Re: ASPARTAME...............LINKED TO FIBROMYALGIA...? Date 24 Apr 1996 12:31:47 GMT Newsgroups alt.med.fibromyalgia for what its worth, I have experienced side effects fron this "sweetner". I go into a stupor that makes fibro fog feel like a high. I have not found any "diet" foods or drinks that give you a choice of sweetner so I stay with the sugar or water. I do not feel like my FM is caused by it but it does greatly inhance the symtoms ------------ Re: NutraSweet carcinogenic??? Date 22 Apr 1996 23:39:23 GMT Newsgroups talk.rumors I don't know about brain tumors, but I cannot eat anything containing aspertame as I quickly start to lose muscle control and tremble so that I can't even reliably hold a cup. My mother becomes extremely forgetful for several hours. You couldn't force me to eat that s***. What IS so wrong with sugar? That's all I eat and I am a nice 115. I feel comfortable in the thought that cane sugar isn't going to rot out my nervous system. My teeth? Well, you cant buy a false brain. -------------- America One Line - General Health/Irritable Bowel Syndrome Group Subj: Diet Soda Date: 95-06-12 21:48:12 EDT From: Oschie Diet Coke gives me fits -- I think it might be the artificial sweetener that is used. Regular Coke causes me no problems. ------------- American On Line -- Allergies, Immune Disorders/Food Allergies Group Subj: Re:NutraSweet Allergy Date: 96-04-09 23:56:28 EDT From: EKasum I react within 2-5 minutes to nutrasweet. I makes me dizzy, unable to concentrate, a little bit flushed and a little bit euphoric. Kind'a fun but I probably shouldn't by driving "under the influence." ----------- Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1996 23:58:30 -0400 (EDT) To: xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: RE:Coke/Nutrasweet I am 38. Twenty-two years ago (gulp - I must be old!) I was apprenticing to a ballet company, when the ballet master was harassing everyone to lose more weight, one point driven home was, "Ifyou want to lose weight, DO NOT drink diet sodas. Drink water or unsweetend ice tea or hot tea.") Therefore, for my entire life, I've never voluntarily consumed artificially sweetened beverages or products. Besides, they all taste foul. Over the years I've become a working actress and a fitness trainer. Six weeks ago I booked a Crystal Light commercial. During the day's shooting I had to drink a total of about three glasses of the beverage - the shots were such that it was impossible to 'fake drink' or drink and spit. The following morning I woke up with an abdomen swollen to three or four months pregnancy in appearance. I thought I had put on some weight, having been married the week before and eaten to my heart's content. However, my entire intestinal system was upset: gas, tenderness, constipation. Nothing for three days would relieve the bloating, and believe me, I reverted to all the instant weight loss secrets I've learned over the years. On the fourth day, I woke up, urinated for what seemed an hour, and my system was fine. Obviously, these sweetened actually make one RETAIN water rather than simply running the system as water does. The only really abnormal thing I'd consumed for three weeks was the Crystal Light - everything else was "real" food. I counsel all my clients to reject all foods containing not only artificial sweeteners, but also - and I dread to learn in a few years what they'll reveal about the artificial fats - artificial fats. ------------ Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1996 14:58:13 -0400 To: xxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxxx.xx Subject: Re: ibuprofen Hi xxx...About five years ago a nutritionist (assigned by my physician) asked me to switch to diet coke instead of regular. So I did. It took a long time to realize where my problems were coming from. I just never linked it to aspertame because I was told it was safe. I had violent headaches, trouble focusing my eyes, and severe menstrual cramping and bleeding, memory loss and trouble remembering simple things. I saw a neurologist, my gynecologist, plus my own personal physician. Not one time did anyone ever ask me about diet soda or what medicine I was taking for the problems. I think I was alerted to the problem by something I saw on TV. I stopped the diet soda. The problems were all gone within a short period of time, dramatically. Several years later I was experiencing back pain and took ibuprofen for it. A day later I had a violent headache which was quite noticeable because I hadn't had one for a long time. After following the same process several more times it finally dawned on me that I was experiencing the same scenario as with the aspertame. Something in the chemical combination was causing headaches. Since then I have been careful to not take anything with ibuprofen. I have been able to share this information with many people who are having trouble with awful and frequent headaches. To the letter, each one has stopped the ibuprofen and the headaches have disappeared. This can not possibly be a coincidence. Two years ago a friend who works in the same hospital I use to be in told me that she was getting a bad headache everyday at nine in the morning. She blamed it on the stress of the job. I simply asked her what she was taking and of course it was two ibuprofen pills at nine everyday. After encouraging her to stop taking ibuprofen on her two week vacation with us and riding out the headache (that would surely follow) without any meds...she was delighted to find that the headaches were gone for good. Why in the world don't medical people ask simply questions like "what are you ingesting?' when the problems may be easily diagnosed without expensive tests, etc. At least it is a good place to start on a history workup. Everytime I have an annual checkup, I remind my physicians about this simple diagnosis (sometimes) for patient complaints of headaches and menstrual cramping. I know it is easy to forget something so seemingly mundane. It may not always be this simplistic...but it is vital to rule these chemicals out first. Why do a costly