Aspartame and headaches???

[ADisneygirl]

I used to live on diet drinks, back when they had saccharin in them. When the new sweeteners came on the market and everything but Tab changed, I didn't think anythng of it. Until the horrible headaches began.

My doctor, after an MRI, innumerable tests and x-rays, thought I might be allergic to something and had me do a food diary. I had to write down absolutely everything that passed my lips every day for a week. He looked it over and said we will start eliminating things down the list starting with the most frequently consumed item - diet sodas.

It was hard to go cold turkey off the sodas, but I did it. And the headaches disappeared! Doctor told me that some studies had mentioned that "some" people were experiencing headaches when consuming artificial sweeteners. He told me I was one of them, so I should not consume any. I then went a few weeks without a diet soda, and tried one. Well, one did nothing so smart me thought "I'll just have a one now and then". Bad move because the headaches returned. How they hurt!

I stopped eating or drinking anything with artificial sweeteners in it back then. I don't feel the need to even try any new ones that come on the market. I don't want those headaches back again. Now I have a coke when I get soda-- regular with good old sugar!

 

[Talking Hands]

I wish it was that easy for me. I can't have sugared drinks due to diabetes. I have often wondered why people who can drink sugared drinks would even want to drink diet drinks. I certainly would prefer to be able to drink regular sodas. Before Splenda I was limited to black coffee, iced and regular plain tea and water. Can't tolerate milk either. I just thank God that so far I don't react to Splenda. One daughter tried the Splenda and she can't tolerate that or Aspatame or saccharine. Poor kid. She and her sister drink regular soda and I truely hope they do not become diabetic like me.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Research aspartame online. There's some scary stuff out there! I try not to use it. Sometimes I buy a product that has it in there, but I don't buy aspartame and add it to tea or anything. Haven't had a diet soda in several years.

 

[BethR]

I must be in the minority, but I drink Diet Coke every day all day and I don't have headaches, etc. I know, I know.... you'll tell me that someday it will catch up with me. I guess until I start to see a problem, I am not going to worry about my "habit".

There are much worse things!!

I am with you on this one, CJMM!

 

[Nancy]

I drink Crystal light all the time, but I have no problems with headaches from it and I've been drinking it for years. I know some people are very sensitive to artificial sweeteners, but luckily I'm not one of them.

I only get headaches if I drink the regular ice tea instead of the decaf kind. I used to be hooked on caffeine and Pepsi, but since I quit that and drink only decaf or water, whenever I have the regular stuff I get severe headaches almost right away.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

I like Crystal Light, my head does not. Maybe if it was made with something other than Nutrasweet we'd get along.

 

[Poohnatic]

Drink or eat anything with aspartame and I am one sick person. Headache, muscle pain and weakness, nausea and associated other problems and severe deperession. Seem to do fine with Splenda but I actually drink less soda and more water and tea now. Absolutely no aspartame ever now.

Pretty much the same here...aspartame equals instant migraine for me. Since dropping it almost two years ago, I went from multiple migraines a week to roughly 5 or 6 in eighteen months!

Suzanne

 

[tinatark]

We don't drink diet sodas, but do chew gum with Aspartame in it. No headaches.

My drama queen SIL is quick to tell us about the cancer you get from using Aspertame of any type... MSG cancer... the cancer you get from microwaving your food in styrofoam, or using certain deodorants which keep the cancerous sweat in your body... oh and if you get mosquito bitten, you have a vitamin b (I think) deficiency. She's a poster girl for reasons to use snopes.com... just a little truth and a lot of hype... but it's the honest truth, according to her! Oh! Last thing, I swear - she made those Neiman Marcus Cookies (if you don't know the story, do a search!).. told that story to everyone who would listen! I was SO laughing NOT out loud at her!

Sorry to go so far OT, but that Aspertame question made me think about her!

 

[LadyyRedd]

My story is pretty much the same. A few years ago, I was having constant
headaches. I mean literally constant. I would wake up with them, and after
plying myself with medicine all day, they'd be gone by the time i went to bed.
But I'd wake up the next day with one. Dr ran tons of test on me and couldn't figure it out. Then I'd remembered a story I'd read about Aspartame....and I was a diet caff free coke drinker and crystal light drinker. I stopped drinking both immediately...and within a day my headaches were GONE. If I drink anything with aspartame (or eat or chew, like gum), I get a terrible headache.
I now drink Diet Rite, which is caffeine free and sweetened with Splenda and
have no headaches!
Kimya

 

[grinningghost]

I can't and won't touch the stuff. Straight natural sugar is all I'll use.

Same here. No fake sweeteners at all.

 

[HoneyPooh]

I suffer from migraines and learned years ago to avoid any and all diet drinks. Unfortunately I'm also diabetic and can't have the regular stuff. It's really hard to find something besides regular water and unsweetened tea to drink. I've found a couple of flavored water brands that don't have any sweetener at all but they are hard to come by and none of them are carbonated. I allow myself an occasional regular Pepsi and boy oh boy does that thing taste good .

 

[Queen Quinnella]

Aspartame gives me headaches, I won't touch anything that has it. Splenda does'nt bother me but still does'nt taste as good as "real" sugar.

 

[AtlantaSue]

I was experiencing frequent headaches, nightly back pain, and even had a couple of scary "slurred speech" incidents. I cut out the Aspertame completely and no longer have those problems! I will never go back!!

 

[jrydberg]

Hard to improve on good ole fashioned sugar

 

[sha_lyn]

I try to avoid artificial sweetener, and it is very hard to find something to drink since I'm dieting. I've found only a few drinks that don't have them.

Steaze diet Green tea sodas are pretty good.
Stevia sweet brand Fresh. It is a powdered drink mix (like crystal light, etc) that is sweetened with stevia

I buy both from a food co-op. www.unitedbuyingclubs.com

Publix has very good flavored seltzer that is sugar/sweetener free
I use stevia at home to sweeten tea, coffee and lemonade.

 

[Lezah]

Aspartame and Nutrasweet both flare my migraines in a big way. Just one sip of a Diet Coke sets me into a full blown migraine. Makes dieting lots of fun since then I can't drink any kind of diet pop!! Oh well, I guess that's a good enough excuse to not have to diet .