From: xxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxxxx Date: Sat, 1 Mar 97 23:39:26 PST Subject: Aspartame To: xxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Found you via web search for aspartame to show a friend who had purchased a 'health' product containing aspartame and acesulfame-K. The product is 'Redoxon' vitamin-C, from, wait for it, Roche Consumer Health. Acesulfame-K is unknown to me and will remain so. My experiences (2) with aspartame were involuntary and only identified after I nearly died both times. The headaches caused were of such severity that 2 grams aspirin were required each time to alleviate them. The tension in the muscles of my neck would otherwise have broken it! This stuff is seriously bad. I cannot understand the continued marketing of it. The people who make and manufacture are seriously insane. Please notify my report to any interested parties. Please do not worry about hiding my identity - I don't care who knows what I think of this kind of misbehaviour by the Megagreedies of this world. May they die in agony! Peter Sault -------------- Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 To: xxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Update from xxx xxx You requested that I give you an update after 60 days without Aspartame. I have made some progress. I have no more migraine headaches, no leg cramps, the joint pain is at least 95% gone, the skin lesions are going away, and I have lost 6 1/2 pounds without changing my eating habits any more. Something else has happened that I can't explain. For years I have not been able to drink tea because it hurt my lower back (which I thought was my kidneys). When I bought the cali tea for detoxification, I didn't think about that not bothering me. After I had been drinking it for at least 2 weeks, it occurred to me that I wasn't having any pain from drinking tea. Could it be because I'm not consuming aspartame anymore? Anyway, I've been drinking tea now at fast food places instead of diet coke and getting by with it. I could not even sneak in one glass of it before without it causing me pain right away. I have a long way to go but I didn't get this way in two months and I won't get rid of it in two months. It took me 14 years to get this bad and I will keep trying. I have reached a lot of people and hope they will listen. I want to get enough better that when I tell someone about this, they will listen and take notice of my getting better. A Note from her daughter, xxxx: xxxx, mom didn't mention these other improvements: Her balance seems better at times. Several have noticed that her handwriting is better - isn't as shaky. Her last eye exam, only 1 of her eyes had changed. I don't know if it got better or worse and she didn't ask. She did say that with her double vision that she saw 2 distinct items where now the two overlap again. -------------- Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1996 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: Aspartame History I've had problems with buzzing ears since 1984 that could not be diagnosed by various ear doctors over the years, as well as chronic depression. After hearing a radio program on the bad effects of aspartame in early November, I stopped all use of products containing aspartame. My ears havent' buzzed since, and I feel a definite improvement in my mood. How can I support the movement to remove this substance from the marketplace? -------------- Date: Fri, 04 Apr 1997 13:31:17 -0500 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Class action suit against Nutrasweet/Equal people I am one of the many people who have experienced significant side effects from the use of Nutrasweet (if I sip a diet coke, I'm a space cadet for the rest of the evening...) I was wondering if anyone was considering a Class Action law suit against the makers of Equal. While I don't use it anymore, I honestly feel that it is a dangerous product. My story is pretty typical - I was using Equal in my coffee at work, had really bad headaches, anxiety, dizziness, confusion, etc...and I really think that stuff did some long term damage -I stopped using Equal 3-4 years ago, but I still have Equal 'flashbacks' that I never used to have. -------------- Date: Wed, 02 Apr 1997 12:18:17 +0000 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: nutrasweet reaction! Have just discovered your effort to combat aspartame/nutrasweet use. After eight (8) years of suffering and being seen by every specialist in my area, I have finally discovered (through a God-sent Kinesiologist) that I was actually "allergic" to all the nutrasweet I was consuming (sometimes in excess of 6 cans of Diet Coke per day, not to mention all the "diet" things it may have been hidden in! Even after an MRI brain scan, no medical doctor questioned my "habits" !! I awoke one morning in 1989 with a funny sort of "dizzy" feeling and tried desperately for the next almost 8 years to solve or get to the bottom of my problem. After eliminating nutrasweet from my diet for a couple of weeks, my symptoms disappeared!! Miracle!! Please share this hope with others and register my toxic reaction with any and all organizations your can! Greatful in Atlanta. -------------- Re: Nutra Sweet - long Date Fri, 21 Mar 1997 09:04:53 -0600 Newsgroups alt.folklore.herbs,sci.med.nutrition,misc.health.diabetes I had major joint problems for some time about 5 years ago, my doctors thought that I had either lymes, lupus or arthritis, non of which was a particularly good option. Howver, after testing for everything they determind that I had "non specific tendonitis from and unspecified source" great diagnosis right! They put me on massive anti inflamitories and left it at that. Soon I couldn't even pick up a coffee cup as