I was fortunate to have begun my own internet search for info about Aspartame, in early December 2003. It only took a few hours to find enough evidence to convince me to totally abstain from this toxic substance. A recovering alcoholic (drank very heavily from adolescence to age 27), I had developed “reactive hypoglycemia” in 1981 (blood glucose level 34 mg/dl @ 3-1/2 hours into a 5 hr. GTT). To “treat” the hypoglycemia, I eliminated simple carbohydrates and sugars from my diet, and substituted sugar-sweetened sodas with diet drinks. The symptoms of the hypoglycemia abated, but within 7 years I became a very labile diabetic. I continued to use the Aspartame-laden products for several years. My diabetes was extremely difficult to control, and other changes took place. After a bout with a bacterial pneumonia in the summer of 1991, with which I lost about 40 pounds, I have never been able to get my weight much above 150 lb. (I am 5′ 10″). In 2001, I mysteriously developed high blood pressure, though my cardiac & circulatory condition proved excellent, and cholesterol and triglyceride levels were very good. The hypertension was treated successfully with lisinopril, for about a year, when the blood pressure began to increase again. The lisinopril dosage was doubled, and again the hypertension remained in control for about another year. At that point, my endocrinologist tried an array of antihypertensive drugs, from Clonidine to Lotrel and diuretics. The lack of any logical explanation for the high blood pressure caused me to take a careful look at my lifestyle. I had quit smoking cigarettes (April 1983), and the levels of stress were not significantly changed. The one thing that came to mind was the fact that I consumed moderately large quantities of diet soda, and other products containing Aspartame. The aforementioned internet search soon took me to the Dorway website. After reading much of the info on that site, I immediately stopped using everything containing Aspartame. At 3 months, one unexpected benefit was a complete disappearance of shoulder pain, formerly diagnosed by an orthopedic surgeon as “diabetic frozen shoulder”.
I can now actually shoot baskets with my daughter, and the range of motion has returned to almost normal. Also, my vision has actually improved, documented by semi-annual visits to my ophthalmologist. 20/55 left eye and 20/50 right eye has improved to 20/25 and 20/20! My intraocular pressure (22-23 in 2003) has dropped (17-18 in Feb. 2005). My complaints of “bright spots” diminished to almost nothing, but the Dr. is monitoring “background retinopathy” and a nevus near the optic nerve of the left eye. I shared with him my certainty that the improvements in vision are a direct result of stopping the use of Aspartame. Other effects, unfortunately, have not subsided. At age 50, I suffer from moderately severe ED. The new drugs for treating this disorder have not been effective, nor was a trial of transdermal testosterone patches. My diabetes is still difficult to control, but better with an insulin pump (I am considered type 1, as there is no evidence of pancreatic function). The blood pressure continues to fluctuate at times, and I have difficulty with fatigue and inability to focus on my work (I am a manufacturing engineer). All this said, however, I can only consider myself fortunate to have learned of the dangers of Aspartame when I did. I am certain that I would now be in much worse physical condition, perhaps even dead. I would guess that there are many thousands of people who have been permanently impaired and physically compromised by Aspartame poisoning. Nonetheless, I am offering use of my information by you, or anyone else that is able to use it, for the furtherance of the cause of banning Aspartame. It seems that the love of money truly is the root of this evil!