Very!!!!!! Important...Everyone please read

[dreamyeyes]

     I found this article tonight, and being a Diet Coke addict, it really hit home with me!!!! I consume probably close to a 12 pack of Diet Cokes daily. From this moment, I will be discontinueing my Diet Coke addiction to see if my symptoms get any better. I will keep everyone posted on my progress.
     Is anyone else drinking alot of Diet drinks? Or using alot of "sweet-n-low" or "equal"? Let us know if you decide to change over to something else and what your progress is!!!
     From now on, I will stick with "Splenda"!!!
    HERE IS THE WEB SITE: http://www.laleva.org/eng/2005/07/does_aspartame_in_diet_soda_cause_multiple_sclerosis.html

[grannyhotwheels]

Thank you very much for the article.  I have heard that before on some TV show.  Thankfully I don't touch any type of soda.  I did drink a lot of tea but I have quit that also.  It's now all water.

Please keep us posted on how you do.

I'll be praying,
Carol

[Super_sally888]

Hi Dreamy,

Aspartame is known to cause neurological problems in sensitive individuals.  

It is strongly recommended not to use diet drinks, even for dieting it is actually better for people to drink full sugar / calories drinks knowingly (and hopefully sparingly) - as studies have shown they actually compensate by taking less calories elsewhere.

Hope this is your answer, or at least helps.  Let us know.

I used to drink a lot of diet coke, but now hardly ever touch it, hasn't make any noticeable difference to me, though surely it is better to be off it.  :)....

Sally

[Wobbly]

thanks for the info...it sure is interesting...I don't really drink Diet pop that much...but I do use equal..I'll try to cut that out and watch for other stuff..thanks again

[cjacks]

I use to drink diet coke but was told by my nutritionist all of this , so I quit. I have stopped a couple of times before and would always get tension in my neck and headaches .. this time I took about a week to stop , no problems .    she said Stevia is the only sugar substitute that is o.k. for our bodies, it is even compatible with a low glycemic diet. It comes in granules , tablets and liquid(flavored) . I put a few drops of the flavored in club soda ( I still need a fizzy drink at times) and tah dah

Jo

[uk2]

Hi

Iv heard this already and many people have commented on it to me and i think it is such a over looked thing but i dont drink anything with apartame in it or give it to my children, but i know lots of adults and children who totalrate it well, i think its only some idiventials who are sensetive to it, its something to the heat it gets to in our bodies and how well we get rid of toxins.

Since being ill i have been more aware of my diet and iv excluded alot of things like eggs and cafine and tried to stay to a clean fresh diet but its hard as it is cheaper to eat unhealthy then it is healthy and i have a tight budget to run my house on.

Take care

[dreamyeyes]

     Thank you all for your feedback on this. I was thinking about this last night after I posted the article. I have been drinking Diet drinks for about five years now, seems to me if that was the cause for all my symptoms they would have shown up earlier, especially if i was sensitive to the aspertame. But right now anything is worth trying, and I know I drink way to many glasses of Diet Coke a day. I know they are now making alot of the diet drinks with spenda, which I also use in my coffee in the morning, so ill try them for awhile. At least until I see the neurologist on friday.
     uk2----I know what you mean about eating healthy being more expensive. Being a single mom and on a tight budget as well, Sometimes getting a frozen pizza just makes life easier!!! But most of the time I try to watch Carb counts, and that was one reason I switched from regular drinks to diet drinks, and spenda in my coffee instead of sugar. I agree with Granny about the water, but that also gets to be very bland, and I need something with some kick.
     Anyway....will keep everyone posted on my progress.

[Heather3418]

This is a myth...please do not think I am being a nasty a-s-s when I ask you to PLEASE read the article about this at Snopes.com

The link is below.  I DO Agree that too much of anything is harmful, but to blame this substance on CAUSING symptoms of Lupus and Multiple Sclerosis is not true.  I DO believe also that SOME people ARE indeed sensitive to aspartame and if they feel they are better when they stop consuming it, then by all means stop doing so.  But it is NOT the poison that is being reported.  I went also to the FDA site and checked out this information.

http://www.laleva.org/eng/2005/07/does_aspartame_in_diet_soda_cause_multiple_sclerosis.html

[essdipity]

Heather is right. Some years ago this story made the rounds of the internet, talk shows and news. Ultimately it was shown that it had been spread by fanatics and without scientific basis. Too much artificial sweetener of any kind is not good, though exactly what it might do has not been demonstrated. Some people no doubt are sensitive to aspartame and shouldn't have any, just as some have reactions to practically anything we can name.