my elbow was so bad. Then someone suggested that I stop eating anything with Nutra Sweet. I decided that it couldn't hurt. I think that I actually went through withdrawal - I wanted a diet soda so much it was ridiculous. Anyway that pains in my joints started to leave with the last new pain leaving first and so on until finally my elbows which were the first to show symtoms were ok too. About 6 months later I had to see my Dr. for something else and told him about what had happened with my non specific tendonitis. He then told me that he hadn't thought of it but that he was reading more and more about symptons from the stuff and that migranes and joint pain were two of the most common. Nutra Sweet free for 5 years with no problems and loving it. -------------- Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 12:22:27 -0500 (EST) To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: RE: Detoxify Well the headaches have not exactly vanished, although i'm hopeful...the aspartame connection has not really panned out for me...YET!...however i think i'm noticing a little less nervous energy especially at bedtime, my legs were restless and moving around alot, (kramer from seinfeld calls them "jimmy legs"!!)...this seems to have calmed down a lot...i'm definately convinced of the deadly hazards of this poison and i wish the migraine had stopped as soon as i quit the soda but it didnt, again your mention of formaldyhyde poisoning is something i dont feel has played out in me yet, right now i'm doing the 60 day test and seeing what happens (including a probable detoxification of some kind)... [update] Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 12:29:06 -0500 (EST) To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: update: my head well i have some good news, it seems that my migraines are disappearing...for the last two weeks they have almost completely stopped... as you know i've been off ASP for almost 4 weeks and just 10 days ago you said to take a magnesium tablet which i did, and things have been rapidly changing, i havent had a migraine at all in one week...i put off taking my homeopathic remedy for a while to make sure i was onto something which i think now i am (onto something)...i really think the ASP connection is it, i havent done a detox yet but will soon...also another thing i noticed is my wife is not having bad gas problems since quitting ASP too... so good news huh? i havent had to take my imitrex in over a week and that makes me happy because i dont want to be on a super drug like that although i am grateful for it because it does work on the migraine quite well...so i'm hoping i'm done with the migraines, my intuition says i'm right and why should i question such divine advice!! PS...i feel somewhat compelled to have a business card printed with the dangers of ASP on it to hand out to people i see drinking diet sodas...i tell everyone i know about it and print info for them to read and it amazes me how some people just dont get it...i'll pray for them! -------------- Re: Caffine or Nutrasweet? Date 10 Mar 1997 03:38:27 GMT Newsgroups alt.support.headaches.migraine If I drink a diet soda, within 10 minutes I will have about a 8-9 HA, complete with nausea and sometimes vomiting, and fever and chills alternating at about 120-second intervals. This will last for several hours, until I can finally get the pain under control enough to sleep for 7-8 hours. Also have a friend who is affected almost exactly the same way by the stuff. Nasty stuff. -------------- Subject: Re: CONJ: NutraSweet and Caffeine Date: 1997/07/08 Newsgroups: alt.med.fibromyalgia I think it was my post last month, reporting on how I am in almost total remission after stopping all Neutrasweet cold turkey that got this threat started. At the expense of sounding harsh, let me say this: I reported on being a heavy user of Neutrasweet. I was very very sick with FMS and CFS. For some irrational reason, I felt that you could take my Diet Coke from me when they pried my cold dead hands from around it. When I finally was so bad that I quit cold turkey--not an easy task for a diabetic--I reported to you that within a few days I felt much better and within 90 days I am in almost total remission. Stopping was not my only action. I take B-1, B-6, B12, Chromium, Multi-vit, C, melatonin and E daily along with eschenacia. I also drink water and get to bed early. (8 hours of sleep starting at 2 am is not the same as 8 hours starting at 9 pm--that's a fact.) I also exercise daily whether i feel like it or not. But I'm telling you that stopping Neutrasweet played a major role in my recovery. I don't care why. But I know it did. So why is it that so many of you will cry "I give anything for a good night's sleep" or "Please can't someone stop the pain". for God's sake, how can you write to this newsgroup and say that you drink a couple of liters of Diet Coke per day as though you are bragging about it, then complain about how bad you feel. God helps those who help themselves. Stop the Neutrasweet for 90 days and go to be early and get up early. Your ass will drag for a few days but you'll get on a normal cycle. What the hell do you have to lose, people. Don't complain if you don't try. You'll live. i promise you, Stopping Diet Coke never hurt anyone. It ain't heroin. You can do it. Just do it. Flame me. But if it saves one person from the hell I went through it will be worth it. A dozen people have emailed me to say that they feel much better after stopping Neutrasweet.. A few have said it didn't help them at all. You could be one of those thinking clearly and out playing with your kids. all ypou have to lose is 90 days of Diet Coke. Sorry for the attitude but it is worth a try!! -------------- Date: 19 FEB 1997 16:25:52 GMT