Aspartame Intolerance? Totally OT

[Camno's Mama]

I actually posted a thread about gluten free lifestyles the other day because I'm trying to figure out why I have so many stomach issues.

I have also been wondering about aspartame, and whether that is the cause. My symptoms seemed to get way worse when I started drinking Diet Coke on a daily basis.

Anyone have problems with it? What were they? And how long did it take from them to go away once you "quit" your aspartame habit???

I know that this isn't Disney related, but there is such a wealth of experiences on this board!!!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

You could have a sensitivity to it. I would cut it out totally from your diet. It is really not good for you at all. Give it a few weeks without it and see how you feel. Good luck!

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

Before I was diagnosed w/ cancer and went through treatments I had no problems w/ sweet n low or anything made w/ artificial sweetners. Now I can't touch anything that has artifical sweetners it hurts my stomach w/in the first sip or bite.

 

[Belle1962]

I've been allergic to aspartame since it came out. And yes, they traced mine to the Diet Cokes I drank on Tuesday nights at Bingo (I got sick on Wednesdays) and only drank soda at Bingo. "Gastro" type issues ---don't roam too far from the bathroom type, headaches and swollen lips!!!

There have also been studies that aspartame has interefered with brain activity in lab rats/mice.

 

[acmomma]

I believe I have an intolerance to aspartame. I would get very bad headaches and also get real sick to my stomach as well. I am a celiac so I do have and intolerance to gluten. When I would have aspartame I would have some of the same reactions I have if I get glutened. I have not had aspartame in a long long time. But I noticed a difference right away from giving it up. Good Luck in finding what is behind your stomach issues.

 

[bumbershoot]

Not the same thing, but when I gave up diet soft drinks in college and started drinking ONE "real" soda a day (instead of the multiple diet drinks), I lost a good 5-10 pounds. I traced it back to the sodium; at least back then there was far more sodium in the diet drinks than in the full calorie drinks.

I'm just not big into chemicals in our foods; would much prefer sugar vs aspartame or even high fructose corn syrup...

 

[mnasmom3]

I get headaches. I noticed it from those diet powder packets you put in bottles of water. I was using 4 or 5 a day sometimes. I started getting severe headaches every day. It took me a while to figure it out but once I did it was only days before I felt fine again. I think mine is more of an intolerance than an allergy.

 

[minkydog]

I can't tolerate much aspartame and my sister can't have it at all--it gives her heart palpitations and she feels like she's gonna die For me it just makes me headachey and irritable, like I'm sad or something. I'd rather drink water , tea, or a full sugar soft drink. I'm not a big soda drinker anyway; one a day is my limit and some days i don't drink that. I'd rather drink the real thing than chemicals.

 

[holly7347]

If cutting back on aspartame doesn't help your stomach any consider lactose intolerance. Both myself and my oldest DD are lactose intolerant. I was fine until my early 20's and suddenly eating a bowl of ice cream would make me think I was going to die. The intense stomach pain was nearly unbearable. Ice cream was the worst for me but I would also get stomach pains, gas etc after mac & cheese, or even home made waffles with milk. But I was still able to eat yogurt and a slice or two of cheese with no problems. Now I rarely eat ice cream but if I do want some or some mac and cheese I take some lactaid pills and I'm fine.

I think my DD has been lactose intolerant since birth. She was breastfed and very gasy. And when we started offering her cow milk she flat out refused it. We figured out she was lactose intolerant when she would always wake up in the middle of the night complaining of her stomach hurting after an evening at Grandmas house. Asked grandma what she was feeding her and she was giving her ice cream. Took away the ice cream and no more screaming of stomach pains in the middle of the night. She now drinks lactose free cow milk (she will have nothing to do with soy) and can eat yogurt and cheese like me with no problems.

 

[kms67]

A few months ago, my then 4 yr old daughter had a couple of days of "bathroom issues" and I was puzzled. Then I realized that the new Dors the Explorer vitamins that she had just started taking had aspartame! Stopped the vitamins and tummy went back to normal! Now she is on only the Disney Gummies- they are one of the few without aspartame.

