Hi I am a new member. I am a 40 year old woman with 3 children ages
17, 4 1/2 and 2 1/2. Here is my story.

I have been a heavy diet soda drinker ever since it came out on the
market. I was drinking 6-8 cans a day not including stops here and
there for a super-sized diet drink at the local fast food restaurant
when I was out and about. I also have been consuming foods
containing aspartame to try and lose weight forever. About 2 years
ago after the birth of my 3rd child I began having heart
palpitations, dizziness, chest pains and numbness and tingling going
down the left side of my body. I have been to the ER multiple
times, I have had EKGs, heart stress tests, MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds,
blood tests, etc.. I have seen a Neurologist, ENT, Gastrol
(spelling?) doctor, Chiropractor, Physical Therapists, Massage
Therapists, dentist. No one could every find anything wrong with
me. Oh, wait I did find out I have Reflux, Anxiety Attacks (ya,
over worrying about what is wrong with me!) and I am overweight!!!
A month ago I decided to start over with a new Family Practice
doctor, he told me that I had already been through the "million
dollar work up" and that I should feel good to know that there was
nothing seriously wrong with me. He said I was having Anxiety
Attacks and prescribed Zoloft. I was elated! I finally could blame
my symptoms on something! I was willing to accept that this was my
problem, because my mother had suffered from depression and anxiety
her entire life and it is hereditary. After time, I began to deal
with daily life much better, however the tingling and numbness
continued in fact it started to get worse, I still would get dizzy
out of no where. I would get this pins and needle tingling that
started at the top of my head and would cover my entire face and
down both sides of my body all the way to my feet. I had been told
by friends that it sounded like I had MS. I looked up MS symptoms
on the internet and was convinced that I had it. I called my doctor
and told him that I wasn't convinced that Anxiety was my problem, he
told me to give it time. That same day I went back on the internet
and searched for Anxiety Attacks to see if anyone else diagnosed
with Anxiety Attacks experienced the same symptoms as I had. I came
across the Aspartame articles and read down the 92 symptoms and
could not believe how many of them I had and then I found that
Aspartame Poisoning mimics many diseases including MS!!!!! I was
appalled as I read on and the word "self-emballing" was used. I
immediately stopped all asparatame products. It has been almost 3
weeks and my symptoms have not completely gone away, however they
are less severe. I am also now finding out that the pains in my neck
and shoulder have started to be almost nonexistent...I always
thought I was getting arthritis. I have been taking minerals and
antioxidants to help my body rid of this awful poison I have been
shoving down my throat for more years than I care to say. I am also
horrified to find out that I have been doing the same thing to my
children. Antiobiotics, Tylenol, Benedryl, Vitamins.... they all
contain aspartame!! What are we suppose to give our children!!!!
My teenage son has always chewed gum, ate mints, etc... Now I think
about everytime he complained about stomach aches and headaches and
I would just tell him to "wear a hat", "get more sleep", "eat
better". He was probably suffering from the same thing!! I drank
tons of caffiene free diet soda while I was pregnant with my last 2
children, they were both born severely anemic and the doctors could
not come up with an answer why.... I wonder if it was the
aspartame?????

I am angry that I have spent all this time worrying and not being
the best mom and wife because I have had such terrible mood swings,
I've been so tired that it was hard for me to get up and play, I was
yelling all of the time and frustrated with life in general when
there was no reason to be frustrated. I am most angry about all the
money I have spent on doctors trying to find out what was wrong with
me.

I will tell the world how awful this poison is!!!

How can they keep this on the market? I don't understand why it
continues when it is obvious so many people are having these
symptoms!!!

I have one question that I hope someone will answer. Has anyone had
the same or similar symptoms as I have, if so how long did it take
you to get rid of it, if at all??