE AS A STAND ALONE PRODUCT.
YOU MAY USE IT TO INCREASE YOUR DOSE BUT DO NOT TAKE ONLY GUAI-AID NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE TOLD BY THEIR OWNER/SALES TEAM. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT [email protected]
For those requiring higher doses than 1200 mg a day of long acting, you may add short acting to save money. A long-short acting combination is very effective: for example two long and two short twice a day seems to work for all but extremely high dose patients.
Once you have found your dose you can add short acting as per your own tolerance to speed up clearing.
WE REGRET HAVING TO POST WHAT FOLLOWS BUT DUE TO UNSCRUPULOUS MARKETING TECHNIQUES WE MUST:
DO NOT USE GUAI-AID PRODUCTS IN PLACE OF MUCINEX OR COMPOUNDED GUAIFENESIN. FOR MOST PATIENTS IT WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE AS A STAND ALONE PRODUCT.
YOU MAY USE IT TO INCREASE YOUR DOSE BUT DO NOT TAKE ONLY GUAI-AID NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE TOLD BY THEIR OWNER/SALES TEAM. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT [email protected]