brain scan when the answer may be removing aspertame from the diet. This is a lethal product!!! Or ibuprofen which is a wonderful medication for spasms, joint pain, etc., but it can cause severe corneal edema (blurred vision) and violent headaches in many people. Something to think about if these are problems for you. xxx...it probably is better to be anonymous. Sooner or later I am going to have the strong arms of these companies at my front door. The story is actually much more dramatic than I have given it...too many details, but this is the gist of it. -------------- [updated information on this case] Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 14:13:21 -0500 (EST) To: xxxxxx@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx Subject: Info Recently I received word concerning aspartame poisoning and took it to heart. My symptoms have disappeared and I feel great. I am anxious to pass the word. [updated info below] Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 08:07:06 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Info To: xxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxxx How kind of you to provide this service for others. I have thought considerably about your request. It seems there is never enough time to sit and reflect critically over the past 3-4 years. I will do my best to include all phases of the poisoning. First, the good news! Within a day I was improved. Today marks 16 days of freedom. I no longer take any pain medicine. (Steady for a year!) I do not use a TENS unit (3 years). I am nearly myself. I do not confuse words any longer. I sleep much better. Reflux is nearly gone with no medicine. (5 years). I do not have fibromyalgia! I am relatively pain-free without all these aids. I have clarity of thought, more energy, calmer mood, clearer vision, all around much better days. I am fighting anger toward the Coke people/makers of aspartame, etc. I am very grateful to people like xxxxxxx and you, who for no gain, are spending their time making a wrong right. Back on track...2 years ago I had what the dr. could not diagnose, probably related to this. Great malaise treated with belladonna. I slept probably 20 hours a day for 4 days and lost 10 lbs. I wondered if I would die (seriously). Another incident which may be of some interest...in April of 1993 I had a cataract removed (age 43) and the anesthetic didn't work. I had an MRI in May of 1995 and the valium had to be repeated. All this improvement in me with 2 ruptured disks in my neck!...and a sprained sacrum from 1992. I have regained about 10 years is the general feeling I am experiencing. Many thanks and God bless you [additional update] Date: Tue, 07 May 1996 07:57:25 -0500 (EST) To: xxxxx@xxxx.xxxx.xxx.xx Subject: Additional thoughts.. One more thing... the dry mouth and the unslackable thirst are gone as well! ---------------- Re: Nutrasweet Horrors Date 11 Apr 1996 07:33:02 -0700 Newsgroups misc.health.diabetes I have had similar problems with products with aspartame such as yougurt which does not contain caffiene. Studies have shown that some people cannot tolerate it. Don't take someone's complaints as bogus just because a product works for you. ----------- America On-Line Post (Self-Help & Support Groups/Headaches, Chronic) Subj: welcome new members, help Date: 96-02-07 19:01:41 EDT From: Kathr46472 Now I have a little question...until recently (2 weeks ago) I've been able to consume foods with Nutrasweet (like chewing gum, an occasional soda, and puddings) with no apparent problems. Two weeks ago I popped a piece of Trident sugarless gum into my mouth and about a half-hour later began to get my aura, signalling a migraine attack. Got that under control with no problem and didn't make the connection to the Nutrasweet until several days later when I had a sugar-free soda. Same thing happened to me...about a half-hour later I began experiencing aura. I keep a food diary because so many foods seem to set me off, so I got suspicious and looked at it. I'm wondering if Nutrasweet is now a trigger for me. My questions are: Is it common to suddenly develop an allergy (if that's indeed what it is) to something that hasn't previously been a problem, especially when it's only ever been consumed occasionally, and in small quantities? Could this just be coincidence? Has anyone else had problems with Nutrasweet? ------------- Re: Nutri-Sweet as Trigger? Date Wed, 17 Apr 1996 11:56:24 -0400 Newsgroups alt.support.anxiety-panic I think anything that can cause a physical sensation might trigger panic for some sensitized people. I used to drink a lot of diet coke -- if I drank more than 2 cans worth, I'd get a headace which is a common occurance. Thank God I don't drink that garbage anymore. --------------- Date: Sat, 13 Apr 1996 09:16:45 -0400 From: "dr. jessie Mercay" Subject: Re: ALLERGY Digest - 10 Apr 1996 to 11 Apr 1996 To: Multiple recipients of list ALLERGY Many people are allergic to aspartame AND amino acids.. I know someone who becomes very ill..goes into an extreme asthma attack with aspartame...needs to be hospitolized.. ------------- Subject: Common Sense in Dieting. Date Thu, 18 Apr 96 20:34:42 EST Newsgroups alt.support.diet .... The key here is to eat what I like along with other items that will fill me and are not fattening. I don't like diet foods of any type. Tried Nutrisweet. It gives me headaches. .... ------------- Re: Scientists ID Aspartame as major Migraine Trigger Date 18 Apr 1996 18:39:00 GMT Newsgroups alt.support.headaches.migraine I don't need a scientist to tell me this, I know from personal experience. Aspartame and MSG: Perfect Migraine inducers. Not to mention they give me the shakes, vision problems and stomachaches. ------------ [May be aspartame elimination and/or Vicodin elimination....] Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 11:42:21 -0500 (EST) To: xxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxxx Subject: Information I have Lupus and Fibromaylgia. I recently read another article on Nutra Sweet where it named Lupus and Parkinsons being affected by the Nutrasweet. My husband was just diagnosed with Parkinsons' although none runs in his family. On 4-1-96 I decided to give it a try and went off anything that had NutraSweet in it. I was a very heavy pop drinker and since I'm very overweight, I always drank the diet products....from 2-8 a day, depending on what I was doing. The reason I tried going off it was because on a scale of 1-10, my pain from the Fibromaylgia was a 44. I was in awful pain. Had even had an eperdihal (sp) to try for some relief from the pain. Later I read this article on Vicodin, the pain pill I was taking. The pain was so bad I was taking them closer and closer together....but the pain just kept getting worse and worse. The article said that for short term, Vicodin was ok, but for long term, it would make the Fibromaylgia worse....and I'd been taking it for over 3 yeas. So, on 4-4-96, I took myself off all the Vicodin too. Yesterday I did something I haven't been able to do in ages.....If you've never had a lot of pain, you might laugh at this. But, I was able to walk around the hallways of my building 4 times....something I haven't been able to do in over a year. My pain was so great that I had to grit my teeth and count...it's 54 steps to our restroom..... Then last night, I planted flowers out in my yard...something I couldn't do without a lot of pain medicine and a TENS unit and then the lower back pain would cause me to have to sit down every 4-5 minutes. Last night, I planted without pain pills or the TENS unit. Now, I was slow and I did rest a few times, but the horrible pain wasn't there. What a blessing!! I know it is still early to really say if it is the NutraSweet and the Vicodin, but boy, it certainly is nice to have the relief from the pain. Now that I look back, I was having a lot of things/symptoms happening to me....such as: small continuous headache my feet hurt all the time every muscle in my body hurts blurry vision-especially early in the morning dizzy spells- a. some heavy like the big inner ear infections that spin you out of control. You never knew when one would hit you. I even had one while driving in the car, but luckily got the car stopped. b. light spells-somewhere like 1-4 seconds...everything goes black and you get very dizzy. These came and went in spells. Some days I had 20-40 of them. unexplained earaches. I would have the earache, but the Dr. said he could find nothing except a little pressure once in awhile. I went to a Nuerosurgen, A Heart Specialist, An Ear Specialist....all to no avail....they could not find anything causing these symptoms. Since I went off the NutraSweet and the Vicodin, I have had -0- of the big ones and only -1- of the little ones. A conincident? Certainly makes you wonder, doesn't it? Oh, forgot some symptoms: confusion... know what I wanted to say, but something else came out. go to say something and my mind would just go blank and not be able to do anything. nerves on the very edge most of the time. I would think, I'm going to start screaming and never be able to stop. Or, I'm going to start crying and never be able to stop. And what did I do to calm these fears???? fatigue-I am always as tired with I go to bed as when I get up. I have to fight going to sleep at the desk...which on occassion I have done. And what did I do to combat the fatigue? Go to the candy room of course. Buy a candy bar for a 20 minute shot of energy, and a diet pop. I didn't buy a real pop, I always bought a diet pop...afterall I am fat and don't need that extra sugar!! Now that I can see all this and look back......is it just a coinincent??? I'll let you know as I progress. But for today, I'm basking in the relief of pain......such a pleasure. If I find that something as simple as a few cans of pop have caused me all this pain and torment....I will be a most unhappy person to think that they delibertly produced something that could be the root of all my problems. [continued] Date: Wed, 18 Sep 1996 09:15:57 -0500 (EST) To: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxxx Subject: LET'S SEE IF I HAVE TIME TO DO THIS.... First, before I forget...My husband, John, retired at age 63, in 1993. Soon after retirement he bagan to show sign that we thought were arthritis. He was slumping forward, shuffling his feet, holding his arms funny as he walked. The Rheumathologist kept saying it was arthritis in his back. He just kept getting worse and worse. Then he couldn't button his shirt, turn his collar down in the back, pull his pants up in the back. Went to the Dr., had MRI's and brain scans run. We were told he was having small strokes and nothing could be done. Well, I just couldn't stand that...so I insisted we see a Nuerologist. The Nuerologist took one look at him and told us he had Parkinson's Disease. We have know this since Feb. 27, 1996. At that time he was drinking diet pop. After finding out about my encounter with Nutrasweet, he went off it too. Probably sometime in June. (He wanted to drink the rest we had in the refrigerator...) But, anyhow, he's off it. About a month ago he went to having problems with his stomach. He was sick and just laid on the couch for a week. I took him off his medicine for two days and he seemed to get better. Then, back on the regular doseage. Then sick again. This time I checked with the Dr. and again cut his doseage in half. We have been doing this since Sept. 10. He says he is feeling much better than he has in a long time. I wonder if the Parkinson's was caused by the aspertane and now he only needs 1/2 the medicine because the aspertane is out of his body?? I will keep you updated as to his progress. Now for my update. I had a wonderful summer. My pain (which was a 44) ran at about a 6 all summer. It was so great to be able to do things I hadn't done in years. We worked in a small garden, worked in our flower beds, walked and walked and walked...and all without pain pills, TENS units, cane, anything like that. One day we figured that we had walked probably 6 miles. Me who had cried after 53 steps from my office to the restroom. ---------------- Date: Fri, 12 APR 1996 17:41:46 -0400=20 Newgroups: misc.health.diabetes, rec.food.drink, misc.health.alternative Subject: Re: NutraSweet Horror It DOES give me a headache. I actually call it NutraBraindead myself. This doesn't mean I don't use it, but, when given a choice, I don't use it. ------------ Re: ASPARTAME...............LINKED TO FIBROMYALGIA...? Date Sun, 14 Apr 1996 17:17:44 PDT Newsgroups alt.med.fibromyalgia I am no whiz kid about Aspartame and FM but I went off all artificial sweetner and my IBS got better. Not cured but better. These days an inch is as good as a mile. I don't blindly trust everything I hear in this support group but if it sounded reasonable, I give it a try. Let's face it once CFS and FM was dismissed by the medical field for years and those who continue to seek help was given placebos and told us it was all in our heads. In fact migraine suffers were once thought to be drug addicts by ER doctors. We were called GOMER's (Get Out of My Emergancy Room) (One doctor even hit me with the pillow I was using to block out the light, (pretty hard in fact) yup, I reported his ass.) So while I won't sleep on top of magnets I will give up Aspartame. Tasted funny anyway. ------------ Re:Aspartame Date Mon, 15 Apr 96 11:13:56 GMT Newsgroups alt.med.fibromyalgia Have had FM about15yrs. Never associated many symptoms-(fog,dizziness,bookstore runs,numbness) with it untilreading this group and new Dr.info. I know I cannot eat artificial sweetners but never associated it with FM.Primarily I notice a lightheadedness and agitation and tingling arms. -------------- Date: Tue, 16 Apr 96 16:28:50 MDT To: xxxxxx@xxxx.xxxxx Subject: Re: Another NutraSweet Horror - TO EMBALM...OR NOT TO EMBALM (fwd) I'm a little too busy to write up my "60 days without aspartame" experience fully right now, but I'll do it soon. In summary, after getting & reading your info on Feb 14, I cut aspartame out completely (I'd been taking it in coffee, diet drinks, etc. for years). The results were startling. Normally, in the past 60 days I'd have expected to suffer 2 or 3 severe, incapacitating migraine headaches, and 12 to 15 days with other low-grade, persistent headaches. (Each one could last 1-2 days, being generally unresponsive to analgesics. Over the years, I'd just got used to getting on with my life despite these annoying headaches.) In fact, I had ONE minor headache in the 60 days, due, I'm sure, to a specific food I ate! Just ONE! I haven't had 2 months like this for about 17 years! As a scientist (a former pharmaceutical chemist -- yes, I SHOULD have known better, but I guess I was looking for headache causes in other directions!), I realize one has to consider ALL possible explanations for a phenomenon like this; but the difference here was so striking, and the timing coincided so perfectly, that I cannot attribute this relief to anything else in my lifestyle other than giving up aspartame. I'm eating, exercising, worrying & working just as before. Your information has made a major change in my life. Thanks SO MUCH! -------------- Date: Mon, 8 Apr 1996 12:05:07 -0600 (MDT) To: xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: Medication Hi xxxxx, Thank You for sending me information about apartame. No wonder I feel awful after a week of taking diet pops. I get terrible head aches. .... It is scarry out there isn't it? soon we will have to go and live in an Island and eat bananas if we want to avoid all the Poison that we are expose to. [updated info] Date: Wed, 8 May 1996 09:08:35 -0600 (MDT) To: xxxxxx@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx Subject: Re: Medication I haven't been taking any thing with aspartame, I feel much better. My husband was drinking three or more diet Pepsi a day. He is off now and he has noticed that he can think clearer. Thanks for all your advise. ------------- Re: NutraSweet Horror Date Tue, 9 Apr 1996 20:16:14 GMT Newsgroups misc.health.diabetes,rec.food.drink,sci.med.pharmacy, misc.kid.pregnancy,misc.health.alternative I'll add my two cents worth, for what it's worth. There is something wrong with Nutrasweet. If I drink a diet soft drink or iced tea sweetened with it today, sometime before tomorrow morning I will have a dull thud head ache. Two drinks with it & the head ache will last all day tomorrow. Well, guess what ? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. I refuse to use it. For those of you who don't believe me, keep killing those brain cells. ---------------- Date: Tue, 9 Apr 1996 17:00:02 -0400 (EDT) To: xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: Results of nutrisweet challenge ...we corresponded about the potential toxic effects of Aspartame. At the time, I was dubious about the impact that avoiding Aspartame would have on me. But in observance of the 60 day challenge you issued, I omitted Nutrasweet from all (known) sources and pretty much went on with my life. I didn't think much more about it until I experienced a series of significant positive changes that could not be attributed to any other cause. xxxxxx, I just want to let you know that the changes that occurred were so pronounced and so remarkable, that I am now permanently avoiding the stuff and am attempting to convince friends and relatives to do the same. As a scientist, I began to read some of the material that is out there on the stuff, and have found it to be hair raising. I cannot imagine anyone in his right mind approving the stuff for general consumption as a sweetener. Well, thanks again for the challenge, you have made a significant positive difference in my life and health. I appreciate the push. ---------------- Re: ASPARTAME...............LINKED TO FIBROMYALGIA...? Date 10 Apr 1996 10:48:01 -0400 Newsgroups alt.med.fibromyalgia Message-ID <4kghn1$mh6@newsbf02.news.aol.com> xxxx, how true it is! xxxx is THE expert on aspartame and her recommendations have improved my FMS symptoms to a point that I have very little pain anymore. It's so sad that we all think we know everything about FMS and sometimes aren't willing to try new things. I'm so glad that I listened to her warnings and was