I can well understand how easy it is to try to pinpoint the causes of our symptoms like this, because I've done it myself, but this one is simply invalid.

ess

[Heather3418]

I only posted what I did, because it made me afraid that everyone with symptoms would blame it on Aspartame and not keep getting medical help for their problems.  That's the only reason it worried me....

Gosh, I hope you all don't think I am some kind of bit** here.  I am not trying to be.  Just concerned for ALL of you and want to make sure you continue to seek medical help for your symptoms.  If you think that stopping Aspartame helps, then by all means, don't use it.

It's only because I CARE that i posted what I did.

[rball62]

I think you are a brave and kind person.

[Momzilla]

This is a very imprtant thread.  We need to inform each other like this.  If we hear about something, bring it out.  And, then someone else knows it not to be true~dispel the myth -- EXCELLENT!

When I started with my leg symptoms this past year (seems like LONGER!), my son's teacher nearly had me in tears lecturing me about the diet soda thing.  I do not drink soda, and she pretty much had figured out my subpar health was all directly related to what I was putting in my body -- it was my fault.  I told her that I don't ever drink soda, diet or not, and she still had the nerve to go on about my diet.  I was stunned.  I could barely walk, and she was really blaming me.  Or it felt like that.  We do have to be aware of what we put in our bodies, I know.  Especially when we have health issues that are chronic!  Too much of ANYTHING can be harmful.

Thank you, Dreamyeyes (love your name!) for sharing with us information you found to be relevant to so many of us.  And to the rest who shared what they know.  We are all here to help each other, and that is what everyone on this thread has done!  From Dreamyeyes on down!

I guess the point is, too much of anything is harmful, of course.  But let's continue to share like we are doing now so everyone can learn from each other!

Keep on truckin' ~

Zilla*

[dreamyeyes]

     Heather....Thank you for the information you have shared. That was the reason I posted here about what I had read, to get everyones feedback since I had never heard about Aspertame being so dangerous. I greatly appreciate your response!!! I am still going to quit drinking the Diet drinks, if for no other reason than just for my kidneys...lol....I am sure they are not good for me anyway.
     Zilla.....I agree with you that it was an important thread and has gotten some very informative responses.
        By the way, the screen name Dreamyeyes is a nickname given to me by my fiance. LOL

[Heather3418]

I in NO WAY intended to slight you in any way with my post.  I hope you know that I would never intentionally do that.  I have read that Aspartame and the carbonation can be hard on the bladder, making the bladder more sensitive.  My Neuro also backed up this information.  People with MS or suspected MS should probably know that.  I have been diagnosed with Neurogenic bladder due to the MS, so I need to heed the warnings of the Neuro.

My dentist recently told me that the carbonation in soft drinks is not good for our teeth and gums.  Apparently the soft drink company's seem just as guilty of alot of things as the tobacco company's.

Thanks for your post.  I send you many (((HUGS))))

Heather

[turtle564]

Try to quit all pop for a month. Try to drink apple juice or apple juice mixed with water. After a month have pop in a glass and notice if it effects you for 24 hours. If you feel the same as day before you should be able to have about 4 pops a week. lol

[dreamyeyes]

     Oh my Goodness!!! Thank you for more much needed information!!! One of the major problems I have been having is with my bladder, and frequent urination. Also not emptying completely causing urinary tract infections. Im in the bathroom at least every 30 minutes and this can be very difficult when trying to work. I dont know what symtoms come with Neurogenic Bladder, but hopefully giving up the carbonated drinks will help with the symptoms I am having, definantly cant hurt!!!!...LOL...Thank you so much for your constant help and info!!!!
     Heather....Yes I have switched over to 100% juices, especially for the good benefits of the anti-oxidants in them. Apple, Grape, Cranberry and Orange or a mixture of those. Also having a few glasses of iced tea, regular or green tea!! The green tea is also high in anti-oxidants. According to my fiance and other articles I have read, Anti-oxidants are really good for your heart and blood circulation.

A special Thank you to everyone who has responded to this post!!!!
              Lisa...