Newgroups: alt.support.anxiety-panic Subject: NutraSweet/Aspartame I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one having a problem with NutraSweet (aspartame). I did alot of research on it and it seemed Pro-aspartame research was funded by companies that benefit from NutraSweet sales. And anti-nutrasweet reports were from other companies (like Rodale Research). Anyway......I was having vision disturbances and mental "gaps" that were momentary gaps where I couldn't remember where I was going or what I was doing. I thought for sure I was over drugged with Xanax and Buspar. After alot of experimentation, two weeks with no NutraSweet and the mental gaps are gone and haven't had a vision disturbance since. (It's been about 6 years) I drink alot of Pepsi in a day (used to drink at least a 6-pack) so I got alot of nutrasweet, interestingly, since I changed to regular sugar-loaded Pepsi, I haven't had any significant weight changes. -------------- Re: Nutra Sweet Date 31 Mar 97 17:50:02 GMT Newsgroups alt.folklore.herbs > But a few years ago I isolated some severe > headaches and mood swings, attention problems to Nutrasweet. Boy, does this look familiar.... My husband for several years started to drink beverages with Nutrasweet in it.. The rest of the house noticed that he was getting very testy (I say that with a smile, and also was trying to think of a better description)... So we started to pay more attention to what he was eating and drinking, and also started to make certain absent from his menu... Lo and behold, when we took him off Nutrasweet, he was back to his jolly old self again... He now jokingly tells people "Give me Nutrasweet, and then give me a $100 dollar bill, and I will be blast you for doing it wrong." So we keep him completely away from Nutrasweet.... I can relate a few other stories about people we know well who stopped drinking anything with Nutrasweet who had personality changes.... -------------- Date: Wed, 02 Apr 1997 13:58:21 -0800 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: aspartame It was the 380 manuscript. I was addicted to 2-3 liter diet Coke consumption a day? I will say this-It is addictive!!! My wife said my behavior became "less aggressive" - in fact I felt calmer after coming off Aspartame. Your article scared me shitless-I even did followup research to make sure you were right! You were right!!! Boy do I have faith in our "system" now??? I believe that the powers that be know that this substance is addicting-it took 4-6 weeks to come off withdrawls. Addiction leads to sales and more money. What a bunch of psychopathic sicko's!!! -------------- Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: I quit three weeks ago! Some friends at work who knew that I consumed massive quantities of Diet Coke on a daily (hourly) basis told me about a TV news story they saw re: the dangers of aspartame. It got me thinking "maybe I ought to check this out." I found your web site and was alarmed to read about many symptoms I'd been experiencing, including (from your list): headaches, change in mood quality or level, diarrhea, memory loss, fatigue, sleep problems, change in sensation (numbness, tingling), change in activity level, joint and bone pain, eye irritation, change in body weight, nocturnal, change in thirst or water intake, and sinus problems. Three weeks ago I quit DC cold turkey, and lo and behold, many of the above symptoms are clearing up, especially the numbness and tingling that was concerning me the most. For several months, my left hand tingled, especially in the morning, often lasting all day. I was also experiencing numbness in my legs when sitting for any length of time. These symptoms so concerned me that I visited my physician to obtain his opinion. He told me to get used to it, that I'm just getting older (I'm 39). I'm relieved to tell you that after quitting the use of aspartame, I'm feeling younger! The tingling and numbness are gone. Other symptoms seem to be clearing up as well! -------------- http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.edu/neurowebforum/ MultipleSclerosisArticles/2.17.975.53PMMSandNutra-Sweet. MS and Nutra-Sweet This article submitted by on 2/17/97. I just wanted to share with everyone that Nutra-Sweet can cause attacks of MS. I know that with MS we are spossed to be eating low-fat, but watch out for the artificial sweetners. Also, if you suffer from Migranes, Nurta-Sweet causes migranes (or at least seems like it does). One night, I drank an entire bottle of light cranberry juice before I realized that it had Nutra-sweet in it. That entire night, I had more sleeplessness than before and stomach cramps like you wouldn't believe. Over the next few days, my MS got worse, my vision became more blurried. .... Here is a list of responses that have been posted to this article... * I agree! (2/20/97) 6:42 PM * Old Aspartame = Methanol (2/18/97) 2:12 PM * yeah, me too (2/17/97) 10:35 PM * to nutrasweet victim (2/17/97) 7:27 PM -------------- To: xxxxx@xxxxx.xxxxx.xxxx Subject: Case History - xxxxxx Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 09:46:53 +0100 We have a daughter - Laura born 15/06/94 so she is nearly 3 now. In October 96 we weaned Laura off baby fruit juices onto the more everyday sort of fruit squashes e.g. Ribena. We were very aware of the high sugar content of many of these squashes with the link this has to dental health problems. We saw juices in the supermarket labelled "No Added Sugar" and thought this seemed to be an answer to the problem fruit juice and no excess sugar to trigger dental problems. In late December 96 Laura developed a rash, particularly on her extremities and lower abdomen, her hands were very badly effected. We took her to our local GP and this resulted in a