<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

        I was diagnosed with fibromyaglia about 10 years ago.  I had the
basic all over muscle stiffness, lumps, pain & spasms; foot & hip pain;
hobbling walk; fatigue & brain fog, depression, etc.  I started the
guaifenesin protocol in January of 2000.  After 10 months I no longer
had muscle & foot pain, my brain fog was somewhat improved, but I
continued to be very fatigued.  About that same time (October 2000) I
began to have a distressing new symptom, chronic severe upper GI upset.
I thought it was the guaifenesin that was upsetting my stomach, so I
stopped taking it.  Within three weeks all my FMS symptoms returned, I
hurt all over just as I had before I began the guaifenesin.  I couldn't
take the pain anymore so I went back on guaifenesin & within a few days
all the pain & stiffness were gone... again.  I started looking for
solutions to my constant gut pain which continued to get worse & worse.
To make a long story short, in April of this year, I got diagnosed with
gluten enteropathy/intolerance [celiac disease] and went on the gluten
free (GF) diet.  I began to experience blessed relief from the GI
problems and feel tons more energetic. The depression & brain fog lifted
as well.  I felt well for the first time in years.  Just a month ago, I
decided to go off the guaifenesin again to see if the FMS symptoms would
return as they had before.  The symptoms did return and again melted
away once I resumed the medication.  Now, because I feel well most of
the time, I often forget to take my guaifenesin.  Everytime I skip a few
doses, I start to feel twinges of pain here & there.  When I get back on
schedule, I get relief.  I now walk with a smooth even gait & my muscles
are smooth & flexible instead of lumpy & stiff.  But, best of all, I
HAVE NO MORE MUSCLE PAIN!

        It's now clear to me that I have two separate disease processes going on
& that each needs its own treatment.  The guaifenesin protocol (according
to Dr. St. Amand) is the treatment I need for fibromyalgia and the gluten
free diet is what I need for my gluten enteropathy [celiac disease].

        Based on my personal experience and what I've learned on this list serve
& in my reading, I believe that FMS & CD may be somehow related, but I
believe they are two separate & distinct diseases.  In support of my
opinion is the fact that many celiacs having been GF for years suddenly
develop symptoms of FMS.  And many of those with FMS do not get well on
the GF diet.  In my humble opinion, if you were told you had FMS & got
completely well on the GF diet, you never really did have FMS in the
first place, you had only CD.

        For those with CD who have been told they have FMS, I suggest
they try the guaifenesin protocol for a year to see if their condition
improves.  Conversely, all those with FMS should get tested for CD since
the symptoms are so similar.  A brief synopsis of the guaifenesin
protocol for FMS can be found on the internet at the following websites:
http://www.netromall.com/guai-support/  http://www.guaidoc.com/   The
protocol is discussed in more detail in the book "What Your Doctor May
Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia" written by Dr. Paul St. Amand & Claudia
Merek. The authors both have FMS and are so sincere in their deisre to
help others that they are donating proceeds from the sale of this book
to FMS research.  ~Valerie in Tacoma, WA, USA