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Guaifenesin for Fibromyalgia User Reviews (Page 4)

Brand names: Mucinex, Robafen, Mucinex Maximum Strength, Guaiatussin, Breonesin, Tussin Expectorant, Benylin E, Humibid, Organ-1 NR, Guaifenesin LA, Mucinex Children's Chest Congestion, Scot-Tussin Expectorant, Guiatuss, Calmylin Expectorant, Family Meltus Chesty Coughs, Lemsip Cough Chesty, Buckley's Chest Congestion, Benadryl Chesty Forte, G Bid, Ganidin NR, Humibid Pediatric, Guaibid-LA, Aquamist, Amibid LA, Mucobid-LA, Guaifenex LA, Fenex-LA, Fenesin, Rompe Pecho EX, Humavent LA, Guiacough, GG 200 NR, Glytuss, Altarussin, Anti-Tuss, Diabetic Expectorant, Allfen Jr, Genatuss, Siltuss DAS, Gua-SR, Humigen LA, Altorant, Duratuss G, Robitussin Mucus + Chest Congestion, Diabetic Tuss, Guaifenex G, GG-Cen, Guiadrine G-1200 Siltussin DAS-NA Balminil Expectorant Drituss G Beechams Veno's for Kids Chesty Cough Junior Meltus Colour and Sugar Free Expectorant Help I Have Chest Congestion Xpect Bidex-400 Humibid E Fenesin IR Hill's Balsam Chesty Cough Junior Meltus Chesty Coughs with Catarrh Beechams Veno's Expectorant Dristan Chesty Cough Dristan Chesty Cough Guaiphenesin Mucinex for Kids Guaifen NR TabTussin 400 Siltussin DAS Diabetic Tussin Mucus Relief Refenesen Chest Congestion Relief Bronchoril Hytuss Mucaplex Tussin Mucus + Chest Congestion Air Power Diabetic Tussin Chest Congestion Giltuss EX Expectorant Giltuss Children's EX Expectorant …show all brand names

Reviews for Guaifenesin

Commonly mentioned side effects
  • mac...
  • March 28, 2008

"I'll call it 'guf' for short. Guf works, but you have to understand your body. For a cough, it helps by enabling freer breathing, loosens, dissolves phlegm. 'Guf' used for treating fibromyalgia has done wonderfully for me, but you must adhere to a strict diet for at least ten days while dosing. I felt good results in a few days, and it gave me the incentive to keep doing it for 14 days. I felt so good, the diet is described in a small green book called 'What Your Doctor Didn't Tell You About Fibro.'"

9 / 10
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  • Suz...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 29, 2018

"I was on the guaifenesin treatment method of Dr. St. Amand. After 6 months, I could no longer tolerate the pain and exhaustion. Went to another endocrinologist and discovered I have panhypopituitarism, and the pain and exhaustion were from that. Please make sure you are tested for all possible issues. Note: I also discovered that I should have been paying attention to the pain and not assuming it was just part of the guaifenesin treatment. This delayed discovering what was truly wrong."

2 / 10
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25 Report
  • Wol...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • October 18, 2015

"I agree it probably doesn't work for the reasons set forth by St. Amand, but it did work for me (complying with the salicylate ban) in the timescales he finds, as follows: 3 days of nothing. Then 2.5 days of feeling great. Then 7 months of feeling worse than ever. Then roughly 2 years of feeling much, much better, but eventually it tailed off to nothing. Still, the only effective FMS/CFS medicine I've tried except for LDN."

6 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • dma...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • June 6, 2021

"I have been suffering with fibromyalgia for many years. Guaifenesin 2400 mg to 4800 mg a day loosens my muscles that are tight and painful. I'm able to breathe deeper with the relaxed muscles. My stomach isn't as irritated, and my skin isn't as irritated. My anxiety is lessened. I've also included Ribose powder 10 to 15 mg a day, and it helps with fatigue."

8 / 10
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11 Report
  • med...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 25, 2023

Guaifenesin "I was desperate with severe, throbbing pain, especially at night. I was actually envisioning suicide. In suggesting Mucinex to a friend, I happened to discover that guaifenesin has a moderate muscle-relaxing effect, and then I read some of these reviews. I also read a report of a clinical study that found no effect. Long story short, the women in the clinical study took only 600 mg twice daily, whereas most of the reviewers here seemed to have taken twice that amount. I started doing that too, only yesterday, and today my spasms are largely gone. My conclusion, therefore, is that the clinical study didn't use a large enough dosage."

