You will need to get some tests done to be sure your symptoms are all just fibromyalgia and not other more serious problems. Scroll down for list of tests to ask for. Getting your doctor involved in this process should be a help to you. If your doctor is not open and willing to discuss these things, find one who is. Fibromyalgia is hard enough without dealing with ignorant doctors.
OK, so Chapter 7 of Dr St Amand’s book, “What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia” tells us all about how to get our doctors involved with the Guaifenesin Protocol. Dr St Amand very kindly lays it out for us so we can do it. I SO wish I had remembered and processed that part of the book enough to do this. At the time, I was far too sick to brave talking to my doctor about it, who had been telling me he, “didn’t know what to do with me.” UGH.
Anyways, this is for those of YOU who are BRAVE and have us to back you up and give you support to make this happen!! Dr St Amand is very good at explaining how to speak to your dr about this. Definitely worth re-reading that chapter again everyone! <3
Click this: For a list of doctors and mappers we know of who support the protocol.
1. So, you need to get the battery of tests done to ensure you indeed DO have fibro, that your symptoms are not something more life-threatening.
Detailed list of tests to ask for:
- Lyme: Lyme Antibodies IgM/IgG by Western Blot; can also be tested for in CFS (Igenex labs is best, but most insurance will not reimburse for it.)
- Thyroid: Full panel: TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Total T3, T3RU, and antibody; and possibly Calcitonin and Thyrocalcitonin
- Adrenal hormones: DHEA Sulfate, Cortisol: 24 hour test is best, ACTH, AD (also tie in with reproductive hormones.)
- Reproductive hormones: Androstenedione, Testosterone, Estrogens
- Autoimmune: ANA, Autoantibodies, CRP, ESR, RF, CK,
- Genetic: MTHFR gene mutations
- Nutrition: Vit D, B12, Vitamin B complex, iron
2. Ask your doctor if he would read: the paper by Dr St Amand on the protocol, written for Doctors (have this with you when you go to the doctor)
Ask him is he is willing to walk with you through this treatment you are convinced is going to work. If he is not interested, MOVE ON! You need a doctor who will support and understand what you are trying to do!
If he is interested,
Ask him if he will give you a prescription for Guaifenesin. For many, this will save you some $$.
Ask him for a referral to a Rheumatologist, massage therapist, or chiropractor who is open minded and interested in learning how this protocol works.
3. When you see your rheumy, chiropractor or massage therapist, bring info on mapping, found in the book or on www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com
Ask them if they would be willing to learn more on being a mapper for fibro in your area (and likely the only one, thus insuring they have many more patients! 🙂
The goal of your first visit with him/her is to see if they can feel the lumps on your left thigh. If they can’t, you need to find someone who does. This is a good starting point to help you find your clearing dose! Otherwise, stick to your journal for finding your clearing dose. 🙂
If they are super interested and want to get trained, this is AWESOME! They will need to watch the DVD from fibromyalgiatreatment.com and preferably, be trained by Dr St Amand! Then they can do a full body map for you 🙂 Bring a clear map, so they can map you and indicate on the caricature where your lumps and bumps are. It’s going to be a long process for you to find someone who is interested enough to be trained this way, just to warn you!!
4. Get copies of that map to bring to your doctor, along with your symptom journal showing him how you are struggling through.
5. stick to the Guaifenesin protocol
6. get re-mapped after your one month on either 300mg bid or, if symptoms not increasing, on 600mg bid for one month. Click here for: finding your correct Guaifenesin Dosage. This will tell you if this is your clearing dose, by the fact that your left thigh will be clear. YES! 😀
7. Make an appointment with your doctor again and show him your map and symptom journal, discuss your symptoms and how you are managing, discuss your other meds if you are on them, and how to slowly go off them when you no longer need then ’cause you’re feeling so AWESOME! 😀
8. Make yearly appointments to see your mapper and your doctor, to keep him informed on your progress and how well you are doing, and you just MIGHT convert another doctor to help thousands of other patients he will likely have with fibro!
9. Don’t forget to let us know about your doctor and mapper so that we can refer him to other fibro patients wanting to start the protocol!! 🙂
Click for more info on: the Guaifenesin Protocol and getting started!