willing to experiment with removing artificial sweeteners from my life. However, it was nearly as difficult as giving up cigarettes after 25 years! ------------- Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 20:28:59 GMT Sender: Allergy discussion list Subject: sore throat from nutrasweet My husband and I both experience problems with beverages containing nutra-sweet. It actually takes my husbands breath away as well as causing a sore throat sensation. I have never heard of others having an allergy to it but I'm sure it is possible. We avoid it when possible until further studies are done to prove its safety. Good luck. --------------- Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 23:10:41 -0400 Sender: Allergy discussion list Subject: Re: allergy to sugar and Aspartame I am allergic to beet sugar, cane sugar and aspertame. I have been tested for the sugars but I do not test for things I can avoid eaisly and are so unhealthy I wouldn't eat them anyway. -------------- Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 00:39:23 +0530 (GMT+5:30) To: xxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxxxxxx [A medical doctor reports on taking patients off of aspartame.] At least half a dozen of my patients have reported back with positive feedback after discontinuing Aspartame. To give a few examples- 1.) A 60 year old, non-diabetic, obese lady was on Equal (regularly in her tea & coffee) for the last 1-2 years to loose weight. She had c/o breathlessness and chronic fatigue. Within 2 weeks of discontinuing Equal, above symptoms disappeared and in her own words, she feels quite fit now. 2.) A 54 year old diabetic male with cataracts & severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy was on daily Equal for about a year. He had c/o of severe fatigue, mood swings with irritability & short temper (according to his wife). His retinopathy has been worsening fairly rapidly. I just saw him again 5 days back after he had discontinued Equal for about a month. Except for his visual problems he feels well. His fatigue has gone & he has become 'calm like before' according to his wife. 3.) A 34 year old lady was on Equal for the last 3-4 years to keep slim. Her daily consumption was limited to about 2 pills with 2 cups of tea. Since 2 months, as she was preparing for some exams, her consumption of tea had gone up to 5-6 cups per day with corresponding rise in Equal intake. She is related to me & I immediately got her off it about 10 days ago. She rang me up last Sunday to thank me because she felt well. Moreover she noticed that the hunger she felt in between meals was gone. ---------------- Date: Tue, 9 Apr 1996 19:17:04 -0700 Sender: Allergy discussion list Subject: Re: Allergy Symptoms Caused By Weather Changes [via LSMTP - see www.lsoft.com] Great topic! I get a "sore throat" type of feeling (although a little different than a raw feeling) when I drink a diet soda. If it not were for the taste difference, I could tell a diet drink from a regular drink just from the feeling in my throat. I thought I was nuts until a friend of mine told me that he gets the same thing. ------------- Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 07:31:42 EDT Sender: Allergy discussion list Subject: Re: Allergy Symptoms Caused By Weather Changes [via LSMTP - see www.lsoft.com] I too have a problem with nutrasweet. I have been mistakenly given drinks with aspartame and believe me, in a short length of time, I know that I was not given what I had ordered. Although I do not get a sore throat, I get an upset stomach and light-headed. ------------- Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 09:55:18 -0400 Sender: Allergy discussion list Subject: Re: Allergy Symptoms Caused By Weather Changes [via LSMTP - see www.lsoft.com] I get a migraine headache almost instantly when I drink a diet soda. I may only have a couple of sips too! It seems to be mainly the sodas, though I remember getting a headache after eating diet yogurt. Thanks to Nutrasweet for putting their logo prominently on products, its easy to spot! ------------ Date: Mon, 8 Apr 1996 18:47:36 -0400 (EDT) To: xxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxxx Subject: Re: nutra-poison.. xxxxxxx, i thought i'd pass this on. a few years ago my uncle ed had a mild heart attack. it scared him enough to change a life of alcohol over-use, and eating habits. he decided to drink DIEt pop, heavy with nutra-sweet. within 3 months he started to have blurry vision. the doctors thought it might be related to his medication, and changed it. later he developed double-vision. another medication change. finally, when he could almost not see at all, he self-diagnosed himself and quit the soda. within a month, all vision returned. he told everyone about it at a family reunion and i've not touched a drop since. -------------- AOL Post -- Cancer/Diet & Nutrition Subgroup Subj: Re:nutrasweet Date: 96-02-01 11:12:48 EST From: SSegr57714 DO NOT USE IT. iT IS BAD STUFF! I get completely out of control when I use it and I have talked to many who have the same symtoms. Dizzy, even when laying down, vision problems, stomach cramps ect. Thank goodness they are finally doing research on this product, hopfully it will soon be off hte market. It is hiden sometimes in food so I still get it even though I try to be very careful. Do not use it, who knows what harm it is causing that does not show visable symtoms. --------------- Re: Caffeine...why not? Date 6 Apr 1996 14:08:42 -0500 Newsgroups alt.infertility O.K. you chemists out there, this question might be a little off the subject, but it is something I have always wondered. We know excesses of caffeine can decrease fertility, but what about this Aspartame? One of the posters to this thread said it was made up of naturally occuring amino acids, but it always gives me a migrane headache when I eat something with it in it. The only other thing that has ever given me a migrane was inhaling formaldehyde. (in an herbarium- they used to use it to preserve pressed plant specimens). Does Aspartame break down into the two amino acids it is made of or does the process of digestion break it into some other compound (like an aldehyde?)