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Feedback and discussion about pain medicine
On this page, I'll post feedback and discussion that pertains to spirituality in medicine, most recent notes first.
Your site is growing nicely, and I appreciate it.
Another physician purports that fibromyalgia has a genetic component and is manifested as a result of the situations you cited in your web page. He also purports that the kidneys are unable to adequately excrete phosphates so they build up in the tissues. He has a protocol that has apparently helped to eliminate the phosphate and anecdotally has helped thousands of patients.
What do you think about the guaifenesin protocol?
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Dear Jean,
I know at least one person who benefitted from guaifenesin, but I don’t really recommend it. Similarly, all sorts of people -- physicians and alternative practitioners alike -- have theories about what’s wrong in fibromyalgia and “cures” to match. But I’d be cautious and skeptical.
Why?
Most people are smarter about money than they are about health. We all know there are a million ways to get rich that won’t work. If I told you, “Send me all your money and I’ll make you rich,” what would you say in response?
In the same way, many of the hundreds of “cures” for fibromyalgia have no biologic plausibility or scientific basis. Why do they persist? People with fibromyalgia are frustrated and want to feel better. Scientific medicine is only partially able to help (but I don’t think it’s at all powerless). Also, there’s about a 40-50% placebo response, so many treatments work for a while even if they have no genuine therapeutic power.
Guaifenesin has been around for decades and has very little risk of harm. So if you wanted to try it, that would be okay. I think there are better treatments.
---Jim Gagne, MD---
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Last updated Fri, Nov 25, 2005
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©2008, James Gagné, MD