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I was just wondering how unusual this allergy is. I went through an extensive series of tests to determine what I was allergic to when I started developing hives and large areas of swelling. The tests showed environmental allergies but no food allergies. I cleaned my living quarters with bleach. I covered my bed and pillows with plastic covers. I still had allergic reactions. They gradually became so bad that I was in the ER every weekend. Since some of the swellings were on my eyes and mouth, I would joke that soon people would think that I was just using allergies as a way to cover up my boyfriend beating me up.. Eventually after I went to a whole team of doctors (who ran all the tests again plus more with the same results) I was told that I was beyond medical knowledge and that there was no way of treating me. I then went to a dermatologist. She put me on a very strict diet and after two weeks I was to add back one thing at a time that I normally consumed. The first thing that I added back was diet sodas. I soon after started to break out in hives. I told the doctor this and she agreed that I was allergic to artificial sweeteners. I started reading labels and found that even if it does not state that it is "diet" or reduced sugar it can still contain artificial sweeteners. Even Chapstick contains artifical sweeteners. I have already lost two jobs because of this allergy. I even got into an argument with a girl at a restaurant because she put light mayonnaise on my sandwich. Sorry to ramble on but this has been so frustrating. Does anyone else have this problem or any other unusual allergy? People with the most common allergies have support groups so maybe we can form one? Anyone else want to get their frustrations off their chests?
Woah...I never had it that bad. Headaches and rashes..some ill body feelings...but WOW.
Maybe you should look into a type of detox. It made all my etcs go away.
I did the master cleanse but there are all different types of way to detox.
I would go with raw food diet detox since you are having heavy problems. Its a lot more gentle than a juice or water fast.
I just wanted to tell my story. I started traveling a lot more and didn't want to gain weight from eating out so much, so in June I started eating healthier food or low fat, sugar free food and drinking tea with Splenda in it. By the end of June I was having vision problems and went to several eyes Dr.s who said nothing was wrong, but yet I couldn't see, was having blurry and double vision. And I started having terrible migraines. Then one day I was going to work and had a panic attack, once I got home, 8 hours later I couldn't leave the house, I just kept getting sicker and the only thing I was drinking was sweet tea with Splenda, diet pops, and eating sugar free yogurt, fruit juices and things were getting worse. I started having N/V and terrible stomach cramps. I was also having high blood pressure, I fell in the mall parking lot for no reason. I couldn't remember things and I was an emotional wreck. I had all the test done, blood work, MRI, EKG and etc. Nothing wrong, must be stress. So finally I tried to figure out what changed when all of this started happening. And is was the increase intake of artificial sweeteners. I have quit them and am reading every label. It has only been 5 days now. But I am feeling somewhat normal. I am not having panic attacks, my heart is no longer beating out of my chest, my eye sight is a little better, my blood pressure is back to normal, the rash on my face is gone, but I am still very tired, my stomach is upset constantly and I still have some headaches. But I believe that I was being poisoned and it will take awhile to get it all out of my system. I hope I get back to normal and can go back to work soon. I thought I was going to die and now at least I am feeling better.
jmmrn, I have learned through what I have been through that not only food products contain artificial sweeteners. Chapstick and other lipbalms can contain it because it is often licked off. And some companies are starting to add some lesser known artificial sweeteners to save on cost without labeling them reduced sugar or sugar-free. While dextrose is okay, Maltodextrine,while not officially an artificial sweetener, is almost as bad as other artificial sweeteners. Sucralose, Aspartame, Saccharine, and Acesulfame-Potassium are the top four. There is also one called neotame. Stevia, sorbitol, and xylitol are others to look out for. With so many people concerned with weight loss and an increase in diabetes, artificial sweeteners are becoming very popular. A friend of mine swears by artificial sweeteners and probably thinks that I am making this up to not have to lose weight. I hope that this information helps and hope that you start feeling alot better. I know how this can affect work. I am currently looking for a WAH job so that my allergies dont keep me from working.
can you tell me what brand of chapsticks has artificial sweetener? i didnt know this or even think to look. i try to use natural brands but sometimes i need some and just buy one at the conv. store. Stevia is an herb. did you mean to watch out for it or did you suggest it?