10 / 10
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7 Report

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  • BNW...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 16, 2022

"Okay, so hear me out. I found this by mistake, and after reading reviews, I can see Mucinex has helped others with fibromyalgia. There is no way it's a placebo. Let me start by saying I've been sick with cold viruses before and have taken the 400 mg doses of Mucinex and never saw a difference in pain. This is the first time I went and picked up the 600 mg extended release to take twice a day vs. the 400 mg twice a day for my chest congestion, and there is a difference. It isn't drastic to where all my pain is gone, but I do have other health and spine conditions, but enough to where I knew something was very different and didn't know what. I figured maybe because I was sick that my body was in a more relaxed state, so my pain was down, but I never felt this way before, ever. I plan on trying 800-1200 twice a day, but so far I'm extremely impressed, even with the 600 mg extended release twice a day. I've only been taking it for 3 days, and waking up without morning stiffness is huge!"

9 / 10
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  • Kim...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • January 4, 2022

"After discovering the guaifenesin protocol for fibromyalgia 6 years ago, I have been able to reverse 90% of my symptoms. My case had been very severe, and I was giving up on life. I was 49 then, and doctors were out of ideas and told me I had the body of a 95-year-old. After a dozen or more bone spur and related surgeries (and still no FM diagnosis), I researched what these accumulated deposits were made of (calcium phosphate) and sent away for a simple hair analysis test. The hair test was telling. Extremely high phosphate and calcium. After research, I stumbled on the guaifenesin protocol by Dr. St. Amand, and everything suddenly made sense. The theory is centered on phosphate retention. That day, I diagnosed myself with FM and have never looked back, improving daily since. The protocol can cause deep discomfort if too much guaifenesin is taken (I only need 150 mg LA/day), and you need to cycle all your old symptoms again in reverse to get 'clear,' but it really works and saved my life."

10 / 10
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8 Report

More FAQ

  • Mel...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • September 28, 2021

"All the other meds I've tried have made me miserable or brain fog so bad I could barely function. Even CBD didn't do as good of a job as this did. It's not 100% gone, but it's significantly better than it was to where I can function and not be distracted by the pain."

8 / 10
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  • Sus...
  • August 29, 2020

"When I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia, this was the first drug I was started on, and what a miracle. Then it was taken off the market to go onto the OTC side of the store (over the counter). Over the years, I would get a cold, and every time my pain disappeared, I was happy-no pain, but a stubborn nose drip. Over the past 10 years, I could not wait until I got a cold. Now I am going to try the guaifenesin protocol. Even I do remember it was a higher dosage than normal, this will probably be expensive, but it is worth it."

10 / 10
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  • New...
  • April 8, 2015

"Today my doctor told me to try guaifenesin for fibromyalgia. I'm thankful for all the reviews offered here, especially the one saying to purchase the single ingredient product to be safe. I get a lot of side effects. I purchased the store brand Tussin, which only has guaifenesin as the active ingredient. I'm starting today, and I'm very optimistic about improvement. I will post another review as soon as I can see the benefits."

5 / 10
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  • Ric...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • January 25, 2019

"Was 'mapped' by Dr. R. Paul St. Amand and Dr. Melissa Congdon. Their maps were a little different, but both of them diagnosed me as having fibromyalgia. Began the guaifenesin protocol about a year ago. The first capsule worked a little the very first time. That was it. Nothing has improved since then. I still have the same exact problems I've had for years. All I can say is I'm glad I'm not in as much pain as some others on this message board. Was advised to take more, which is strange to me because I consume 800 mg twice per day."

2 / 10
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  • Tra...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 30, 2022

"I have mild fibromyalgia and migraines. Since taking guaifenesin 1200 mg twice daily, it’s been a huge improvement. After the 3rd or 4th day, migraines are gone! I have been doing it for 2.5 weeks now. If I am 4 or 5 hours late on the dose: a migraine comes. But if I take it consistently, I am migraine-free! Simply amazing!"

10 / 10
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  • Did...
  • October 4, 2015

"There's enough evidence, including to indicate that guaifenesin does not work at all as Dr. St. Amand proposes. I take it anyway for my fibromyalgia-related phlegm. It might have a minor or major relaxant effect in higher doses, which explains the benefits that patients report (including some that suggest it worked instantly), but that's as far as it goes. I took it for many years in a desperate attempt to make it work as suggested and rid myself of every single salicylate with obsession. There was no experiencing of cycling or getting better. I lost a lot of money buying Mucinex long-lasting and combining with short-acting, and upped the dose to 3600 mg daily at some point to no avail. I'm giving it a 1 because it is not a fibromyalgia treatment."

