I have! Any diet/sugar-free product made with it seems to result in
seizures within 24-36 hours after I use it. I'm overweight and I like Diet
Coke. But I can't drink it! Even cough drops made with it cause seizures!

    Some don't believe that aspartame causes seizures/lowers your
threshold. But I do!

     A poster named "Rounder3" posted on this subject nearly 3 years
ago. You're probably seen it, or it is similar to what you're referring to.
Here is that post:
------------

I know there have been a lot of posts about the dangers of aspartame but
after reading this, I thought it important to share with you.

"Aspartame" marketed as 'NutraSweet', 'Equal', and 'Spoonful'.  In
the keynote address by the EPA, they announced that there was an
epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus, and they did not
understand what toxin was causing this to be rampant across the
United States.  I explained that I was there to lecture on exactly that
subject.

    When the temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degreesF, the wood
alcohol in Aspartame converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid
which in turn causes metabolic acidosis.  (Formic acid is the poison
found in the sting of fire ants).  The methanol toxicity mimics multiple
sclerosis in error.  The multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, where
methanol toxicity is.

   In the case of systemic lupus, we are finding it has become almost as
rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi
drinkers.

   Also with methanol toxicity, the victims usually drink three to four
12oz. cans of them per day, some even more.  In the cases of systemic
lupus, which is triggered by Aspartame, the victim usually does not
know that the aspartame is the culprit .. The victim continues its use,
aggravating the pupus to such a degree, that sometimes it becomes
life-threatening.  When we get people off the aspartame those with
systemic lupus usually become symptomatic. Unfortunately, we cannot
reverse this disease.

    On the other hand in the case of those diagnosed with MS, when in
reality, the disease is methanol toxicity most of the symptoms disappear.
We have seen cases where their vision has returned and even their
hearing has returned. This also applies to cases of tinnitus.

  During a lecture I said, "if you are using Aspartame, NutraSweet, Equal,
Spoonful, etc.) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting
pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches,
tinnitus, joint pain, depression, anxiety attacks slurred speech, blurred
vision, or memory loss, you probably have Aspartame Disease."

   Aspartame changes the brain's chemistry.  It is the reason for severe
seizures. This drug changes the dopamine level in the brain imagine what
this drug does to patients suffering from Parkinson's Disease.  This drug
also causes Birth Defects.

   There is absolutely no reason to take this product.  It is NOT a diet
product!  The Congressional record said "It makes you crave carbohydrates
and will make you FAT".  Dr. Roberts stated that when he got patients off
aspartame, their average weight loss was 19 pounds per person.  The
formaldehyde stores in the fat cells, particularly in the thighs..."

    The article goes on to say..."I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator
of Aspartame knows how deadly it is.  They fund the American Diabetes
Association, American Dietetic Association,  Congress, and the Conference
of the American College of Physicians.  The New York Times on Nov. 15,
1996 ran a article on how the American Dietetic Association takes money
from the food industry to endorse their products.

       Therefore, they cannot criticize any additives or tell about their
link to Monsanto.  How bad is this?  We told a mother who had a child
on NutraSweet, to get off the product.  The child was having grand mal
seizures every day. The mother called her physician, who called the ADA,
who told the doctor not to take the child off the NutraSweet. We are still
trying to convince the mother that the aspartame is causing the seizures.

      Every time we get someone off of aspartame, the seizures stop.  If
the baby dies you know whose fault it is, and what we are up against.
There are 92 documented symptoms of aspartame, from coma to death.
The majority of them are all neurological, because the aspartame destroys
the nervous system.

      The article is quite lengthy and goes on to blame Gulf War Syndrome
on Aspartame as cases of Diet Soda were stored out in the scorching desert
heat and turned the aspartame more deadly.

       After reading the article, there was no question in my mind that
aspartame should be avoided at all costs.

       I believe the article was by Dr. H.J. Roberts, a diabetic
specialist and world expert on aspartame poisoning.  It also refers
to Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of EXCITOTOXINS, THE TASTE THAT KILLS.

Depending if I'm at home all day or not, I drink equivalent of 2-4  6-cup
thermoses (thermii?) of coffee per day.  Last C.P. seizure I had was June
1998....  I don't expect this survey to render 'scientific' results, fwiw.

  I don't drink pop with aspartame (I don't have any weight issues), but I
haven't taken any steps to avoid them either.  I'm sure some of the things I
consume contain aspartame.   No effect on either my Tegretol or Clobazam
(Frisium) use.

 There are Other products that come on advisories with those and other
meds. that would be more likely to conflict with therapeutic levels that
might be blamed on something more innocuous (see post I did Yesterday? about
an acid in Grapefruit Juice affecting Tegretol Levels).
  Since Tegretol and some other meds. are absorbed in the Kidneys (?),
that's 2-4 hours 'downstream of dinner', so if a seizure were to happen, for
example 1 hour after a particular meal,  the Chocolate or Jello might get
blamed for compromising a Med. and might not be the real cause.

  If you're worried about some of the contents that might affect Med.
levels, grab a Frozen Microwave Dinner or canned vegetables and read the
list under 'may or may not contain.... ' .
  I know people who react to monosodium glutamate and can't use MSG in
anything they get at restaurants or cook at home (they don't have seizures),
and others who react to other ingredients.   That's why so many products in
Canada now include those lists on products sold or produced here.  (That
listing was in effect for more than 10 years.)    G. /

Hi there,

I was told by my neurologist about ten years ago that caffeine affected
seizure threshold (after having seizures for 20 years already). I stopped
drinking coffee, coke, tea, eating chocolate,etc. Pretty much all substances
with caffeine in them. Almost immediately the number of seizures I had
halved. (This was easy to gauge as I have about ten CP seizures every day).

I blush only a little when I say I'm back to drinking about six cups of
coffee etc each day.

Darryl.
--
To reply, change daryl to darryl in address.

"It's all fun and games till someone loses an eye"
Quote: My Mum

I never use aspartame. I hate the taste anyway, but since I've read about it
affecting the seizure threshold I take extra steps to avoid it. As for
caffeine, I drink 3-4 cups of tea and 1-2 cups of coffee a day and have for
over 20 years. Doctors have told me that it may affect seizures but I am a
java junkie - all I could do was cut down a bit, or eliminate the coffee but
not the tea. When I get more caffeine than I'm used to, though, I start to
feel a bit unstable and it affects my sleep, which is a definite seizure
trigger.