2 years ago last May I quit smoking and started chewing sugar free gum. About 3 months ago I was taken off my anti anxiety meds and really started chewing gun, one piece after another! I am a type 2 diabetic and for several months my sugar has been out of line. This morning my fasting blood was 260. I can only attribute that to the diet soda I drank before going to bed and the gum chewing. I use everything and almost everything Splenda.

I had asked my endocrinologist about artificial sweeteners, in fact several doctors, if they knew of side affects from artificial sweeteners, Splenda in particular. None of them knew anything so this has gone on for a long period of time unchecked.

I have been taking meds. for fibromyalgia, infusions for rheumatoid arthritis, more and more stronger meds. for diabetes, and I am  on oxygen for interstitial lung disease which the doctors believe is rheumatoid lung. The infusions of rituxin were every 6 months but I have gone a little longer this time because my husband looked up the vitamins the meds were depleting and I take about 15 of them daily. I am still very achy in the neck and shoulders. My legs feel very heavy which was attributed to low oxygen, my feet hurt at night, often cramp up in the arches and have developed bone spurs.

I was taken off the anti anxiety meds because they feared it was the cause of my memory problems. Now I nearly manic with energy and have started stuttering and stumbling. I see my endocrinologist tomorrow and plan to show him your web site that maybe he will now pass this information to his patients.

I am having difficulty getting to sleep with out my meds and it did not take care of the memory problems getting off them.

I will miss the outlet of chewing gum and am totally addicted to coffee with sweetener, also in my  tea and particularly diet soda. I will miss them and this will not be a pretty.
did I mention I am on strong acid reducers because of GERD?

Even though I will loose my LTD which I have been on for 2 years if I do get better I look forward to it. I have become reclusive and do not feel comfortable around other people which would make customer service (which I used to do well) a painful prospect.

Thank you for all this information. I will order the book and pray! I do not like putting rituxin in my body and have put it off for 2 months (beyond the normal 6) but I am due.

Anytime diet chemicals are used and health symptoms, including depression and anxiety, loom as chronic, ALWAYS remove the diet chemicals and your health symptoms should lessen quickly and, most likely, disappear.

It's sad that modern medicine refuses to get on board - true healers are never closed minded, but docs seem to be. Where's the old-fashioned scientist in them?  Lost in time.

You have a good counselor - keep listening and learning from him. His point is to make you strong, confident, daring, bold, self-assured, and self-empowered on your own. We are all here as guides; but YOU are the only one to take charge of your destiny. You have apparently started on that journey. Good for you. Stronger falth, happiness, independence, and a better future await you.