diagnosis of eczema; the Doctor prescribed an application of topical cream, and recommended taking Laura off dairy milk onto Soya Milk. Laura drinks little milk anyhow so that seemed a strange diagnosis we were unhappy with this and decided to look further into possible causes. The condition became more advanced and a further visit to the GP saw us with a different topical cream and reassurance that it was indeed eczema. Around that time I subscribed to an Internet provider but due to PC limitations only used the service to access e-mail. One night I was reading an e-mail from a fellow member of the local Friends of The Earth group in which he sent me details of Mission Possible and Aspartame. As I read I saw similarities with the problem we encountered with Laura, I looked at the label on our "No Added Sugar" concentrate and sure enough found Aspartame on its list of contents. Taking Laura off the substance, saw the rash has all but gone within 14 days, but for the first 5 or so days, (Aspartame free) she was like someone in withdrawal, aggressive and craving the substance. I passed this information to our GP practice and the local newspaper, the former simply added it to Laura's case notes and the newspaper is treating it as too hot to touch. I sent the case history to the Times and Independent neither followed it up. We are convinced that Aspartame is the trigger for Laura's problems, we suspect it is in children's toothpaste - unlabelled and many other products e.g. low fat yoghurts and Tescos Clear Apple Juice. Consumption of both resulted in an almost instant rash and return of behavioural problems. -------------- Date: Sat, 1 Mar 1997 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: Take the 60-day no-aspartame test I did take the 60 daty test and never went back to aspartame. I do feel better in spite of the stroke. I think I've had quicker healing because I quit the aspartame. I am able to walk somewhat without a cane. I am a noticing increase in memory that was a problem even before I had the stroke. I am gaining more energy, however, that process is rather slow and I think more due to the residual affects of the stroke. Well, this might tell you something. I took my drivers test this week and passed. (except for high speed driving. I chose not to do that one yet.) I am not 100% but am improving all the time. Thanks for your efforts in this much needed cause. Perhaps I'll get the energy back soon and be able to assist you. -------------- Re: Nutra Sweet irritates bladder? Date Sat, 22 Feb 1997 02:57:56 GMT Newsgroups alt.folklore.herbs I can't give you 100% good information on this but, ever since the Nutrasweet/brain tumor issue came around I have been using sugar again and have noticed quite a difference in the "urgency" problem. -------------- Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: My brother is suffering from Aspartame Symptoms Thank you for your immediate response. My name is xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx and I'm concerned about my brother. He is 46 years old and since 1988 (approximately) he has deteriorated health wise. At the age of 40, all his friends would continuously tell him to "lighten up" and that "life begins at 40" but he could not share their optimism since he felt like "hell"! During this time he experienced several seizures and doctors who examined him told him he was epileptic, even though this is not traced in our family history. He was also told that he was diabetic. Diabetes does occur (mildly) in our grand-parent. He was put on a special diet to control his blood sugar and the doctors prescribed medication to control the seizures. Nevertheless, he continued to feel exceptionnally fatigued and generally un-well and the seizures continued. He went to many specialists, trying to identify what was causing the seizures and underwent a multitude of state of the art tests without any real positive results. They eventually diagnosed him with Multiple Sclerosis but were unable to identify the real cause of the seizures. On November 18, 1996, my brother was driving on the highway when he had his most recent seizure and of course he woke up in hospital with fractures and bruises (and luckily for him) he was still alive! On the 19th of November (the following day) while resting on his bed, at the hospital, he happened to be watching a report on the news stating that Aspartame had been found to cause seizures, MS and etc... This is when he realized that Aspartame might very well be the reason why his health had deteriorated to such a degree. He had been a habitual user of Aspartame for easily 15 years. He drank Diet Coke, he used Aspartame to sweeten his coffee and he also would look for foods that were prepared with artificial sweeteners to control his diet. He drank a lot of coffee! And he also enjoyed peanut butter sandwiches with Aspartame sprinkled on it instead of honey. He has not had any foods with Aspartame since that day and he has been extremely careful about his food intake since January and he says he feels much better. [^^^^^^^^^^^] -------------- Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: Report on aspartame's history Sure....I had been having headaches a lot and feeling tired a lot. Since I have quit using the nutrasweet the headaches have pretty much gone and I have been a lot more energetic. Also, I haven't gained weight, even though I've been drinking regular pop. -------------- Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 06:33:18 -0600 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: Aspartame We threw out all these sugar substitutes and no longer buy "diet" drinks or "diet" anything. My husband seems to be doing better. For example he no longer takes Zoloft for depression. The MD says