Gregory K. Penniston, D.C.

A chiropractor and applied kinesiologist
Greg has been in private practice in Tucson, Arizona for the past 23 years.  Greg will respond to questions via the mailing list.

More About the GG Team

Wendy -- wendy.howard@gmail.com
Admin - Welcome Wagon - Posting & Guidelines Mentor
I started reading the list in January 2002.  I knew as soon as I started reading all the posts that guai was for me.  I was a little wary about how the guai might affect me at first, so I planned to start taking it in May when my major bookkeeping work would be over for a while.

Having read what others have written about their FMS experiences, I think I was definitely showing signs of it as a child.  I missed a lot of school due to one illness or another.  When I was 18 I sprained my wrist, and that seems to have been the trigger to set me off into my first flare. 

The injury healed, but I was left with aches throughout my body, which my doctor told me was ‘arthritis’ and prescribed anti-inflammatories.  I could convince myself for a while that the NSAIDs were helping, but that would wear off and I would go back to the doctor and get a different one, tell myself that was working for a while, and around we went in circles for almost 20 years.

Throughout my 20s I knew that if I got overtired I would end up being ill with some undefined ‘virus’ (a good catch-all for anything that can’t be identified).  I could get ‘overtired’ from one late night out!  That made me a bit of a party-pooper.  I had always been fairly active, until I broke my ankle in 1989.  The fracture was not detected until eight years later (there was nothing to see in x-rays even four years after the break), meanwhile I was left unable to walk far, dance, or any of the other activities that used to keep me reasonably fit.  As you can imagine, my weight, always a small problem in the past, skyrocketed.

In 2000 my (new) doctor suggested I should have the ‘arthritis’ looked at by a rheumatologist.  Off I went, not expecting to be told much more than I needed to loose weight, and was very surprised when he came up with a ‘real’ diagnosis.  He told me that the specific pains I’d been having in my fingers for the past few years were in fact osteo-arthritis, so I needed to keep taking those NSAIDs that I’d been taking for so long, because now they actually *were* doing what they were meant for.  The rest of my aches and pains were Fibromyalgia, a word I did not think I had ever heard before.

When I told a friend of the diagnosis, she quietly reminded me that she’d told me a couple of years beforehand that she’d been diagnosed with it, and loaned me Devin Starlanyl’s book “Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome”.  That really opened my eyes to what the disease involved, and also talked about the guaifenesin protocol.  I thought at the time it sounded interesting, but not for me.

Earlier this year (2002) I came across Dr St Amand’s book, and decided to buy it.  It was just what I needed, and I decided straight away that I wanted to try it, joined the GG list, and the rest is history.

I am originally a city girl, but in 1998 my partner and I bought a two-acre property near a small town in the countryside north of Auckland.  My partner still travels to Auckland to work, but I spend most of my time (as energy permits) looking after our home, with two cats, three goats and about 90 chickens.  I sell the hen’s eggs at our local organic market.  I am also a self-employed bookkeeper (accounts clerk, not an accountant).

Update, March 2004:  Very happy to report that my health has improved since I started taking guai.  The past year has been extremely stressful for me, due to the illness and death of my mother in 2003, and I'm sure I would not have coped with it all as well as I did if I hadn't been on the protocol.  My home life has changed a little from what I wrote two years ago (above), I have given up the egg business and now have only (!) about 30-40 chickens, and we have a new cat in our lives, who used to live with Mum.  Even though she doesn't like me much (she never has, since Mum took her home in 1992!), I think she is a lovely cat, and I'm glad she could come and spend the rest of her life with us; she adores my partner.  We're just coming out of a hot summer in New Zealand, and now that the days are cooler I'm finding I'm able to get outside and do more of the chores that I've had to ignore for so long.  It is so good to have that energy again!  Now I just need to work on my fitness, which I will do by steadily increasing the amount of physical work I do, and a little walking.

Karen

Protocol Assistance

My FMS was diagnosed in 1987. Major symptoms were fatigue and unrelenting tendonitis, and tendonitis with anything I tried to do, such as load the dishwasher, housework, walking. 

