Effects from eliminating Sweet'N Low from my diet

IRollC30

It has been 9 days since eliminating Sweet'N Low from my daily coffee intake. I have switched to totally black coffee and I'm really feeling the effects.

I typically drink 3-14oz cups of coffee each day. Two in the morning and one in the afternoon when I get home from work. Each 14oz cup would have 3 packets of Sweet'N Low.

9 days ago I stopped by Sweet'N Low habit because I felt that I have been consuming too many artificial sweeteners. Plus, I had read some place that artificial sweeteners cause your body to release insulin, which in turn make you hungrier.

In any event, I have to admit that I have had the following symptoms since removing Sweet'N Low from my diet and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced the same thing:
-General fatigue
-Very low energy, especially after exercise
-Shaking and headaches (similar as when I don't eat enough calories - hypoglycemia)

Has anyone else experience this? If so, how long will it be before I'm out of the woods? I hate this and I'm REALLY tempted to start back up on my habit...

WillowBreeze

This is interesting... despite the bad reputation that artificial sweetener has, I use them. My body doesn't handle the effects of real sugar so I either use it, or live life bland I'm sorry I have no good advice or words of wisdom for you bu I am curious to see what others think.

Chief_Rocka

Did you cut your caffeine intake as well?

IRollC30

No, if anything I've recently increased my caffeine to help counter the effects. I'm not drinking more coffee, just stronger cups.

It's quite bizarre.

I also forgot to mention another symptom. If I stand up too fast I get lightheaded.

Between 10am (now) and noon (when I eat lunch) I begin to get the "shakes". I can't keep my hands steady until I eat my lunch. I haven't changed my caloric intake for breakfast or lunch (I've been eating basically the same thing for breakfast and lunch for months now).

skinnybitchbarbie27

Call your doctor.

No one here is qualified to tell you wheather or not your symptoms are "normal".

Chief_Rocka

I've never heard of artificial sweetners having this effect. I would agree with the call your doctor advice, you might have some blood sugar issues going on.

survivor1952

Call your doctor.

No one here is qualified to tell you wheather or not your symptoms are "normal".

Yes, I agree with this. It could be your thyroid or pancreas adjusting but dr. knows best. Let us know.
I quit artificial sweetners a few months ago (thyroid problems & pre-diabetic) but I have had no bad reactions. If anything I feel much better knowing they are out of my system.

kcrxgirl

Call your doctor.

No one here is qualified to tell you wheather or not your symptoms are "normal".

Agreed, please call your doctor.

cmacphee3

I don't know about the other symptoms, but the lightheaded when standing (and if you see spots or everything fades to black or you faint or even seizure) sounds to me like postural hypotension (I have it). Best advice there is to drink plenty of fluids, if you have regular low blood pressure like me, my doctor told me to add more salt to my diet (I know! Opposite most people), and if you clench your thighs and abs and as many lower muscles as you can when you stand up, it keeps the blood from flowing so quickly out of your brain.

I was tested from laying down to sitting up (where I didn't even FEEL any symptoms) and my systolic number dropped 30 points in a couple seconds, it is much worse when I stand!

I hope that helps.

jlemoore

I had a bad diet coke habit quite a few years ago. I've always said that kicking that was worse than kicking smoking. I don't know if it was the caffine or the sweeteners. But it knocked me out for about a week. Now I won't touch artificial sweeteners.

FredDoyle

The removal of the sweetener may be entirely coincidental. This is the problem of studies with n=1.
Too many confounding factors...

lizzardsm

Doctor's visit might not be a bad idea.

But it sounds like you're experiencing withdrawal. You might have actually been addicted to the artificial sweetener. Keep toughing it out! Try increasing your water intake to help flush it out. Are you drinking 8-12 glasses/day? With the amt of caffeine you drink, you need to stay very well hydrated. If that doesn't help, maybe taper down your sweet-n-low (and supplement with stevia so you can get the sweetness right?) till you don't use it anymore.

Have you tried switching to Stevia? It's a plant based natural sweetener that is 0 calorie and does not affect your insulin levels. People on this site that use it, love it. Just be careful when you buy it. Some of the brands aren't 100% stevia and add other sweeteners like fructose - totally destroying the benefit of the whole no rise in insulin.

PaulineKK

With the shakes and lightheadedness, you may be getting too much caffeine. Still, like the others, I say you should talk to your doctor. There may be something else going on and it is just coincidental that the timing is the same.

corrinnebrown

Did you cut your caffeine intake as well?

This. If you are use to so much caffeine and cut your coffee intake because you don't like it as much black you will have caffeine withdraws.

reklawn

I've had this before, but for me it was more blood sugar issues like cmacphee. You might want to see if you can stay away from coffee for a couple days and see if you feel any differently... it could be the caffeine

IRollC30

I appreciate all of the responses. Since we're headed into a three-day weekend, I'll give it until next week and see if the symptoms improve. If not, I'll contact my doctor and see if anything else is going on.

The strange thing is, everything was fine UNTIL I stopped Sweet'N Low... I thought the worst of it would be bitter coffee , I was not prepared for all of the other symptoms.

IRollC30

I've had this before, but for me it was more blood sugar issues like cmacphee. You might want to see if you can stay away from coffee for a couple days and see if you feel any differently... it could be the caffeine

Good GOD! I don't know if I can eliminate coffee...