? Does anyone have an idea where I might find this information? I suspect it does, and the last thing I want in my system is formaldehyde whether I am trying to get PG or not! ---------------- Re: NutraSweet Horror Date 7 Apr 1996 21:45:27 -0400 Newsgroups misc.health.diabetes,rec.food.drink,sci.med.pharmacy, misc.kid.pregnancy,misc.health.alternative Let's add one more story about Nutrasweet: This one is fresh, happened last week. A friend of mine (not a patient) suffers from Epilepsy due to an automobile accident two years ago, resulting in a brain injury. She is homebound and unable to work due to the frequency of her seizures. At times she finds it very difficult to concentrate, communicate and remember things that are common place to you or I. (The word refrigerator = That box with the food in it; File cabinet = That thing where I keep my papers; etc.) Last month I was visiting and she offered me Iced Tea, sweetened with Nutrasweet. I declined and informed her that I had my doubts about this product and would just assume avoid it. Many friends feel its a "depressant". Although I had not researched it, I just had a gut feeling to avoid it. I then mentioned that with her condition, I doubt that it can be helping matters any. She consumes Diet products exclusively. This was last month. Last week I got a very large hug and a kiss on the cheek! She took my advice and her seizures had almost completely disappeared. She can go for days now without one at all as opposed to ONE every Half-Hour! Her concentration and memory were like having a "New Brain" (as she described it) I will not spew out a lot of techno-biological-chemical babble on this subject or this product because, again, I have not done the research, nor do I plan to. I'll just continue to use my gut instincts and avoid things that just don't sound like they can possibly be good for you. ---------------- AOL Post Subj: Re:NutraSweet Allergy Date: 96-03-23 17:29:31 EST From: SLO JB I am allergic to Nutrusweet (Aspartame) and it is common knowledge in the diet drink manufacturer that this causes severe headaches. It gives me dibilating migranes which last for 3 days. Joanie I have some info on it somewhere, I look for it and give it to you when I find it. -------------- Re: NutraSweet is poison - PERIOD! Date 2 Apr 1996 19:51:25 GMT Newsgroups sci.med.nutrition The type of headaches I (and several friends of mine) get from aspartame consumption are indeed worthy of worry. They are excruciating and unrelenting and require approximately 12-16 hours of detoxing before they resolve. Aspartame is no worry-free product. It should be consumed with great caution. --------------- Re: Jumpy legs. Date 3 Apr 1996 08:52:17 GMT Newsgroups sci.med.nutrition Thjis is known as "restless leg" and has proved to be pretty refractory. I have had it myself off and on. I had the worst time with it when I was using tons of aspartame, and it seems to have abated now that I'm losing far less. -------------- Date: Fri, 22 Mar 96 13:18:31 -0800 To: xxxxxx@xxxx.xxxxx Subject: Nutrasweet We took the advice not to use Nutrasweet (here in NZ the trade name is Equal) (Equal to Poison!) and immediately, and I mean immediately, my daughter's shaking lessened. It didn't cure her, but she noticed a sizable difference in her condition. She has chronic progressive MS. --------------- Date: Thu, 21 Mar 96 14:28:23 GMT To: xxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxxxx Subject: Re: Aspartame Dear xxxxxxxx: People have legitimate MS, and in this case aspartame makes their problems worse. Methanol toxicity from aspartame IS NOT MS it just mimicks it because it destroys the nervous system. I too have a definite diagnosis of MS but reading all the talk about equal sweetner led me to just try sugar instead. I felt better, more energy although I do still take my symmetrel, still use my cane,... I know that equal did not "give me MS" but I do know that I feel as though a fog has been lifted from my thinking pattern. I go my mom and my sister to switch to sugar and they think they are better in general. My mom works for the student health department of FSU and she has gotten her colleagues to stay off equal. --------------- Date: Tue, 26 Mar 1996 14:43:34 -0700 (MST) To: xxxxx@xxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: Answers to Carl Jolley on NutraSweet I was drinking a LOT of diet sodas....I'd say around 4 to six a day. (well, it was summer in NYC) as well as using nutrasweet in my coffee, in my yoghurt and cereal etc. I began to get severely depressed...I mean, to a frightening degree. It was shortly after that that I started reading some articles on the possible connection between aspartame and depression. I quit cold turkey!!! I have to qualify this by saying that at the time I hated my job....so that has to be considered as a cause, but the degree to which I was depressed was something I have never experienced before ... I have had "black days" but could always pin it to a good reason and get going on doing something about it..this was disabling!!!! however, within a couple of weeks after going back to saccharine and sugar, the whole black cloud lifted. I don't miss the stuff. ----------------- To: xxxxx@xxxxxx.xxxxx.xx Date: Sun, 31 Mar 1996 14:14:48 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: vanadyl sulfate Thanks again. And BTW, I cannot tolerate aspartame. I feel definitely ill when I drink diet softdrinks. Strange, its only an amino acid isn't it? -------------------- Re: Aspartame Date: 1996/03/19 newsgroups: misc.fitness.weights I've been taking Bio-Rx now for a few months, but have been getting headaches from the aspartame. Does anyone know of any comparable products (price & quality) without aspartame? Thanks --------------- Re: headaches in 10-year-old Date: 1996/03/19 newsgroups: misc.kids.health My children started at an even younger age to have migraines. I looked to their diet. My son was violently allergic to caffeine, nutrasweet, and red