I would rather my kids have natural sugar in their foods/drinks then all of the artificial stuff any day!

Kris

 

[higgy66]

Aspartame gave me an irregular heart beat and I ended up in hospital!

It was in all the diet yogurts etc I was eating.

Now I never have low fat anything as they all contain artificial sugar and since going full fat I've lost weight!

For the last 10 years we all eat 20% less fat but we're all bigger?- the reason is we eat way too much "hidden" sugar.

 

[SoonipiLady]

Discovered it when in High School Crystal Light came out and everyone was drinking it. Made me sick to my stomach, made my heart race and I got the sweats.

On an up note, Coca Cola company is trying to switch to Stevia for it's diet beverages (a South American herb). This of course after helping keep it out of our foods for years along with the makers of equal & splenda!

Now that they want to use it in their products, it's full steam ahead for FDA approval! Gotta love big corporate America

 

[redwingfan3991]

I cant do aspertame either. I LOVED diet coke, but it would cause
me unbelievable migraines.
So now I have to really look at the lables to make sure they
arent sneaking any aspertame into my food!!

 

[Camno's Mama]

Well, today is going to be my first day aspartame free! I am a big McDonald's Coke fan. Some like Starbuck's, but for me it's McDonald's (and pop instead of coffee!) I switched to Diet because I wanted to limit cavities, but I think I will switch back and just limit my intake due to the real sugar. I did notice that when I switched, I gradually started drinking more pop. I would only have about one a day unless I went out to eat and got a refill at a restaurant or something. Now, I drink it out of the can some days as well. (My rule was always to keep pop out of the house so that I wouldn't drink it unless I had to leave the house to get it).

I have tried this before because of my stomach issues, and I had dedided that it wasn't the aspartame, but I'm going to make a more concentrated effort this time. Checking labels, etc. I don't eat any "diet" food. I'm pretty careful about that since I really don't think it's good for you, but maybe I had been eating it somewhere I wasn't aware of. Thanks for all of your responses! I can't wait to figure out what causes my problems!

For those of you that were "heavier" users...how long until you didn't have the symptoms anymore...especially those that have gastro issues?

 

[Minniemouse07]

My sister reacted to aspertame pretty soon after it was introduced way back when. She was really excited about splenda when it came out and used it for a year or so and then started having issues with that too.

Because of this, I try and keep all artificial sweeteners away from our kids. It is REALLY hard to do as most children's medicines contain artificial sweeteners as well as a lot of other things.

Also, WDW's lemonade is the "light" version so that has it in it as well!

 

[Camno's Mama]

I just checked my kids' vitamins, and lo and behold, there is aspartame in them! Why? It just seems a little unnecessary, doesn't it? I may look into new vitamins. Thought I could trust good old Flinstone's chewables...#1 recommended by pediatricians...hmmm.

 

[AlyssinWonderland]

This could be a bit off topic, but I read yesterday on MSN new that studies found that diet soda actually causes you to consume more calories per day. It has something to do with the aspartame in them that makes most ppl actually crave more sugar, food, etc. Thought it was interesting... I'll be staying away from all soda from now on... scary the things that get put in food now adays... And those flinstone vitamins!

 

[Gillian]

Splenda/sucralose is in a lot of things too, often buried far down in the ingredients. It's easier to find aspartame because it has to have the PKU warning.

 

[AC & Savy's Mom]

I also have an intolerance to aspertame. I had an idea that the aspertame was what bothered my stomach, but the other day a friend came over and wanted Diet Coke. I got some for her, and figured one glass for myself wouldn't be so bad! Boy, was I wrong! An hour after I drank it I was in the bathroom, and I had cramping (and more) for 48 hours!! Now, I drink water! I don't want to feel like that again, if I can help it!

So glad this thread was started...I didn't realize it affected so many people!

~Tami