Over the years I tried herbs, applied kinesiology, chiropractic, vitamins, physical therapy. All helped me quite a bit, but I didn't fully get my life back. I started having flares again in 1999. I had put off taking guai for 2 years, thinking I didn't need it since I was doing ok. Once the flares started; I quickly found a way to get on the guai. I've had gradual improvement all the time! Not a flare since I started the guai. Am amazed at the activity I can now tolerate! 

I'm on 1200 mg of guai, can't detect cycles per se, but do get skin breakouts that I now recognize as part of reversing. I don't have the bad cycles that others have but know I am clearing by my maps. Increasing my guai until I got unbearable muscle cramps was my clue that I was on too high of a dose. Went back down to where I was when maps showed clearing. I'm slowly decreasing my Paxil. I also take ENADA, Co-Q 10, and microhydrin for a little extra "oomph"!

At my worst I was disabled. Couldn't tolerate anything! Not even driving. Had to quit work as an ICU nurse. As I got a little better someone gave me good advice--take a class or do something to get out of the house every day. Even if it's a craft class of some sort. I considered changing careers, knew hospital nursing was no longer an option for me. Took a class to determine my personality and career possibilities. Eventually I decided to go back to school part time. Had a 3 year diploma in nursing, wanted my Bachelor's degree, loved nursing and didn't want to leave the field. After I got my degree I went back to work part-time in home health nursing, but had to gradually decrease the hours. Didn't have the energy to work 3 or 4 days a week and still spend time with people (i.e., have social life).

Four years ago I married a farmer, live at Bismarck, ND. Again decreased my hours to have more energy for housework, marriage, etc. Two years into the marriage the flares started again. He was really scared. Thought I'd end up in a nursing home. Then I started guai. Every summer I see how much better I am. Can tolerate so much more--gardening again, yard work, housework, working more. 

Just had a houseful of company (10 people) for several days and didn't collapse after they all left! We're both amazed at what I can tolerate now. As I continue to reverse I can see I had symptoms much earlier than I realized. Recent discussion about headaches from fluorescent lights reminded me that I had these in 1973, long before I thought I had FMS symptoms. We were both never-married singles, married in our 40's, no children. 

I need the HG diet, was on the strict for a long time, now try to follow the liberal, but after 2 years find myself cheating way too much! Don't put off guai. It's worth it!
 

12/06 The change from 1200 mg LA guai confused my dosing for a time, but after a year I finally seem to have it figured out and seem to doing well on 600 mg of FA. I actually have enough energy to raise a 5 y.o we adopted just over a year ago and, instead of slowing down, I am doing more than I was in my 30's!

Karen

Shirley
Specializing in Vulvodynia only - via mailing list:
I'm 45 and have had fibro all my life. I've been taking guai since April 2, 2000. Symptoms: Vulvodynia, IC, IBS, fatigue, fibro fog (cognitive problems), general muscle pains, burning tongue and mouth syndrome, PMS and painful periods, lost my hair once, not hg.  I'm taking 1/2 teaspoon Inositol in the AM for cognitive problems and use Monixidil (generic Rogaine) for my hair loss. I follow the Low Oxalate treatment which is eliminating certain high oxalate foods, taking calcium citrate, ox absorb and using mono-phasic birth control pills to control my hormones and reduce my urogenital symptoms, PMS and painful periods. I have two son's ages 19 and 21; both with fibro and both on guai. My Mom and Grandmother also have fibro. I was once blocked on castor oil in my deodorant for a year.

About me:

On March 7, 1994 I developed a massive UTI. My body was never the same again. The pain in my vulva area (Vulvodynia) was unrelenting and I was confined to bed for 18 months. In that time the pain went from Vulvodynia only to IC, IBS, burning tongue and mouth syndrome, cognitive problems so severe I was unable to get a thought out of my mouth or remember anything for even a few minutes, severe muscle fatigue with pain and, exhaustion so severe I slept almost all the time.  The only diagnosis I was able to get was vulvodynia but I knew something else was terribly wrong with me.  I learned about the Low Oxalate treatment and was able to reduce my vulva pain, IC and IBS by a great amount but the other problems increased.  I then learned about fibromyalgia and that all my physical and cognitive problems were part of the same disease.  I also realized my teen aged sons were also ill.  Then I heard about guaifenesin and did a great deal of research on it.  I spoke to many who had tried it and decided to try it.  After 2 years on guai I can honestly say I am improved and hope to continue to improve.  I still struggle with fatigue.  Recently I added Inositol and it is helping my cognitive problems.  Both of my son's are taking guai as well although they have not been on it quite as long as me and being young men they are not as devoted as I am :-).  They have seen improvement and hopefully because they're young they won't have as difficult a recovery as I am. I'd also like to add I continue to follow the Low Oxalate treatment and feel for those of us with the urogenital aspects of fibro this is the only way to ease the pain until guai clears the phosphates from that area of our body.

Karyn

Protocol Assistance via mailing list
My name is Karyn, with a 'y'.  I’m 54 years old and live near Charleston, West Virginia.  I can’t remember my first FM symptoms, I just remember father saying I should marry a doctor when I grow up, because I was sick a LOT as a child; nothing major, just always something. 

I suspect I’ve had FM my whole life, but wasn't diagnosed until age 31.  As I got older, into my teens and twenties, fatigue, insomnia, and constipation were constant companions.  I can't remember not having at least two of these three symptoms.  In high school, I couldn't make myself get up and go to school.  If it weren't for friends who would come and pull me out of bed, I wonder if I'd have graduated.  I did the same thing in college.  Sometimes I thought I was just lazy.  I'd like to think it was FM.  In my mid-twenties I started having terrible back pain, along with other pains.  Then, about 12 years ago I was almost bedridden with fatigue.  The many doctors I saw said my problems were psychological or psychosomatic, but I knew better.  No one ever suggested it might be FM, which HAD been diagnosed years earlier, in 1981.  I didn’t even know what FM was then and I was told there was no cure.  “Learn to live with it,” they said.  FM meant pain to me, not fatigue!  So, I put it out of my mind and went on with my life.  Eventually another doctor diagnosed CFS, mercury poisoning, and malabsorption syndrome.  I had my mouth reworked, removing all amalgams, and started on high dose vitamin therapy.  These, along with chiropractic care and massage therapy, helped tremendously.  I was able to work again, but not for long.  Soon, many of the same debilitating symptoms began to rear their ugly heads, and once again I found myself ‘taking to my bed.’  I had grand plans for my life along the way; I had started businesses, worked as a pharmaceutical rep. and REALTOR, and finally ended up working as Director of Business Development for my husband’s consulting firm.  This last job I’ve managed to keep because I sleep with the boss!  FM steals our life, but fortunately, not our soul.  I found this web site quite by accident, or rather, I would like to believe, by divine intervention.  I am far from cured, but I am finally on the road to wellness!  My husband reminds me when I do things I couldn’t do pre-guai.  It’s funny how the bad memories of old ailments leave us!  A few months ago I did three trips in a row!  That’s miraculous improvement for me!  As far as symptoms go:  IBS, sun poisoning, and constipation have mostly disappeared; pain still cycles, badly sometimes, because I’m cycling deeper tissue now; depression was mostly gone until recently when an “old’ depression returned with a vengeance, but seems to have lifted; fatigue and sleeplessness are still problems, but flexibility in my schedule helps me work around them; and my cognitive skills have greatly improved.  Thanks to the liberal HG diet most of my food allergies are gone.  Mostly, I can get on with my life and make plans again!  Life CAN be good, but not without guai. 

They say that life is a journey.  For those of us unfortunate enough to have FM, it can sometimes be an intolerable one.  My journey started out badly and will hopefully finish on a much higher note!  When I started this protocol, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.  I felt washed-up—my dreams up there somewhere in the clouds (or down in the toilet!) never to be realized!  Well, guess what?  I’m dreaming again.  I WILL write that novel!  I WILL make a difference!  At 54 I feel much more confident and committed then I did at 30. 

Click here to see Karyn's updated guai history    

Bonny

Guai-Support Group HG/Low-Carb Diets, Healthy Eating/Cooking/Food Tips Mentor. 