his walking difficulty is caused by peripheral neuropathy, but as a RN I have never seen his particular type of problem before. He has very poor balance and would fall over unless he stands holding onto something. I think it's caused by a combination of things ... diabetes plus years and years of using sugar substitutes in coffee and food. I have plastered articles on aspertame in the hospital where I work, and have persuaded some to get off the stuff. Thanks for your diligence in trying to get this poisen off the market. Keep me posted on your progress and let me know what I can do to assist. -------------- Date: Sat, 22 Mar 1997 11:47:40 -0800 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: aspartame I had a reaction to aspartame in the late 80s when durring that summer we decided to get off sugar and began drinking drinks with aspartame as a sweetener. It was very hot in Louisiana that summer and I was consuming as much as a gallon of lemonade a day,made from Crystal Lite Drink mix. I suffered 3 grand mall seiziers in a month. The hospital could find nothing wrong with me physically so I was diagnosed as epiliptic and told I would have to take an anti seizier drug for the rest of my life. I had heard about the nutrisweet danger and decided on my own that that may be the problem. I did not take the seizier medication rather stoped drinking or consumming anything with aspartame in it and to this day have had no more problems. I wonder how the government can let this happen? I would like to do somthing about this but know of no avenues to react.I hope somehow tis product can be banned from the market before other people are hurt. -------------- Date: Thu, 03 Apr 1997 02:35:15 -0800 Newsgroups: misc.health.diabetes, alt.folklore.herbs, sci.med.nutrition Subject: Re: NutraSweet I found, in addition to the headaches, I was swelling, ankles and other extremities, which did manage to abate after ceasing the nutrasweet, probably because of its pharmacologic similarity to msg, which has become horrid for me, with 3 days or so recovery needed after accidental ingestion.....if you're really msg sensitive, you might also be nutrasweet sensitive. -------------- Date: Fri, 4 Apr 1997 18:47:56 -0500 (EST) To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: case history My name is xxxx and my sister Txxxxxxx asked me to write to you with my information. Txxxxxx visited me on January 19 and was telling me about the nutra-sweet information. I have tremors. They are called familiar or intentional tremors. They occur when I try to do something deliberate like drink a cup of coffee, eat, use the computer mouse to play solitaire. Well the dr gave me medication that didn't seem to help much and I couldn't drink a cup of coffee with my right hand and I couldn't play solitaire without holding my right hand down with the left one. When Theresa came up on 1/19 I decided to stop drinking diet soda and drink regular soda. Within two wks I could hold a cup in my right hand and play solitaire again. I am a home health aide and it can be embarrassing when I shake worse than the people I am caring for. A couple of weeks ago I was caring for a 43 year old woman recovering from surgery and had to put a bandaid on her and she noticed the slight tremor and asked me if I had familiar tremors and I said yes. She said she did too. Then I told her about the nutra-sweet and she was amazed because she was drinking a two liter of diet coke a day and then quit soda altogether and noticed that her tremors had gotten better. -------------- [Good News] Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Glad they know aspartame is poison Thank you for your latest information on the subject. I have had a couple of victories with friends who drank alot (1 quart a day) of diet coke. They ceased drinking it, and are now in the best of health. Furthermore, they now believe me when I said that it was poison, and are now converts at getting people off the stuff. Here in xxxxxxxxx Nutrasweet has not invaded food to the same extent - yet. However, I am keeping up with the campaign. xxxxxxx who works with Dr xxxxx is also part of your group, and when she advised me to avoid diet coke, I told her that I was and then gave her all the reasons why. Then she told me she was aware of your work, and is also spreading the news. -------------- Re: NutraSweet/PKU Date 17 Mar 1997 05:17:59 GMT Newsgroups alt.support.food-allergies All of the medical jargon aside... I know I'm allergic to NutraSweet. If I eat the smallest amount I break out in hives, other skin rashes and have from a mild to sever case of diarreah with severe intestinal cramping. The severity depends upon how much I have ingested. Funny... I never had these reactions to saccrine, go figure it. -------------- Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Aspartame I have bookmarked your page and am printing off the pages to give to my sick friends. It is remarkable that you chose to post this information to the internet. My story is that I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I am a medical professional and have noted the exponential rise in autoimmune degenerative neurological conditions in the last 15 years. The fibromyalgia predominantly strikes women and mine was triggered by the birth of my daughter and a surgery. I also used DayPro, but it was quite useless except to make me tired and go to sleep for the total fitfull time of 4 hours per night. Since the symptoms are primarily neurological, I back-tracked histories of myself and several of my patients. We had all had surgery but not all had had general anesthetic and a neuro muscular blocker as I had. We all had used nutrasweet!! I am a heavy user and have used about 2 liters of diet soda daily since the day