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Important News about guaifenesin products from dr. st. amand

7/1/2015

8 Comments

 
A new problem popped up in my examining room in January. Three patients came together one morning. Each had been improving, but not this time: all three were very slightly worse as their maps confirmed. None had changed products that could have invoked guaifenesin blocking.

But each had made one change since the last visit: all three had switched short-acting guaifenesin from Marina Del Rey Pharmacy’s 400 mg to the blue-dyed Costco brand. We switched them back to the white ones and all three resumed clearing. I've seen several similar cases since.

I searched the medical literature and I think I have the answer. For those who want to dig deeper, look up Blue dye number 1. You’ll come across a paper “FDA Public Health Advisory: Subject: Reports of Blue Discoloration and Death in Patients Receiving Enteral Feedings Tinted With the Dye, FD&C Blue No. 1”. It went on to state that Blue 1 “can be a mitochondrial toxin” and “…there could be underlying patient-related factor(s) that allow significant absorption of Blue 1 in some enterally fed patients”.

Enteral feedings are something done through tubal inserts, but the paper also points out that the concentration or amount of blue dye given these patients was not unusual or higher than that given persons who had no side effects. In other words, there seemed to be a predisposition in those adversely affected. Stating it another way, some people given blue dye 1 will react differently from others. In some, it will actually get into mitochondria and impede formation of energy, the very benefit we’re trying to obtain with our protocol.

What I've witnessed these past four months is that some patients stop in their tracks and just don’t improve. Others actually go slightly backwards and may even create small new lesions. That suggests individual susceptibility to impede energy production likely due to their particular genetic makeup. It’s also probable that some of those taking larger amounts of blue-dyed medication might be affected but have no problem with a lesser amount.

Since I have no way of predicting which people will stop improving, go in reverse, or continue forging ahead, it seems prudent to advise discontinuation of the far cheaper blue, short-acting guaifenesin. This finding might well explain why we have a small but distinct percentage of patients who fail to improve when they are taking Mucinex.

Those of you who need short-acting guaifenesin should replace any dyed tablet with a pure white one. Perhaps you can locate one on the Internet or purchase it from the Marina Del Rey Pharmacy. Sorry about the extra cost, but what choice do we have?

R. Paul St. Amand, M.D.
8 Comments
Mary Jane Komai
11/6/2015 07:43:35 am

Does this info apply only to Blue Dye #1 that is ingested (taken orally), or does it also hold true for Blue Dye #1 used topically (applied to the skin by using products colored with it)?

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Was there an answer? I'm curious about this as I have found many shampoos and chapcticks contain blue dye 1.
3/3/2017 07:04:48 pm

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Jean Carlson
11/1/2016 09:18:57 am

I've been trying to get through to you people via 310-577-7510, but it seems it's the wrong number! ?????

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Shirley Rumgay
4/24/2017 09:30:52 am

I have been taking the Mucinex blue and white 600mg 12hour tablets and find that my pain levels are much worse. Before this I took the Peridot ones that are off the market at the moment and I was much better and experiencing very little pain.So, what do I do now?

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Diana Christiansen
2/16/2018 09:59:04 am

Did you get an answer? i am just beginning protocol and using the Mucinex 600 mg 12 hour...How long did it take before you felt relief?

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Michael C Sakkers
2/6/2019 05:25:17 am

If you read more the entire idea is that you feel worse. It means that the product is working. Please order the book and read this site multiple times.

Jana Maltby
6/7/2017 09:40:46 am

So, if I understand this right, the long acting (12 hr) musinex that is blue and white is ok, as long as it is not combined with short acting blue???

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Clara Kooper
4/15/2019 03:04:17 pm

I just bought Guai at WalMart generic brand 600 mg extended release. They have carbomer homopolymer type B; hypromellose USP; magnesium stearate, NF; microcrystalline cellulose NF; sodium starch glycolate NF. It is a white tablet. Any problems with this product before I start using it?

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