The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Posted by Paige (AR) on 01/04/2023
Aspartame is toxic poison it just be banned. Class action is needed.
I am new here, I found info on aspartame, this stuff needs to be banned. My child had been drinking these sugar free bubble drinks for a month or more now, more than he should have. He started having serous sickness. It mimicked severe anxiety and ocd type tics. I don't know how else to explain it. I have been horrified. Everyday the last 2 weeks trying to understand what it is and why. I finally put it together. When I looked at the back of the box on these carbonated water drinks it's all aspartame. The symptoms made it all clear. This stuff is toxic poison. I am considering filing a law suit.
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Posted by Connie (Al) on 05/02/2018
I had years of sickness all the symptoms I had. Finally found out what was causing it. Been off Aspartame for 2 years. I drink veg smoothies in the morning and lots of water. I have been drinking some diet Pepsi because they took out the Aspartame was doing good then I started the symptoms again but this time it is worse. Doctors couldn't figure it out. I don't know if I will survive this. I looked at the Pepsi bottle and it said Aspartame. I never heard they were changing it back. I can't drink one swallow of aspartame and here I didn't know I was drinking it. They are killing people. It has got to stop.
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Posted by Jd (Houston, Texas) on 05/18/2017
Here's my experience with Aspartame use. I drank 3 diet cokes a day for over 10 years. I began having pain behind my eyes, blood sugar crashes, tingling in my fingers, flashes of light in my eyes, with worse vision. I had a blood test and there was nothing unsual. After reading about Diet Cokes and Aspartame I quit all diet drinks, that was a month ago. I had 2 weeks of horrible withdrawal finally all the bad symptoms are now gone. Its all about Sales and making money with no regard for consumers it seems with Aspartame. I will NEVER drink a Diet drink again.
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Posted by Becky (Rienzi, Ms) on 11/09/2016
I'm a 61 year old wife, mother, and grandmother. I've been on a very successful weight loss program this year losing 35 lbs. my goal being 40 lbs. I stick to all natural as best to my knowledge. About 3 months ago I was introduced to these small tubular packets of powder and bottles of water enhancer drops. They were so convenient I didn't bother looking at the ingredient label. About 4 weeks ago I noticed slight pain in my upper body. This pain progressed to the point I couldn't lift my arms. I went to my doctor yesterday and he was completely puzzled. He's secluded me for an MRI. After leaving his office I stopped by a local store and the cashier told me the same thing happened to her dad when he started drinking Diet COKE. She said he stooped the cokes and the symptoms went away. To make a long story shorter, I've been off the artificial sweetener just over 24 and the pain is "GONE"!!! I've called the doctor, canceled the MRI and thanking God for sending me to that little cashier with the answer to my problem!!
Folks read your labels and pay attention to what you put in your mouth...
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Posted by Lyndee (Clinton Township) on 09/13/2015
Aspartame:
I never ate yogurt but tried the fat free/low fat. Pretty soon I was ordering 2 cases per week. Then would also buy gogurt. I ate nothing else. I would even eat them in my sleep. I went from 135 lbs to 230lbs in about a year. I stopped buying it and even with no exercise and a small amount of protein I lost 110lbs in 6 months. The addiction is real.
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Posted by Deb (Redwood Park, South Australia) on 01/28/2015
Hi everyone, just to let you know of my experience with aspartane.....I like a cigarette every now and again and have a fear of bad breath, so I was eating 2 boxes of eclipse mints a day for years.........my symptoms well that's epic in itself. They thought I had diabetes, virtigo, numbness of left side of my face affecting top lip, gums and teeth, under my eye, etc. etc. etc. I don't think I need to go on, but I'm not well.......HELP......I frequently go to the chiro, and have constant acupuncture; any other suggestions?
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Posted by Carol Waters (Kannapolis Nc) on 12/12/2014
I drank Crystal Light exclusively for about 3 years and the more I drank it the more I wanted. I drank about 10 glasses a day. When I saw a video about Aspartame including some of the symptoms of it (like severe joint pain) I quit cold turkey. My knees used to hurt so badly that when I stood up I couldn't walk right away. I had to stand for a few seconds before I could walk, and I was in my early 40's! My vision had also diminished significantly during those 3 years, etc. I decided to quit all at once and I never thought I'd have immediate and disturbing and scary side effects from stopping. My hands and fingers felt like they were extremely swollen and I couldn't close them. I couldn't do normal things like grasp a zipper or even had problems picking up and changing my young kids. I had vertigo so badly that I could not get up and had to call my husband to come home from work. I had severe anxiety an nausea. I never ever go to the doctor, but during that first week off Aspartame I went to the doctor (I think they thought I was crazy) and the ER. These symptoms have never before or sense ever happened to me. I was "coming off of" the chemical Aspartame and it was slamming my body.