dye. As soon as we removed those things from his diet (in so far as we could--he loves chocolate), the migraines almost totally disappeared. ---------------- Re: STEVIA Date 22 Mar 1996 01:46:28 GMT Newsgroups alt.folklore.herbs Aspartame gives me headaches and as well cannot be used in baking. -------------- PROBABLE DX :( Date: 1996/03/08 sender: Multiple Sclerosis Discussion/Support newsgroups: alt.support.mult-sclerosis .... The neuro poo-poohed Swank diets, vitamins, removing amalgam fillings, etc as "junk medicine". He recommended a book called "Therapeutic Claims in M.S." by Dr. Wm. A. Sibley (Demos Publi- cations) that discusses these treatments and their potential benefits and side effects. I think I will remove a lot of fat from my diet (and hopefully from my body), give up aspartame (bad stuff - I realized it gives me the shakes) and keep on the vitamins I've already been using (B12, Flax oil, Primrose oil, Grapeseed,) because those measures can only make me feel better. I'm up in the air about my mercury fillings, though, - any reaction from people out there? .... ------------- Re: ECZEMA Date: 1996/03/13 newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs Within 3 days of quitting NutraPoison my eczema was greatly improved. The open weeping sores closed up and the itch went away. If you have any sort of skin rash, get off of NutraPoison (Aspartame) immediately. ----------------- Date: Thu, 14 Mar 96 13:48:15 PST To: xxxx@xxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Aspartame I got involved with this by chance as my wife some years ago felt that something she was ingesting was upsetting her, making her feel unwell often in the evening. By a process of elimination she suspected aspartame as the culprit and has been careful to avoid it for along time with the consequence that she had no more reaction. ------------- Date: Mon, 18 Mar 1996 02:14:22 +0200 To: Multiple recipients of list MSLIST-L Subject: Re: New Member >Hi xxxx: I did read some stuff the other day on posts which does bother me >some. I use Aspartame. i don't use that stuff. when my dentist said switch from livesavers to those with nutrasweet i did for a week. headaches etc. lousy feeling in my stomach. and i was using peppermint lifesavers cuz my salivary glands don't work. well with the sugar content i was working against the problem. so now i just carry a huge sipper of ice water. i drink i think more than a gallon a day! do i use the bathroom frequently? oh boy do i. but i and my husband never cared for these artificial things. something felt off, or wrong. ------------- Re: Asthma NutraSweet connection? Date 17 Feb 1996 21:11:09 GMT Newsgroups alt.support.asthma YES. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH NUTRASWEET. IT CAN DEFINATELY CAUSE ASTHMA PROBLEMS FOR ME. IT IS A OR IS SIMILAR TO AN ALLERGIC REACTION. APPARENTLY SOME PEOPLE CANNOT METABOLIZE NUTRASWEET VERY WELL......... ---------------------- Re: ASPARTAME...............LINKED TO FIBROMYALGIA...? Date Mon, 11 Mar 1996 10:09:49 -0800 Newsgroups alt.med.fibromyalgia Just wanted to add my experiences. I get deathly ill if I drink or eat anything with aspartame in it. I get nauseated, headaches and I feel like I'm never going to get up again. My doctor said I have an allergy to it and not to let my children have any because they have more than likely inherited it. Beth -------------- Re: Can Fake Sweeteners Bring on Migraines? Date 14 Mar 1996 17:25:00 -0500 Newsgroups alt.support.headaches.migraine I remember when Diet Coke came out as one of the first products using "Aspartame" I also remember a warning on the cans that said aspartame could cause headaches. I have since noticed they took the warning off. I myself found that my headaches became excrutiatingly bad when I drak diet soft-drinks. I now stick with "The Real Thing" in all soda pops. In fact, the Diamond Headache clinic, advises staying away from all artificial sweetners if you have bad headaches and migraines. It's made a big difference for me. ------------- Date: Thu, 25 Jan 1996 00:50:00 GMT To: xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx Subject: Not getting Your Mail LA>Date: Mon, 22 Jan 1996 23:06:08 GMT LA>Subject: Request (help) LA>Organization: The Source BBS LA panic-attacks Lancet article: Aspartame triggers panic I am very eager to get all the info you have, but for now do not have WEB access and only have an Internet E-Mail drop. I have personally experienced temporary blindness, panic attacks, and many other unpleasant side effects from Aspartame. I have given literature to all my family members and many of my friends, and ALL that I have given the info to have eliminated aspartame from their diet. Is there some way that I can get all your help files by downloading them somehow? [continued information] Date: Tue, 27 Feb 1996 20:52:00 GMT To: xxxxxx@xxxx.xxx.xxx Subject: Re: Not getting Your Mail My last bout with NutraSweet was over a year ago now, thank goodness! I live in fear that it will sneak into food or a drink and I check labels very carefully. The near-blindness episode combined with a panic attack and heart arythmia and a frightening drop in blood pressure were all triggered by *a single stick* of Trident sugarless gum! Maybe if we started suing the companies that use aspartame in their products they'll show a little more moral responsibility than the greed-driven Monsanto moguls. --------------- Re: Your Brain= :-) / Your Brain on Aspartame= *^#!