Report: Aspartame is Neurotoxic and Worsens Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Report: Aspartame is Neurotoxic and Worsens Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=5645&t=CFIDS_FM

Much thanks to Jacki for alerting me to this article. When I get lupus flares, I also get sores in my mouth, and tend to drink lots of diet dr. pepper because water doesn't seem to cut through the film in my mouth. This could be increasing my flare symptoms. Interesting article. There are more out there.

thanks for posting this Michelle.
I'm not a soda drinker, but I live on that walmart brand black cherry carbonated water that is just loaded with aspartame. It's amazing the hundreds of other foods that have it in them too. I"m gonna remove it from my diet for a month and see what happens, will let you all know if it makes a difference.

Thanks Michelle

It's been over a month with no aspartame...and I haven't noticed a difference in my pain levels at all. Could be my flare is just too bad for it to make a difference. Going to continue avoiding it in the hopes that if this flare ever settles down maybe it will make a difference the next time. Will let you know what happens.

I don't know much about it. But I hope something hopes for both of you

How you feeling today Jacki?

I went off of it for awhile and it made no difference at all. I'd rather have the poison and at least have a little joy in my life with my wonderful diet Dr. Pepper! He's a pepper, she's a pepper..I'm a pepper..we're a pepper...wouldn't ya like to be a pepper too?

This latest "flare" has lasted so long that I'm beginning to think that the higher pain levels are permanent. It just won't go back down to the levels it was before Nov or Dec. It does fluctuate a bit within the higher range, but won't let up like it should. I guess I'm just going to have to adapt.

Since I'm not a soda drinker I didn't have giving it up to deal with. As for the flavored water I was drinking all the time, I just switched to another brand that doesn't use aspartame. I'll stick with it for a while longer and see what happens. Can't hurt!

Sorry for my ignorance, there's nothing that could be done to slow down these flares?

pain meds will help until the flare settles down Brianna, but I can't take any of them. Steroids will help it settle quicker sometimes but they are brutal to take and I would just as soon avoid them if I can. This has just been too long with the pain levels so high...usually doesn't last this long even without the meds.

I've been dealing with the same thing since November, Jacki...what is it? It's like this non-stop flare instead of the usual hit and miss thing that I used to have. The flares would come on strong, then they would die down. This one started sometime around the end of November and really never ended. It got hot and heavy in February and has stayed that way. I am with you, I think it's here to stay and I'm going to have to learn how to deal with it. I certainly won't be taking morphine every day, nor will I be on the steroids. I won't be on steroids because of the mental stuff or the constant food addiction or whatever it does that makes me insane about wanting food constantly for no reason. Even tho I eat, my blood sugar will take a nose dive. Then, even if it doesn't take a nose dive, I'm constantly thinking about what I want to eat. I don't even want to get on the scales right now. I had lost 100 pounds, and the last time I was weighed, I had gained 30 of them back, and I don't want any more discouragement. I tried getting up and being active the other day, thinking that might help, but the pain that evening almost took me to the breaking point, so...there really isn't an answer but to learn to cope. I feel for you, Sis...I'm so sorry you are having to go through this. I don't have the responsibilities you do. If I don't want to get up and get moving, I don't have to. I can't imagine what you have to go through just to get up and get moving every day.

Thanks Michelle!

I can trace my flare to be beginning of november when I started taking care of Mrs. B every day. When she got worse and required more of my time and energy my flare got worse. And then all the stress with her hallucinations, wandering, getting her in the hospital and then the nursing home just really escalated everything. I thought for sure that once we got her apartment closed out and everything else settled that it would start calming down but it hasn't. Hasn't gotten any worse, but no better either. I have days where it lets up a little, then WHAM!
Since I can't take the pain meds it's been really brutal. Getting up and going every day is a major challenge but I have no choice ... got two princesses depending on me.

I think if you start activity on a smaller and slower scale than moving porch furniture you may not have such a flare. You did too much and your body let you know it! Maybe just do the sweeping on the porch for a week or two, then move on to something a bit more than that. You have to go slow and easy to keep from flaring when you start new activities.


Done with Mrs. B for today and the lawn is begging to be cut..want to get it done before the kids get back.

Yes, Mother.....