[TonkaSpirit]

Soda of any kind is not a healthy nutritional choice.  Diet or Regular.  There is absolutely no nutritional value in drinking it.  I for one do not indulge, and I try as hard as I can to keep my children from drinking it (they can't have it at home or when we go out to eat).  There is sooo much sugar in the regular.  Be careful when you are drinking juice drinks also, make sure they are 100% juice, as many have added sugar or even worse, High Fructose Corn Syrup!  You are better off when regular sugar than High Fructose Corn Syrup.  They are starting to put this ingredient in almost anything on the shelf these days, including whole wheat bread!  So look carefully at your ingredients.  They use it because it extends the shelf life of the product and it is cheaper to use, however out bodies cannot digest this easily or properly.  Many people are gaining weight and getting diabetes without knowing what is in there food.  Just because a label "claims" to be healthy, always check out the ingredients before purchasing.  I hope this helps some of you, I know it did me.  Please don't drink the milk with the Growth Hormones added either.  
Have a healthy day everyone, Terrie

[cwowarii]

Thanks for the article.  I once drank diet coke on a daily basis and now I have MS.  I don't know if this was the cause of my problems but I'm sure it didn't help.  I only occasionally have a diet soda now.  I usually drink unsweetened tea when I go out and water or soy milk at home.  I will watch my labels more closely and see if my symptoms improve.

[Amyloo]

I have a mixture that I drink everyday.  V8 Fusion is a fruit juice/vegatable blend that is absolutly fantastic.  They make a 50% less sugar blend.  I take the strawberry banana and mix it with some club soda.  Yum.  Less sugar, some fizz, no nutrasweet.  And, you are getting a full serving of fruits and vegatables in every glass.  Do I sound like a comercial?  Amy

[Heather3418]

All of you have posted some great ideas.  There is lot's advice here, that I intend on starting in my own life.

Thanks for all the ideas.

Heather

[PlateletGal]

I just received an e-mail from a friend about aspartame and so I forwarded it to everyone on my e-mail list. About 2 minutes later, I received a reply from a friend of mine. He said that his wife had the same problems with aspartame. She went to the ER for her symptoms and physicians there were baffled and even saw a couple of neurologists. Eventually, someone at her work read an article about aspartame and shared it with her. It fit her clinical history so she quit drinking diet sodas and weeks later, ALL of her symptoms vanished.

[Momzilla]

As has been stated, too much of anything is never good.  And I'm sure some people have sensitivities to certain substances.  I bet this was the case with your friend's wife, Platelet Gal.  (Good tyo see you over here!  Hi!)  Or, perhaps, it's one of those cases where she either had a placebo effect, or got well DESPITE stopping aspartame.

I do know that the nurse at work will not drink soda with aspartame because she was shown a cadaver in nursing school with a white 'substance' in his brain, presumably from high concentrations of aspartame.  She only drank diet soda with Splenda in it.  She said that image is hard to get rid of...  A lot of people ARE sensitive to it, as with many artificial substances.

Keep the good info coming....

Zilla*

[Heather3418]

I love to see this kind of discussion on the forum.  This is healthly discussion and gives us so much insight into the different opinions that everyone has.  I have actually enjoyed reading all the comments.

What a great group....

Heather

[monotreme]

If any of you want to sweeten something but do not want to use sugar, or splenda or any aspartame, then try Stevia.  It is a plant based totally natural sweetener with no calories and it does not spike your blood sugar or increase insulin in your blood.  It is totally safe and has been used by people in either Caribbean or African (cannot remember) countries for many years.

It is only available in health food stores and you could check online.  it is available in packets.

craig

[dreamyeyes]

     Well I had an interesting conversation with my sister today about the aspertame. Was telling her I was cutting out the diet cokes and she wanted to know why. I told her what I had read and she began telling me about her mother-in-law. This is the story:
     The lady is an emergency room nurse in a very large hospital. She began have alot of pain, mostly joint pain, so she went to see a rheumatologist about her symptoms. He ran alot of blood work and tested her for Rhumatoid Arthritis. The test came back positive and he started her on medication. Several weeks later she was telling a coworker about her symptoms and finding out she had RA and the lady ask her if she drank diet drinks, she told her yes. She had changed over from Regular Coke to Diet Coke a few years before. Her co-worker told her about aspertame poisening and she immediately quit drinking the diet coke. A few months later she returned for her follow up visit with her doctor and was able to tell him all her symptoms were gone and about giving up the diet drinks. He tested her again for RA, and the test came back negative. He took her off her medications, which she had quit taking when the symptoms were gone anyway. This was about 2 years ago when all this happened and she has not had any symptoms since then. She did go back to drinking regular coke but has limited herself.
     Just thought I would share that with everyone!!!! I went thru an awful time today craving my diet coke, but didnt break down and get one, instead I went to the grocery story and search for one that contained Splenda instead. The only one I could find was Pepsi One. But even that I will limit myself to just a few a day, and hopefully eventually do without completely. I do like the idea of the V-8 Fusion and Club Soda....I will be trying that one!!! Thanks for the idea....