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On 24 December 2004, we received this note from S.C. of Pensacola, FL, concerning their use of sucralose.
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"Around 1997, I began a low carb diet. I had used Equal in small amounts for many years with no problems. However, once I entered the maintenance phase of my diet, I began to experiment with tasty desserts. I made my own condiments such as ketchup, with aspartame, and began to increase my morning coffee intake in order to avoid snacking at work. I would say I more than doubled my daily intake of aspartame. By 2000, I began to experience a tight chest and difficulty breathing, which I thought at first was an allergy. An allergist put me on an inhaler, diagnosing me with Asthma. After a few months, my symptoms did not improve but got worse (coincidentally, around that time I had begun making my own chocolate candy with Equal and often over-indulging in it). After a trip to the emergency room, I was diagnosed (loosely) with possible Panic Disorder and told I did not have Asthma. After reading up on it and 8 or so visits to a psychologist, I (and he) was convinced that I did not have an anxiety disorder. I then started to explore a hormone imbalance, since I was menopausal and had just had a hysterectomy, also in 2000, due to fibroid tumors growing rapidly. Various over-the-counter hormonal supplements gave no relief.
About the same time, I read about the possible link with aspartame and anxiety symptoms, so I switched to Splenda without decreasing my daily intake. In fact, once the multitude of low-carb products became the norm, I began to buy more such products, and increased my intake. I was able to expand the range of items I ate, never suspecting that Splenda might have the same effect. My husband and I began enjoying Splenda-sweetened Ice Cream! Since my symptoms only worsened, I stopped thinking that aspartame was the culprit and fully concentrated my efforts on the hormone thing. Doctors were really only willing to accept that I had an anxiety problem and put me on Prozac and Buspar, as well as Synthroid and Cenestin. (I was also having hot flashes and a swollen thyroid gland with a non-cancerous nodule). By 2002, I was experiencing joint pain, especially in my hands, and ringing in my ears.
That takes me until a few weeks ago. The Prozac and Buspar (Prozac begun a year ago and Buspar added a month ago) only helped mildly. Then I read on the internet about Splenda having the same possible side effects as aspartame. So, in the past few weeks I have dramatically cut my intake of all artificial sweeteners and guess what? The chest muscles (or whatever) are relaxing and the breathing difficulty is going away. I can't be certain that this is my solution, but I finally think I might have found the answer. It is a longer and more complicated story than that, and far from over, but this is as short and simple as I can tell it. I hope it makes sense - but it's been very confusing to live through, muchless write about. Please put me on your mailing list - if you have one. I will help you or anyone if I can be of any service. Feel free to pass my story along to anyone who might be interested. Wish me well!"
Thank you S.C. for sharing your story with our visitors.
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