I Have Fibromyalgia/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but it Doesn't Have Me!

What is my life like today?

I get asked this question often. I always like to answer: "I am a work-in-progress and I am okay with that, actually, HAPPY with it!"

Since the publication of my book, I am now the mother of two children, Alexander and Hildi, ages 8 & 14! 

Both of my children have pediatric fibromyalgia, which they inherited from me. They both follow the Guaifenesin Protocol and Diet for Hypoglycemia and are doing well! We were once all patients of Dr. St. Amand, but since his retirement, we now see Dr. Melissa Congdon.
     

You can find out more on my Blog: ThatFibroMOM. 

I am grateful everyday for the life that I have now.

Six years, after I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I also learned that I had Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I use a
CPAP machine every night and highly recommend a sleep study be done, if you haven't already had one! Not everything is fibromyalgia!

I still have extreme light sensitivity, dizziness, and nausea daily. It's almost like a sea sickness. But, my headaches are more controlled, as long as, I am strict on the diet for hypoglycemia, and I avoid my triggers. (Although, the weather and hormones are still triggers that can get me at any given moment without warning.)

I was officially diagnosed with Post-Concussive Syndrome, in May 2016, due to the head trauma that initially triggered my fibromyalgia crash in 2002. I attend vision therapy and highly recommend vision therapy to anyone who has had a previous head trauma, Wow Vision Therapy, in Grand Rapids, MI.

My children and I also attend physical therapy weekly and I get messages and chiropractic adjustments once or twice a month. I also walk and stretch daily. It's vital to keep moving! 

In 2020, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal lobular carcinoma breast cancer and DCIS. I had a lumpectomy and 20 rounds of "healing rays" radiation. Hormone suppression has made it nearly impossible for me to walk these days, but I push forward focusing on the small joys. 

How did you find the Guaifenesin Protocol? 
I got very lucky. After visiting local doctors and two trips to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, almost a year later, without any concrete answers; I found another local MD who specialized in acupuncture and soft-tissue manipulation. Thaddeus P. Srutwa, Balance in Life, LPC, in Spring Lake, MI. www.balanceinlifepc.com 

 

He had a patient who had brought him Dr. St. Amand's book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Fibromyalgia. She was six months into the protocol and doing well. www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com

 

Dr. Srutwa believed in Dr. St. Amand's theory, that is would work, and he decided that we should learn the protocol together!

To this day, I tease him that he is the "Fibromyalgia Specialist of Western Michigan," because the majority of his patients are those with fibromyalgia, something he never imagined!
 
What bumps did you hit along the way while you were reversing your fibromyalgia? 
One of my greatest challenges was finding my correct "clearing dosage" of the guaifenesin, so I could feel "tolerably worse." At one point, I was up to 1800mg a day, and getting slammed, experiencing more pain, than I should have in reversal. 300mgx2 ended up being my cycling dose. But, back then, there were more types of guaifenesin that we could use, and the market for it kept changing. It was also before Dr. St. Amand realized the effects of the blue dye and its caution. 

Family members not supporting me in my new low-carb dietary needs was difficult at times, as food is used in our culture as "comfort." But, I persevered in order to mitigate my overlapping "reactive hypoglycemic" symptoms with those of my fibromyalgia. To this day, I still follow the Diet for Hypoglycemia and have made it a lifestyle change.

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Are there any other doctors currently in practice that have been trained personally by Dr. St. Amand? 

Yes, follow this link! 

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Are there other Fibromyalgia Guaifenesin Protocol resources that you recommend?

Yes, follow this link! 

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