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Archive for January, 2011

Can Guaifenesin Reduce Your Fibromyalgia Symptoms?

January 25th, 2011 by Karla Setchel

Hi Folks,

I hope this week finds you doing better than last week.  That’s definitely the case for me.  I had a lot of emotional stuff going on, my legs and knees were hurting constantly instead of occasionally, plus I had a really bad cold, so I didn’t even get my blog written ~~ but such is life and now I’m better and moving forward.

Have you ever tried the Guaifenesin protocol to reduce fibromyalgia symptoms?  I tried to do it about a year after I was diagnosed but the side effects were too severe.  I had debilitating headaches that made it unsafe to drive and I was still trying to work at the time.  I stayed on a half dosage ( 600 mg) a day for 14 years because I thought some would be better than nothing.  It’s supposed to help keep your fascia more fluid instead of the stiffening that often occurs with FMS/CFS and causes some of the muscle and joint pain.  I used the time released which is now over the counter (Mucinex) and was quite expensive to take on a daily basis.  I couldn’t really tell a difference so my osteopath muscle tested me about 6 months ago and said I wasn’t testing that I needed it so I stopped taking it.  Then I started dating for the first time in 30 years and got 4 colds in 3 months.  Each time I got a cold, I would take the Mucinex and echinecea.  I had less muscle pain and faster recovery during those 3 months than in the last 14 years.  My doctor attributed it to my increased cortisol level from the hydrocortisone he put me on, the water structure machine and the synchronicity machine that I’ve been using for about the same amount of time.  Last week my legs and knees really hurt for about a week, and I thought it was because I had exposed them to cold temperatures for too long.  Then I realized that I didn’t have a cold and wasn’t taking the Mucinex and wondered if that might have something to do with it also.  My doctor did his regular osteopathic adjustment, paying special attention to my legs and knees on Monday and I started taking the Mucinex for my cold.  By Wednesday, I not longer had the constant pain in my legs and knees. I use a lot of products that the Guaifenesin Protocol says blocks it’s effectiveness for reducing fibromyalgia symptoms — like the echinacea when I feel a cold coming on, so I’m not sure if the Mucinex had anything to do with my reduced muscle pain and increased mobility or not. Next week, if my cold is completely gone, I’ll have him muscle test me again for the Mucinex and see if my body still needs it.  I might take it for a while just to see what happens, then stop to see what happens. Anything to find out how to get better!

If you have ever tried the Guaifenesin Protocol, how did it work for you?  I look forward to hearing from you.  If you feel this information can be a benefit to someone, please feel free to share my blog with them as well as on facebook and twitter.

Here’s to Feeling Better!

Karla Setchel

(540) 366-6134

www.KarlaSetchel.com

How Does Chronic Low Grade Dehydration Affect You?

January 11th, 2011 by Karla Setchel

Hi Folks,

I hope everyone is having a good week.  I didn’t get to go to the Salsa Social that I was expecting to go to so I can’t really compare apples to apples, but I went roller skating for about 45 minutes and didn’t have any extra pain the next day and very little discomfort during the skating.  I did stop and rest in my Lafooma chair fairly frequently during the skating, but I was able to skate more laps at one time( with my date holding me up of course! ) than the last time I went.  As I mentioned in last weeks post, one of the treatments that I’ve started using that my doctor believes is helping me is a water structure unit.  According to what I’ve read and am experiencing, chronic low grade dehydration has negative affects on your entire body — especially if you have other health problems like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue.  The articles I read said that chronic dehydration can cause inflammation.  Even small amounts of inflammation causes pain for people with FMS/CFS.  The information I read from the inventor also said that chronic low grade dehydration can cause digestive, elimination, blood pressure, respiratory, skin, cholesterol , kidney, joint and PH balance problems.  Since I had the “machine” installed (it’s a tube that the water flows through), I am able to drink more water and actually absorb it instead of having it “go right through me” — literally.  I used to get so angry with most doctors who would tell me to drink more water when I would tell them I felt dehydrated all the time — dry mouth, dry eyes and sinuses, because the only affect drinking more water used to have on me was to make me go to the bathroom every 20 or 30 minutes instead of once an hour!  Their advice in this matter was of no help to me at all.  The water structure machine  has really made a difference for me. I feel less dry, have more energy, less pain and am recovering from activity faster.  If you would like more information on it, feel free to call me at (540) 366-6134 and I can get you in touch with the lady I bought mine from.

Here’s to Feeling Better!

Karla Setchel

(540) 366-6134

www.KarlaSetchel.com

Water & Synchronicity to Reduce Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Symptoms

January 4th, 2011 by Karla Setchel

Hi Folks,


I hope that you are continuing to improve and that your good days out number your bad days!  I had a miraculous day recently.  I went dancing for 2 hours.  While I was dancing, the pain in my back, neck and legs would increase, so I would sit in my Lafooma chair for ten or fifteen minutes to rest my muscles, then get back up and dance some more.  I really thought I would be in excruciating pain the next day because for past 12 years I haven’t been able to do any physical activity without it increasing my fibromyalgia pain or chronic fatigue exhaustion.  It was all I could do just to keep myself fed and bathed, much less take a walk or dance.  Much to my shock, when I woke up the next day I didn’t have any extra pain, no fibro-flare — in fact, I felt better than usual !!!  I talked to my doctor about what I was experiencing and he was pleasantly surprised also.  I asked him what had caused this because I want to make sure I keep doing it.  He said he thinks it’s a combination of the water structure machine that he recommended I buy and the Synchronicity machine that he’s trying out in his Lexington, VA office which I’ve used once so far.  I’m not “healed” yet, I have managed to over use my right arm doing some hand sewing and it’s hurting pretty bad, so I’m riding an hour from my home
( I still can’t drive that far yet ) tomorrow and next week to use the Synchronicity machine at least 2 more times in hopes of more improvement.  My doctor’s not sure if he’s going to invest in the $19,000 Synchronicity machine, so I’m trying to use it as much as I can in case he doesn’t buy it.  The water structure machine runs anywhere from $249 for a portable unit to $1000 for a whole house unit (which is what I bought).  They also have a commercial unit for pools and hot tubs but I don’t remember the price ~~ fibro-fog LOL.

Anyway, if you’ve watched my welcome video at the right side of my blog, you’ve heard me state that being sick is expensive.  So is getting well but it’s a lot more fun and seems like a much better investment to me!  If you would like more information on either of these machines, feel free to contact me at (540) 366-6134.

As always, if you feel that this information would be useful to someone else, please feel free to share my blog on facebook, twitter or any other place that you believe it may be helpful.

Here’s to Feeling Better!

Karla Setchel

(540) 366-6134

www.KarlaSetchel.com