Bonny posts helpful recipes and insights to the list and responds to email questions as well.  Her items are duplicated on Bonny's Low Carb Links, Tips and Recipes page, Mindful Living and, when appropriate, other areas of the site. 

Please direct queries regarding these topics to the Guai-Support mailing list so that Bonny's responses can be shared by the whole membership and be located in the archives for future members.  Bonny will respond a.s.a.p., so the GG membership can explore even more helpful-n-healthy habits along with you. 

Magi

Magi has been a member of the mailing list since its inception and has been an assistant to me for all that time.  She has also assisted with editing of several web pages.

I'm a 58 year old woman, who has had FMS for most of my life. I have been on Guai for about 7 years and can't say that it has been successful over all my symptoms, however, it did, in the initial phase, fix several major problems (depression and CFS). I have, unfortunately, had increased pain over this period, commencing from very early in my Guai journey and escalating consistently. I experience constant pain (of varying intensity) in my hips and legs, which is the most debilitating symptom since commencing Guai. I very quickly lost the ability to take long walks and these days I 'hobble' rather than walk and a 'stride' is a distant memory. I persist with the Guai because it did diminish the depression and CFS, which were making life virtually impossible and threatening my ability to work and thus earn a living. While the pain is debilitating and increasing, I still prefer it to the other 2 symptoms, which start to return when I'm off Guai.

I work in the welfare field, as a financial counsellor, operating out of local government in a complex social environment in inner urban Melbourne, Australia. I see people who are experiencing financial problems and assist them with information, education and advocacy in finding the best outcomes to resolve these problems. This includes informing clients of their rights and responsibilities, the options available to them, helping them develop financial self-management and advocacy skills, linking them into other social services they may need, negotiating with creditors when they can't meet their financial obligations, etc. I also do community education to worker and client groups, to ensure an understanding of common problems and social issues that affect the ability of low-income and other disadvantaged groups (e.g., those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those experiencing mental health issues) to manage financially and participate fully in community/social sphere. I also write policies for my program and give input into council policy development on social issues.

I'm a union shop steward (elected workplace representative). This role shares many characteristics with my welfare work. It is about information, education and advocacy in relation to workers' rights and obligations. It is also about ensuring access to industrial and 'natural' justice for employees of my organisation who are members of the union (although, of course, there's inevitably advantage for non-members when our goals are achieved). I have a policy role in consulting on and vetting Council policies as they relate to and affect staff.

As a 'cross pollination effect of my 2 roles, I also have an 'unofficial' one as generalist counsellor to staff within the organisation. By 'unofficial', I mean I'm not paid to counsel staff members, other than on financial issues, but they come, or are sent by management or their work colleagues, to get counselling on their 'life' issues. Now, if only I could solve my own problems, life would be perfect, LOL.

In my private life, I have one son (a 31 year old 'human') and 2 daughters (2 year old 'canine'). I have a passion for social justice and spend a good deal of my 'spare' time informing myself on social policy issues and participating in online fora (forums). The GG network is the only health forum in which I participate and I got into that because Tesa is my sister and helping those suffering from this disease is one of her passions (she also shares mine for social justice, so she keeps pretty busy for someone who can barely move!). I assist, where I can, by helping with policy development, doing a variety of administrative tasks and being generally opinionated. My contribution is relatively small but she values it and that's important to me.

What can I do for members, apart from my 'behind the scenes' assistant role? Not much really, LOL. I'm no expert on FMS or Guai. I'm certainly not an as informed and dedicated as the other team members, of whom I'm in constant awe, with their willingness to help, provide support and comfort, and seek and find answers to members' issues. They just keep on keeping on, through personal and natural disasters. I watch Tesa endure pain and disability that would probably put me in the ground and she gets up to the computer every day because she wants to 'fix' that page, find that answer, provide that option, write response/support to that list letter, consult with the team on that item. My mind boggles!!!

Having told you what I do - and what I'm lousy at, LOL - if you do think I can be of help to you, I am happy to do my best. You can address 'on list' questions on my areas of expertise (none related to health unfortunately, despite a barely remembered life as a nursing aide about a century ago).

Terry