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Posted by Alison (Dallas, Texas) on 04/12/2013
I'm a chronic gum chewer and Coke Zero drinker or I can now say I WAS since I kicked those a few days ago. I'm having muscle twitches and extreme fatigue so far. After reading the above comments I guess I can expect to feel that for the next 55 days? Great! It will be worth it though. After only 5 days I haven't needed to sleep with my humidifier and my husband said I haven't snored the last two nights! I'm looking forward to feeling better and better each day. For those looking for healthier alternatives to make detoxing from aspartame easier I have switched from Orbit gum to Pr gum which is aspartame free. I switched to Zevia diet soda which is sweetened with stevia and it is better than I thought it would be. Amazon offers a rainbow pack where they send a case that includes 2 cans of every flavor they offer. I now use monk fruit sweetener to sweeten my coffee in the morning. The only other sugar free item I used sometimes was sugar free maple syrup. From now on I will just use regular maple syrup. This has made my transition easier even though the detox side effects have been rough. Reading the posts here was very helpful as I thought I was getting some form of facial bells palsy with the muscle twitches on one side of my chin! ?! Crazy that one chemical can reek havoc on your system and the FDA allows it. I will be filing a complaint as well.
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Posted by Travis (Northern Ky) on 03/07/2013
I just found out about this website a week ago. Some of the stuff seems pretty far fetched but some hits the nail on the head. This being one that I truely believe. I quit smoking about 3 yrs ago and started chewing gum to get over that habit, so now thats my habit mainly cause I feel I have sour breath. I am going to try the peroxide mouth wash method to remedy that. But back to my point I have been chewing the crap out of gum with aspertame in it and have been trying to cut down/stop and noticed that I have been getting some of these symptoms but most people have wrote about diet soda but havent read much about it being in gum, I guess the amount in the gum could cause the same effects?. Hopefully I kick this habit and these side effects roll out with the habit.
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Posted by Timh (Louisville, Ky, Usa) on 06/28/2012 2048 posts
It's been reported that the big champion MS promoter Michael J. Fox was once awarded a truck-load of diet cola for doing a commercial for the manufacturer way back in the day when he was in good health, which really helped launch the Aspartame - MS connection. This observation has been disputed and I haven't researched it, but have little doubt because the profit industry always does the cover-ups and MJF seems to intentionally indulge and exaggerate his condition while on camera. MJF associates have reported this while saying he's just fine most-times.
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Posted by Jenny (Columbus, Oh) on 06/27/2012
This site has been a Godsend to me over the past week. About a week ago, I began worrying that the muscle spasms and difficulty swallowing I had been having was related to MS. The next day, I went from drinking 5-6 diet cokes a day to drinking 1. I have been a very heavy diet coke drinker for many years. The next day, I began having even more symptoms. I began having heart palpitations, shakes, dizziness, insomnia, etc. I plan to stop the diet coke altogether later this week and I am scared to death I will have more symptoms. I feel I need to do it though, otherwise I really will make myself sick.
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Posted by Pat (Marion, Wi) on 05/16/2012
After consuming multiple two liter bottles of diet coke daily for 30 years, it was suggested to me that my pain symptoms could be aspartame poisoning. I quit dc within a day and for a while everything was improving... My mind was clearer, the pins and needles in my face are gone, I could stand longer, and I could go on. However, two weeks into detox and I am having serious muscle spasms, confusion, and red ant sting after effects in my legs. I must say that my desire for real food is coming back. I do have two questions: 1) Are there any recommendations besides a good multiple vitamin and 2) how long does withdrawal take?
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Posted by Sue (Houston, Tx) on 01/22/2012
Wow! I love reading other's experiences and realizing all these symptoms I have been telling my husband about are REAL. I quit diet coke (over 20-year habit) right after Christmas 2011 and am almost one-month DC-free! I have had shakes, muscle spasms, twitching, and extreme moodiness. I also feel like I have had some depression, but this seems to be brought on by the stress of worrying that I have a chronic illness such as Parkinsons or ALS. Thank you all for sharing your experiences. It helps to know others are going through the same thing. I will never drink another diet coke in my life!!
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Posted by Ofundude30 (Lawton, Ok) on 08/15/2011
Hi I was wondering if anyone else has expierenced a red swelling around the elbow and very painful from the use of Splenda I have and the first time I woke up with it that way and could not bend at the elbow for nothing. Got off Splenda and now I do not have that problem anymore.
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Posted by Greg (Allentown, Pa) on 09/07/2010
I took my girlfriend to the emergency room of the hospital, she awoke in the night with severe stomach pains. We couldn't figure out why? After a thorough exam the doctor said she had a severe inflammation in her bowels, due to what he didn't know. My girlfriend has diabetes, so she started substituting her caloric intake with artificial sweeteners and as a good boyfriend I decided to support her and do the same. I already had my suspicions about aspartame sweeteners, I never felt right after consuming diet sodas or chewing gum. Well to make a long story short I have had one too many horrific episodes using aspartame e.i. (stomach cramps, spasms, dry mouth, panic attacks), that I have swore off the use and hope others do the same. It's not worth it!