the stuff hit the market. My symptoms: screaming leg pain mostly at bedtime. The most defining pain was the intra scapular tearing pain. There was one panic attack, heart palpitations nearly daily (no cardiac involvement, that was tested). Joint pain (no swelling and no articular deterioration), teeth grinding and nightmares, evening time rashes, slowed speech and forgetfulness, depression and moodiness, vomiting and coughing in the morning and loss of about 80 percent of my strength. Previously, I had worked out at a gym and could leg press over 800 pounds. That went down to less than 50 pounds. I couldn't get back up from the floor without climbing up my own legs. There never were any headaches. I used Prozac for several months until I couldn't sleep at all. I had physical therapy also at that time. The prozac was great to get some neurotransmitter back in my muscles and the strength is about 60 percent better but the side effects were bad for me. It gave me strength to train in physical therapy. I have discontinued the prozac due to side effected and the ever present stigma associated with the drug. I've been off nutrasweet for about a week except that I had some gum 2 days ago that was laced with the stuff. Within the first 3 days the fog has really lifted and my toes are coming back, there's pain where there was numbness. In order to walk some mornings, I had to soak my feet in super hot water and then stick them on the frozen cement of the garage floor. This is called contrast therapy which shocked the feet so I could walk. .... As a medical professional who can affect change, I vow to use my experience to help my patients recover their lives. I will write again to tell you of my progress. [update] Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 To: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxxxx.xxx Subject: Re: 3 months off Nutrasweet I can walk. I can think. I'm creative again. I sleep most nights. Wow! What a difference without Nutrasweet! It's great to have my life back; to be able to remember how to use my vocabulary, to not have anxiety attacks and paranoia over common events. I no longer blank out. I've worked very hard to be able to walk a mile a day at a brisk pace and can do it daily now. I have incapacitating flair ups but it's nothing compared to how sick I was. The turning point was at about 80 days. Again, bless you, bless you, bless you for posting this information to the web. -------------- Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: Diet Coke My husband and I run our own business.It meant many long hours, specially with the onset of the recession and all its implications. My husband has always drunk coke,but for dietry reasons and in order to stay awake (often working seventeen hour days-I also worked long hours but do not drink coke) drank more and more diet coke. Inevitably this sleep deprivation combined with a certain amount of isolation plus a need to drink up to SIX LITRES of diet coke a day led to a sense of complete despair, depression and poor self esteem. Add to this the pressures of a young family,job insecurity and little outside help or support and things were pretty bleak. I realized I could no longer continue this way and began to extend my hours of sleep.My husband still felt all the same pressures and could not be persuaded to sleep better hours, saying that it was the way he worked,and was still drinking large quantities of coke - I believe he was well and truly addicted to diet coke and was unable to help himself. With incredible determination both my husband and I managed to improve our overall lifestyle and overcome the associated problems, however having lessened the amount of coke he consumed my husband was still addicted to it. Now with other problems lessoned I could clearly see the affect diet coke has on him. when he is not drinking diet coke he is like a new person, or at least the person I once knew. BUT after abstaining for a week then drinking it these are the characteristics I see - Depression,aggression (pent-up or verbal aggression not physical) a sense of hopelessness,unable to sleep, poor concentration, poor communication, trouble with eyesight, chest/lung problems.Also when he abstained from drinking coke altogether he looked healthier AND lost weight naturally. -------------- AOL/General disABILITIES Discuss/Seizure Disorders Support Subj: Re:Nutra Sweet Problems Date: 97-02-16 11:05:10 EST i get dizzy whenever i drink anything with nutrasweet in it. asparatane is the same as nutrasweet -------------- Date: 18 FEB 1997 20:55:16 GMT Newgroups: alt.support.anxiety-panic Subject: Re: Vitamin Supplements & MSG / PhD's response I have a sensitivity to both aspartame and MSG..I can take aspartame in tiny bits before I get sick. Same with MSG. I am also sensitive to saccharin :) I break out in the hives with it..on top of all the other fun sicky feelings.. How it effects my PD I don't know..I get too sick physically to care.. And aspartame makes me feel like my brain is sloshing around in my head. -------------- Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 21:47:17 -0800 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Aspertame in Clorets Breath Mints !! My mother has suffered from migraines since the early '70's and the frequency and severity has increased in the past two years. She avoids all migraine triggers she can identify, including aspertame, but has always chewed two Clorets after each meal to help her digest. Well, only in December did she discover that aspertame is in the ingredients of Clorets. Her migraines have diminished significantly since. Buyer beware!! Does anyone have info on aspertame in instant coffee, ie Tasters Choice? Please post this so others can be aware. -------------- Diet soft