Seriously though, that's the next thing on my list to improve. I can only handle one significant change at a time.

babymaddux

i had the same thing happen when i stopped drinking diet coke. it took about a week for it to go completely. the headaches (the kind that painkillers don't mask) lasted 3 days solid as did the going to bed by 8pm as i was so tired!

AmyFett

I'd say it sounds more like you cut the amount of coffee in general? When I stopped drinking fake sugars and stuff, I felt better honestly. I realized it was giving me headaches, so now if I do have something with fake sugar in it, I get a headache and feel kind of nauseous. It might even out in a few more days or so if it's the caffeine thing.

martinbeks

Have you tried switching to Stevia? It's a plant based natural sweetener that is 0 calorie and does not affect your insulin levels. People on this site that use it, love it. Just be careful when you buy it. Some of the brands aren't 100% stevia and add other sweeteners like fructose - totally destroying the benefit of the whole no rise in insulin.

Thanks for this. Just checked my box of Stevia (HyVee brand), and the first ingredient is Erythritol, a 0 calorie sugar alcohol, but not exclusively Stevia. Stevia is the second ingredient (though called Rebiana). Might have to check out Stevia in the Raw or something.

victoriannsays

A close friend of mine has a artificial sweetener addiction - it sounds ridiculous, but its true. If he doesn't have it, he gets the same symptoms as you.

That being said, I also think its important to see a physician. it could be something else.

EatClean_WashUrNuts

Take Vitamin B12 - 2000mcg in the morning

I'll send you a bill for $500

lizzardsm

Thanks for this. Just checked my box of Stevia (HyVee brand), and the first ingredient is Erythritol, a 0 calorie sugar alcohol, but not exclusively Stevia. Stevia is the second ingredient (though called Rebiana). Might have to check out Stevia in the Raw or something.

NP! I accidentally got suckered into buying a box of Stevia that was a mix of fructose and stevia (can't remember the brand name). I think PureVia & Truvia are not real stevia. They are made by Pepsi & Coca Cola and are pretty processed. Look for pure stevia in the supplements section of a place like whole foods.

Narla444

I wish I could find the link again, but I recently read on another blog (Gail Vaz Oxlade- Other voices) how the poster was going through the effects of withdrawal from sweeteners. So you aren't the only one! She was consuming about the same amount of sweetener and stopped cold turkey.

samlankford

I was a HUGE diet soda fan, I still have it every now and then but not like I did before (just never really liked the sweetness of regular soda) i have to have 2 packets of sweet and low in black tea, but I don't drink it often.. everything (coffee and green tea) is drank straight, no sweetness added, no milk...

fortysixpounds

This is just an opinion and not medical advice, I think it might be a good idea to call your doctor on the phone, just check in.

But in my experience, this is withdrawal, I always think it's a good idea to cut things like this back gradually. (Its too late for you now to do that though) but for anyone else reading this and considering cutting back , maybe remove one sachet from each coffee for and do that for a few days then reduce again after a few more days and then maybe down to half a sachet for a few days. This will allow your body to adjust more easily.

I have a good bit of experience with withdrawal and it sounds very like what you are describing however check in with your doctor to be on the safe side if its causing you anxiety. let us know how it turns out!

CyberEd312

I too would follow the advice to check with your doctor.. I am diabetic and what you are describing sounds more blood sugar related... on a side note with your coffee is there a reason you just don't use pure cane sugar? I use Domino's brand and 1 spoonful is like 15 calories. I don't skimp for my morning coffee it gets the usual 2 spoonfuls and some International Delight Hershey chocolate and caramel coffee creamer... Somethings are just not worth giving up!! lol..... Best of Luck...

fortysixpounds

p.s. congrats on quitting artificial sweeteners, they are so bad, I don't know why they are even allowed to sell them to people.

fortysixpounds

on a side note with your coffee is there a reason you just don't use pure cane sugar? I use Domino's brand and 1 spoonful is like 15 calories. I don't skimp for my morning coffee it gets the usual 2 spoonfuls and some International Delight Hershey chocolate and caramel coffee creamer... Somethings are just not worth giving up!! lol..... Best of Luck...

I totally agree with this, I don't understand the need for artificial sweetners at all. I don't really use sugar myself but I wouldn't have a problem with it either. I use honey and that does the trick and theres no calories in that really and it's good for you.

IRollC30

I too would follow the advice to check with your doctor.. I am diabetic and what you are describing sounds more blood sugar related... on a side note with your coffee is there a reason you just don't use pure cane sugar? I use Domino's brand and 1 spoonful is like 15 calories. I don't skimp for my morning coffee it gets the usual 2 spoonfuls and some International Delight Hershey chocolate and caramel coffee creamer... Somethings are just not worth giving up!! lol..... Best of Luck...

I don't use real sugar because I would have to count the calories. In my warped mind, I would rather have no sweeteners than dare add to my daily calorie totals.

As far as eliminating the sweeteners from my coffee goes, I'm just now getting to the point where I can bare the taste of it. People have told me that it is possible to acquire the taste for black coffee. I'm not there yet, but I'm going to give it the ol' college try (two months or so?) and we'll see then.

IRollC30

p.s. congrats on quitting artificial sweeteners, they are so bad, I don't know why they are even allowed to sell them to people.

Thanks. But the prospect of being able to have my cake (something sweet) and eat it too (no calories) has strong appeal.