I'm exactly 3 1/2 weeks into Dr. St. Amand's guaifenesin treatment protocol. It's so early, I haven't even determined the ideal dose (I may have increased too quickly) - and yet, I've already experienced some startlingly positive results.

Current dose is 1500 mg per day, pure guaifenesin tablets - 600 in AM, 900 in PM. It's possible I was supposed to stay at 1200 for 3 weeks first, but I mis-interpreted some of the info. posted by admins to the online list group. I also haven't received Dr. SA's detailed book yet. But, I'm having visit #2 with the doc next week.

My general fatigue is about the same so far. It was slightly worse in week 2, a LOT worse in week 3, but better than baseline this week, so that sort of averages out to "same" so far. It's too early for averages anyway.

Body pain was almost overwhelming in week 2, as I said in my previous post. It's much mellower this week. I'm keeping a detailed, daily symptom log, so I can see patterns over time.

I'll interject here that, in the last two years, it was really difficult to tell which pains or sensations were due to miscarriages, and which to some other underlying cause. Now I haven't miscarried in 6 months, and I'm pretty sure I know which symptoms are which now.

AMAZINGLY, here are the positive changes so far:

1. My intense, continuous headaches have faded to almost nothing. Seriously, the headaches had become a daily event as of over a year ago, and then developed into a constant state over the last few months. They seem to have been caused by abnormal tightness in all head and neck muscles...radiating up from the base of my skull, up my temples, and sometimes pounding behind my eyes. Now they're almost negligible. Right now I have a mild, front-of-head headache, I believe because my period's due in 1 1/2 days. I expect it to fade in a few days - let's see.
   
   
2. Extremely tender spots in my upper back are less tender. I can tolerate deep pressure on those spots again. One spot just inside my left shoulder blade was particularly intense, swollen and lumpy to the touch. This is one of the two most common points in Dr. SA's diagnostic body map.
   
   
3. I've had no foot cramps for 2 weeks. The foot cramps started occurring late in long runs about 3 years ago. I'd stretch and massage my foot, and then continue. They gradually became more frequent; by April 2011, they were an hourly (or more!) occurrence. One or both feet would seize up several times during any walk or run, no matter how short. My ankles and calves became involved too - sometimes my foot or lower leg just gave out for a moment. Good thing I know PT techniques, and that I have strong, stable core and balance muscles!
   
   
4. My left hip and gluteus medius are not currently throbbing. In the last 9 days, I haven't woken up once due to aching joints or shooting pains in hips or limbs. --A new record!
   
   
5. My right shoulder (old rotator cuff injury) didn't bug me during my last swim -- and I swam (easy) for more than 30 minutes! In the last two years, it has bothered me so much and so often in swimming that I'd dropped to a couple of 25-minute-or-shorter swims per month - just to keep "water feel." This was despite A.R.T., stretching, shoulder stabilization exercises, etc. In fact, about a year ago I'd tried a series of rehab-style shoulder stabilization exercises - and ended up with more pain and injury. Couldn't understand why, at the time! How could my swim-forever "triathlete" shoulders have become so week and sensitive?
   

Probably, certain symptoms will continue to fade, as others cycle on and off, or temporarily become more intense as they're "cleared." For instance, this week my outer thighs are more tender. Last week, my hamstring connectors were super-achey; but they seem to be mellowing now.

Right now, considering a few minutes of jogging tomorrow, built into a walk...I'll let my body tell me what to do. (I've done almost no running in the last several weeks.)