YES!!!!!! And it's making me so angry how they're sneaking it into food and beverages these days. You REALLY have to read labels carefully to make sure there's no artificial sweetener in products, grrrrr.
I have Lupus but, before I was diagnosed, I would get really, really sick after drinking iced tea at a friend's house. I started to realize that it was only after I visited her that I would have pounding, blinding headaches and diarrhea. At my next visit, I asked her what she put in the tea. ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS! And since she was always on a diet, LOL, the cookies she served had it in them, too. I have to be very careful when I eat or drink at other people's homes and, in the past, when I've gotten sick, I call and ask them if any of the refreshments they served were "low cal" or "dietetic." The answer has always been "yes." Now, I ask my hosts/hostesses to make sure before I eat anything.
The reason I mentioned Lupus is that, since I've been diagnosed, I've read articles about the artificial sweeteners affecting many Lupus patients really badly. So, now, this is all making sense. The headaches I would get from artificial sweeteners were INCREDIBLY painful -- the kind where it hurts even to lay your head on a soft pillow. Terrible things, and they'd take up to two days to go away.
I have been told that stevia is used as an artificial sweetener so I naturally avoid it. I can't afford even one more trip to the hospital so I haven't even tried it yet. I don't know what affect it would have then. If anyone with this issue has tried it, please let us know what happened please? As to the other question, it is usually the flavored ones that contain artificial sweeteners and this goes for almost all brands. The ones labeled as natural or organic tend to be fine. If I need lipbalm I always use Carmex. I have never had a problem with their products and they work great. Living in a dry climate it has been a blessing that I found it. I just read the article. WOW! Lupus was one of the things that I was tested for. I didn't know that this is possibly why. But not even one of them even thought to ask how much sugar-free items I used.
Last edited by indigorose; 09-22-2008 at 06:11 PM..
Reason: aditional info
Oh, ok. maybe they said 'artificial sweetener' because it is not sugar?? out of curiousity a few years ago, i grew a stevia plant. it tasted exactly like splenda/nutrasweet, etc. i then bought the little green packets. (they also make a liquid form). i don't use it as much now. i just use organic sugar. thanks for the lipbalm info.
Quite possibly that is the reason I was told to stay away from stevia. But since it does taste like splenda and nutrasweet, I think I might still avoid it. That taste helps alert me to items that contain it when I go out to eat. I have often encountered situations where the employees were not aware of srtificial sweeteners being in the food. There have also been times when they have accidentally started the fill the glass with diet, dump it out and fill it with regular soda not realizing that some the artificial sweeteners are most likely still present. If I use Stevia I might become immune to that taste. But thank you for the info. I will pass it on to others that don't visit C-D but don't want to really on artificial sweeteners.
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. Eventually after I went to a whole team of doctors (who ran all the tests again plus more with the same results) I was told that I was beyond medical knowledge and that there was no way of treating me. I then went to a dermatologist. She put me on a very strict diet and after two weeks I was to add back one thing at a time that I normally consumed. The first thing that I added back was diet sodas. I soon after started to break out in hives. I told the doctor this and she agreed that I was allergic to artificial sweeteners. I started reading labels and found that even if it does not state that it is "diet" or reduced sugar it can still contain artificial sweeteners. Even Chapstick contains artifical sweeteners. I have already lost two jobs because of this allergy. I even got into an argument with a girl at a restaurant because she put light mayonnaise on my sandwich. Sorry to ramble on but this has been so frustrating. Does anyone else have this problem or any other unusual allergy? People with the most common allergies have support groups so maybe we can form one? Anyone else want to get their frustrations off their chests?
Splenda Made Me Sick
