As early as the mid-1980's I started having some stiffness and pain. By 1991, after a major infection (that the doctors could not explain), the problems escalated to constant fever, severe pain and stiffness, anxiety, mysterious lumps and nodules, and a variety of transient problems. I went to doctor after doctor (GP's and specialists) to no avail. Most thought I was crazy. I started taking massive amounts of ibuprofen (1500-2000mg per day) to be able to continue working. I was forced to drop plans for continuing education several times. A rheumatologist diagnosed my problem as fibromyalgia and prescribed Elavil. I took one dose of this and had a three day "episode" of sweats, muscle spasms, sleeplessness, etc. I had a C programming final that I barely managed to complete (I passed out when I walked outside and fell against the door and slid down, unhurt.). I canceled the second semester. I have been unable to attend my consulting company's meetings as I had a couple of near accidents driving home from the last two I attended. What all this has cost me in terms of education, consulting opportunities, and private programming work is hard to estimate, but I have turned down many chances in order to avoid a "meltdown."

Last January I developed lumps in my neck that were biopsied as "unknown." Another biopsy in April (with a CAT scan and guided needle) returned the same result. A breathing crisis in June landed me in ICU and a surgical biopsy revealed lymphoma. While I was in the hospital, I got off of Diet Pepsi (two liters+ per day) and caffeine. I worked through chemotherapy and completed it in September. I am now finding that my fibromyalgia symptoms are slowly diminishing. I just discovered that some mints I had contained NutraSweet and those are now in the trash, too.

If the improvement continues, there is nothing else to which I can attribute the change except the absence of aspartame. I take OTC vitamins and a few herbs, but I was taking most of this before. I am taking less and less ibuprofen and my energy level is rising. I am thinking again about educational opportunities. I purchased a new PC and new software.I don't believe there is anything I can say here that could adequately express the outrage that should be directed at the purveyors of this chemical if it is, indeed, the toxin it seems to be. When I went from doing an hour of yoga and three-mile runs everyday to being barely able to get out of bed, I was crushed. No compensation can cover the pain, the sorrow, and the loss this has caused.

The "other symptoms" included:

-Lumps and mysterious fibrous growths

-Difficulty sleeping

-Digestive upsets lasting for weeks

-Tingling in my extremities

-Chronic, mild fever (99.5)

So far the following things have improved:

-Sleep

-Fatigue

-Fever

-Tingling

-Less pain

-Lost weight (while eating more food)

-Digestive upsets

The growths seem to be less noticeable, but they still exist. They are

almost like scar tissue. I am still not up to par, but each day is better.

I hope this helps.

Les Wilson

"pteros" <pteros@email.msn.com>

Les Wilson

Covington, Ky.