drinks - alleged health hazard (was: sewing dresses) Date Sun, 23 Feb 97 08:54:58 NZT Newsgroups alt.support.big-folks From my own personal experience (and yes I realise that a sample size of 1 is not statistically valid) I found that when I switched from diet coke to regular my depression reduced, and what's more I didn't get any fatter. It took me a while to get used to the overly sweet taste though. -------------- Re: Caffine or Nutrasweet? Date Sun, 09 Mar 1997 22:07:36 -0800 Newsgroups alt.support.headaches.migraine I cut all diet soft drinks, and artificial sweeteners out of my diet ..After having used tons for years and years...That's one of the lifestyle improvements I made and am attributing to being relatively pain free.. oh...I never gained tons of weight when I put sugar back in my diet... -------------- To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Aspartame Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 22:36:58 -0500 I just finished reading through an enormous list of "toxic" experiences with Aspartame. This is the first time I have heard of someone other than myself with dramatic reactions to this chemical. I suffer from chronic migraines and get an almost immediate reaction from any product with Aspartame in it. One sip of a diet coke and I immediately begin with a twitch in my temples and then...the aura.....and BANG! the Migraine! I have had many instances where I have ordered soft drinks in restaurants and after taking a mere taste, knew I was doomed after sensing the taste of nutrasweet. After one sip, there's no turning back. It's amazing to me to see this chemical added to so many products! The one that is the most unsettling is children's vitamins. -------------- AOL/Allergies, Immune Disorders/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Subj: Re: aspartame Date: 97-02-08 15:49:19 EST I had to eliminate all forms of this substance. I DID use lots of diet products, especially diet sodas. I wish I could say that ALL my symptoms disappeared. But some of them did. One day I decided I could drink a diet soda again...and the worst exhaustion symptoms returned! -------------- Re: NutraSweet Date Sun, 30 Mar 1997 21:46:26 -0600 Newsgroups misc.health.diabetes,alt.folklore.herbs,sci.med.nutrition Nutrasweet does cause headaches in me. I can't use it because every time I've tried it I got a bad headache. So that means there's something in there that just isn't right. I also have heard from many other folks who have the same problem with it. -------------- Re: CONJ: Nutra-sweet Date Sun, 16 Mar 1997 10:41:23 -0500 Newsgroups alt.med.fibromyalgia xxx, nutra sweet hits me, my oldest daughter, and my father like a brick wall....the horrific migraine headache is totally UNBEARABLE and it can only wear away as your body gets rid of the nutra sweet...Haven't had any since dxd with FMS/MPS...and I ain't gonna try it either! -------------- Re: CONJ: Nutra-sweet & comment Date 17 Mar 1997 01:44:48 GMT Newsgroups alt.med.fibromyalgia Not only do I have severe physical responses to aspartame (the chemical name for Nutra-Sweet) but they're often delayed a day or two which made it tough to figure out what had happened... At one time, I believed that I was becoming too dependent on the reaction to aspartame (as in the theory which claims that if you crave a food item, you're allergic to it and the craving is a way for your body to NOT have to go through the withdrawal) and that's actually what convinced me to avoid it altogether. I think my ob/gyn said it best when he told me that "women in China have been drinking tea and having babies for thousands of years, but no one knows what aspartame REALLY does to the human body over long-term - and no pregnant woman should ingest aspartame". So why should I take better care of myself when I'm pregnant than when I'm not? Thank God I can still drink my tea! Our family drinks a great deal of 'earth juice' (water) now, and we're all pretty happy about it. I'm a distilled water fan, myself. -------------- NUTRASWEET aka ASPARTAME Date 16 Mar 1997 22:55:55 GMT Newsgroups alt.support.headaches.migraine 12 months ago I stopped using Nutrasweet and my chronic headaches have been cut by over 75%. After 6 years on Fiorinal for pain, I can treat them the occasional headache with Advil!! :o) -------------- Date: Sat, 22 Mar 1997 12:40:38 -0800 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Artificial Sweetners :) Personal testimony: I stopped using artificial sweetners when I become pregnant with my first child. I experienced horrible headaches for about two weeks while going through what I can only account to as withdrawl effects. I irresponsibly took up being lazy about it and would have more artificial sweetners than I should have had up until I was pregnant with my second child, whence I gave up artificial sweetners again. Same withdrawl symptoms......It was at that time I realized that these sweetners were the direct cause of many of the symptoms I was having and I have not had headaches per se' since, unless accompanied by a virus :) I do have multiple sclerosis and do not account that to the A. sweetners, although they did irritate my already pre existing condition tremendously. My mother has the same reaction to these kinds of sweetners. My father is diabetic so he does indlge in the consumption of artificial sweetners. Not willing to change his ways, stubborn :) but wonderful. -------------- Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: my nutrasweet story greetings. my insomnia and the search for a graduate thesis topic has brought me to your e-mail address. for what it's worth, here is my stream of consciousness story. i'm a 25-year old pharmaceutical chemist named kathryn. i've always been fairly healthy except for an