~*>`"! Date 18 Feb 1996 18:38:33 -0500 Newsgroups alt.support.diet I agree with this wholeheartedly. I can't believe that the maker of Nutrasweet (Monsanto, I believe) posted a large ad in the papers once, claiming that Nutrasweet "does not cause headaches"!!! That's like telling someone that water doesn't actually quench their thirst! People know what causes reactions in their own bodies. I *rarely* get headaches, but I just about always get one when I drink a diet soda. So I avoid them now, of course! I hope someone from Monsanto gets into this thread - I'd love to get a war going. --------------- Re: Nutrasweet - side effects ? Date Tue, 20 Feb 1996 06:20:45 GMT Newsgroups sci.med.nutrition But I've gone off diet soda now for over one week. I used to drink about 4-5 diet sodas over the course of a day (and had been for about 6 years). What I've notice so far, is that my acne cleared up and I wheeze less. But this is hardly a scientific test. I searched the WEB using "nutrasweet" from alta vista search. There were some articles that painted a bad picture for the artificial sweetener. But there wasn't much scientific news there. I figure I'm better off without the diet sodas, though. --------------- Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 20:08:41 -0800 (PST) To: xxxxxx@xxxx.xxxx _________________________________________________ Aspartame Consumer Safety Network Questionnaire Please fill in and return to ACSN - PO Box 780634 Dallas TX75378 or (Please feel free to attach a letter with more details, preferrably typed. Thank you.) Name: xxxxxxx Age: 27 Sex: M Address: xxxxxxxxx City: xxxxxxx State: xx Zip: xxxxxxxxx Telephone: xxxxxxxxxxxxx Medical problems that you believe are caused from using aspartame: ----- depression, headaches, memory loss, mental fog, panic attacks, slugishness, apathy, eye problems. Why do you believe aspartame caused these problems? ----- Because I can trace a lot of it back to late 1988, when I first started drinking diet sodas. Did the symptoms go away when you stopped using the products? ----- I've only been "off" the stuff for three and a half days. I do seem to be more mentally alert and less mentally foggy, though. Did you see a Doctor about symptoms? ----- A therapist, whom I started going to about three weeks ago for depression. I'm supposed to go see her tomorrow (Tuesday) and I plan to tell her everything I've learned about Aspartame. Did Doctor think it related to aspartame? ----- N/A Did you report your symptoms to the FDA (Food & Drug Admin.) or any other group? ----- No What specific products(s) containing aspartame were you consuming when you experienced these symptoms? ----- Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Diet Dr. Pepper, etc. On the average, what quantity were you consuming? ----- 2-3 liters a day, spread out throughout the day How long had you been consuming these products before you experienced the symptoms? ----- Probably 6 months. I wish I'd realized then what I have found out now. Alltogether I've been drinking diet drinks for just about eight years. FOR THOSE CONCERNED ABOUT WEIGHT: Did you begin using products with aspartame when you began a restricted calorie diet? ----- Yes Did you use aspartame products only for some of your meals to save calories? ----- I drank diet soda at all of my meals. (and inbetween meals, too.) Did aspartame seem to help you lose weight at first? ----- Yes What were the long term weight loss effects of using aspartame. ----- I gained back everything I lost within a year. FOR THOSE WITH DIABETES: Any trouble controlling blood sugar while using aspartame? ----- I don't have diabetes, but I believe I have developed some blood sugar problems. I often feel shaky and then when I eat it sometimes gets better. Did using products affect the types of food you selected to eat? How? ----- Yes; it seemed to make me more thirsty, thus I drank more diet drinks than I ever did sugared drinks. I also craved other foods with sugar (candy bars, etc.) more than I did before I started drinking diet drinks. --------------- Subj: Nutrasweet Date: 96-02-25 04:06:49 EST From: GinnyJeff [America On-line address] To: xxxxxxxxxxx If you are still giving out the info on NS, I would love to receive it. My mom and I have just discovered that it seems to trigger anxiety attacks in both of us. Mom also had the rapid heartbeat. We have been off of the stuff for a week, and she has had no anxiety attacks and I have only had 1. --------------- Re: Nutrasweet - side effects ? Date 21 Feb 1996 04:26:47 GMT Newsgroups sci.med.nutrition Nutrasweet (aspartame) give me giant hives. --------------- Re: Nutrasweet - side effects ? Date Wed, 21 Feb 1996 17:30:59 GMT Newsgroups sci.med.nutrition No scientific proof, but if I drink too much diet drinks with Nutrasweet I get depressed. Of course, it has to be in the amount of multiple "Big Gulp" size drinks from the local convienence store. --------------- Re: Can You Help ? Date 22 Feb 1996 00:46:55 GMT Newsgroups misc.health.alternative After suffering terribly from Migraines for ages, I started to pay alot of attention of what I ate and drank on they days that they hit.....well after a really really bad one I figured it was nutrasweet. Since I gave up all diet stuffs with nutrasweet in it...NO MORE MIGRAINES!!! It worked for me maybe it can help you or others. --------------- Re: Diet sodas Date Fri, 23 Feb 1996 00:59:45 GMT Newsgroups alt.support.diet xxxxx, i was told by a doctor that diet soda can cause your blood sugar to drop just like you were using REAL sugar. (GASP) Esspecially if you have a slightly low blood sugar. Another thing is that a LOT of people are highly allergic to aspertame (nutrasweet) I am one of those. It put me in the hospital 2 times and the docs couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I haven't had a diet soda in a year and a half. I had quit for 6 months and tryed it again and got sick again, so I knew what the problem was. Different people react to aspertame in different ways. --------------- Date: Tue, 5 Mar 1996 19:37:42 -0600 To: XXXXXXX@XXXXX.XXXX Subject: Re: NutraSweet I wanted to tell you about my case with Aspartame. Since you have sent me a letter, I have been off of it for the duration, and to say the least,, my vision has improved greatly. Another thing that has happened is that my health in general has improved.there is one other thing that you should be aware of : the digestive system has also improved along with the impovement of the eyes. You could say that I was building a momument to the death of my eyes and at the same time embolming the dead tissue for prosperity.Isn't that great. The more people that I can tell about this the better.