Emboldened by the suggestion of Stanford doctor Allen Huang, I finally gave Mucinex (aka “guaifenesin”) a try. It’s unconfirmed, but I believe excess mucus in my throat redirects air into my stomach. My hope was that the mucus reduction from the Mucinex would help reduce the bloating after meals.
On Tuesday, I walked to Walgreens Cupertino and bought two generic packs of 120 400mg pills for $34.55. I took my first pill after getting home at 10am. The effects were quick and noticeable. Within minutes, my throat felt cleaner and less clogged.
That same Tuesday I treated my brother Chris to a large Legends pizza w/grilled chicken and bacon toppings (aka using the Money Mailer coupon for $21.99). After eating two slices I was full. Normally, when I eat oily foods my stomach bloats up big, but I suffered no bloating that day.
Unfortunately, the success did not last for long. On Wednesday, I took the Mucinex every four hours, but the bloating still happened. I also felt tired and had a mild headache after lunch. I was afraid that those symptoms were Mucinex side effects, but it was more likely caused by too much shit in my bowels (or a lack of caffeine).
So far my assessment is that Mucinex is not an all-out cure, but it helps. Despite having more recurring headaches, I will continue to take it regularly during the daytime. Those headaches have been very light and don’t get in the way at all. Plus, they might not even be Mucinex related. As for nighttime use, one pill at 9pm should suffice for now.