1 / 10
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35 Report
  • Wor...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 1, 2022

"I looked up guaifenesin to see if it actually works as an expectorant (thinking maybe the glass of water you're supposed to drink with it does most of the work), and I read some people take it off-label for fibromyalgia. It didn't seem like there was much evidence for it, and the mechanism given was vague and didn't make much sense, but other people seemed to think it helped. I also read it doesn't really interact with other meds or have much in the way of side effects, so I figured it wouldn't hurt anything to try. I took 1200 mg once a day for a few weeks. My pain varies, so it's hard to tell if it really did anything. I did feel like I noticed an increase in good days, but it wasn't obvious enough that I could say for sure. If it did help, it's possible that adding a glass of water to my day is what made the difference. I didn't really notice any change when I stopped taking it, which suggests it probably wasn't doing much. It did seem to help with mucus though."

5 / 10
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  • tle...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • April 27, 2025

"I had never heard of this protocol, took it for a cough that wasn't letting me sleep. Did nothing for the cough, but couldn't figure out why I suddenly felt something approaching 'good' for the first time in I don't know how long. I could get up and do the dishes I'd been dreading, and though I have had the symptoms for so long I often have a hard time being able to express what they are, my normal does not seem to allow me to do a fraction of what I need to, even while forcing myself to remain upright and attempting to do whatever needs to be done for hours. Various pain, fatigue, dizziness, brain fog. I have an autoimmune disease and was originally diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and it definitely seemed to fit my symptoms, but as many overlap I wasn't totally sure. I found this while trying to find out if there were some reasons for the fact that I felt the improvement. I know I'd taken it before but not for years. Anyway, I need to look into this more. I just took a second dose."

7 / 10
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  • taw...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 26, 2025

"I've been taking it for about one month now, and it's still working from day one. I take 3 x 400 mg capsules daily and no special diet. I was diagnosed about 8 years ago, and medication apart from codeine or any of the numerous I've tried have helped. The guaifenesin seems to help specifically with the fibro pain, with no apparent side effects. I also have some mild arthritis and still feel that, but the scary, horrible fibro pain is kept at bay. If I forget a dose, I feel it creeping back, so I'm sure it works. I am so glad to feel more in control again."

10 / 10
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  • Bon...
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • March 22, 2025

"I have been on guaifenesin, 300 mg X 2 for 18 years, and after 6 months of starting the Guai, I noticed some lasting, obvious improvement. Now, 18 years later, I stand for 3 hours a day at my easel, creating large oil paintings! I have had no symptoms for 14 years. I am 80 and started the protocol at 62. I have no side effects from the Guai. I have a life now filled with joy, energy, and accomplishments, thanks to dear Dr. St. Amand and the book written by the doctor who created the protocol, who incidentally had FMS himself and passed it on to his daughters. I have no side effects."

10 / 10
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  • Cat...
  • August 11, 2020

"While watching a mystery show on the ID channel, the story was about a lady with fibromyalgia, and she was taking guaifenesin, and I thought, what? Never heard of that. So, here I am, reading up on it. I have fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. The fibromyalgia symptoms are way worse than the MS. So, any advice on what kind I should buy, where, dosage, etc. I’m excited to try the guaifenesin!"

2 / 10
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13 Report
  • fib...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • May 22, 2013

Guaifenesin "I regained my life by following the guaifenesin protocol. You MUST take single-ingredient guaifenesin with no added meds in order to be safe!"

10 / 10
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124 Report
  • via...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • August 13, 2012

Guaifenesin "This is the only medicine that helped take care of the symptoms I had from fibromyalgia, with no side effects."

9 / 10
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113 Report
  • nin...
  • May 19, 2014

Guaifenesin "I started using 1200 mg 2x a day about 5 days ago, and it really works. I can't believe it truly works."

10 / 10
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94 Report
  • Anonymous
  • October 29, 2008

Guaifenesin "I thought this was crazy, but when you are in pain all the time and can't afford to go to the doctor, you will try anything... It really works"

8 / 10
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112 Report
  • Big...
  • September 1, 2016

"Saved my life because I didn't want to live like that. On my 20th year, 1996. It's lifelong treatment, not a cure, but symptom-free in five years."

10 / 10
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58 Report
  • Fbe...
  • March 11, 2015

"I've been taking guaifenesin for more than five years for fibromyalgia. It makes a definite difference. I have much less pain and depression."

10 / 10
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60 Report
  • Car...
  • December 2, 2015

"I've been in the guaifenesin protocol for over 2 years. It's given me my life back. It's not a quick fix or a cure, but it reverses the symptoms."

10 / 10
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52 Report

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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or remove inappropriate content. Reviews appearing to come from parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any medication and should not replace the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals.

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