inherited case of primary dysmenorrhea, and an occasional bout with hay fever. when aspartame first replaced saccharin as the artificial sweetner of choice, i was an oblivious junior high schooler who drank about two glasses of diet soda a day. two to three weeks after the switch, my mother (who also drank diet soda daily) and i started getting bad headaches, usually accompanied by nausea. we were quickly able to isolate nutrasweet as the culprit. after giving up diet soda cold turkey the headaches went away. during my college years i was always able to tell if i had eaten something containing aspartame by the tell-tale headache that would result. for years now i've been warning friends and family that i don't trust nutrasweet - but i've never had the time to do any research on the subject until now. what i'm reading scares me. i hope this can be of help to you - i realize it's not much. (i apologize for the lack of capital letters - i can't stand them after midnight.) -------------- Subj: Re:Nutrasweet (Aspartame) Date: 97-03-17 18:09:27 EST AOL/Diet, Exercise & Fitness/Nutrition & Diet Help I cannot tolerate aspartame. The dizzines and headaches that came with aspartame usage were very bad. I have challenged this several times over the last 13 years with the same results. About 10 years ago I saw a Newspaper article, with a lot of similar problems, including blindness. -------------- Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 13:58:23 -0800 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Re: Aspartame Intake I have since detoxed from aspartame. I now drink herbal (no caffeine) teas. My cravings for sweet foods has been curbed dramatically. Also, small mole-like areas on my neck have disappeared. If I have any more time I will send you more information on my progress. -------------- Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 To: xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx Subject: Poisoned by Aspartame I just want to thank you for getting the word out on aspartame. My husband is diabetic and started having shaking of the arms and legs and would become very ill, he would be down in bed for days at a time. We notified the doctor and he ordered a MRI. The doctor could not give us a reason for these symptoms. We started noticing that when he ate anything with aspartame alias NutraSweet in it, he would have these symptoms, sometimes severe. We finally decided to no longer use anything with aspartame in it, and he has not had a attack since, except he does still have some trembling of the hands. I just want to thank you and all others that are taking up the fight to remove this poison from our food. -------------- AOL/Diet, Exercise & Fitness/Ask the Nutrition Expert Subj: Re:Nutra-sweet Date: 97-02-20 01:00:26 EST I get headaches from diet sodas with nutrisweet and from Equal.) -------------- Re: Diet soft drinks - alleged health hazard (was: sewing dresses) Date Mon, 24 Feb 1997 21:11:25 +0000 Newsgroups alt.support.big-folks My partner adds that artificial sweetners have given him headaches whenever he used them. -------------- AOL/Women's Health/Headaches & Migraines Subj: Re:Eliminate NutraSweet!! Date: 97-01-12 18:18:14 EST I used to get a bad headache everytime I drank a Diet Coke with NutraSweet. I still have migraines, though, even though I avoid NutraSweet, but I know that caused my headaches then. -------------- Re: Nutra Sweet irritates bladder? Date Fri, 21 Feb 1997 17:47:30 -0800 Newsgroups alt.folklore.herbs My whole family gets migraines from NutraSweet except my dad, which is fortunate because he's diabetic [Editor's comment: not really fortunate for him!] -------------- AOL/Diet, Exercise & Fitness/Phentermine and Fenfluramine Subj: Re:Nutrasweet Date: 97-02-02 12:52:14 EST When I started taking Phen/Fen last October, I also decreased my intake of Nutrasweet considerably. I stopped drinking diet sodas all together. I did this on the advice of the messages I read on this board. Now that I'm on maintainance, I'm fairly convinced that the Nutrasweet was a big cause of my intense cravings. I would drink 2-3 Diet Pepsi's in the evening, and within the hour, I'd be uncontrollably hungry. It was a viscious circle. -------------- Subject: weight loss and protein powders Date Mon, 31 Mar 1997 09:53:04 -0500 Newsgroups bit.listserv.celiac Since I am also hypoglycemic, I need something with very little sweetener. (Nutrasweet gives me instant diarehha and heart palpitations.) -------------- Re: Nutra Sweet Date Thu, 20 Mar 1997 15:33:19 -0800 Newsgroups alt.folklore.herbs,sci.med.nutrition,misc.health.diabetes I for one am glad to have read about the problems that some people have had with NutraSweet. I have recently discovered that my borderline hypertension gets appreciably worse when I drink any quantity of diet soda, and subsides to near-normal levels when I stop drinking it. -------------- Subject: Re: Deciding what our triggers are Date: 1997/03/13 Newsgroups: alt.support.headaches.migraine Anyway, I don't go near nutrasweet because before I understood about chronic daily headaches I once complained to my opthamologist that I frequently woke up with a headache. Among the triggers he mentioned was nutrasweet and I realized I had gotten into the habit of drinking decaffinated chrystal lite iced tea in the evenings and that I was waking up with a headache the next day. When I stopped drinking the stuff, I stopped waking up with headaches at least for that period of my life. -------------- Training-Nutrition, Number 553 Date: Wed, 5 Mar 1997 15:57:52 -0500 (EST) Subject: Nutrasweet Have a problem that maybe some could handle? Anytime I drink or eat anything with nutraweet in it I get devastating headaches. So I usually avoid them if possible. --------------