Brent's and his Mom's Nightmare
I have a 14 year old son, Brent, who has been having what the doctors are calling optical migraines.
At the age of 11 years old Brent was diagnosis as hypoglycemia. I was a mother who never believed in letting her kids to eat or drink anything with NutraSweet in it until Brent became hypoglycemic. Since then he has drank Diet pops.
Since January 1997 he has been having problems that he loses his peripheral vision. The first time he lost it for around 20 minutes and then when his vision came back his lips went numb. (He got a headache after his vision returned, it lasted through out that day.) I took him to the doctors and he sent us to an ophthalmologist. He then a through check of his eyes and said everything look good and healthy. He thought that he may have had an optical migraine. He said he may never have another one but if he did he would like an CAT scan ran.
In March he had another episode. This time it lasted 20 minutes and the headache lasted for two days. I called the doctor and he had a CAT scan ran. The test came back normal. Still they feel that it is just an optical migraine. If it happens again he will see an pediatric neurologist.
In April he had another episode, this one lasted 10 minutes and the headache lasted two days. He was set up to see the neurologist. The neurologist said he felt that it was just optical migraines. That he should just take an extra strength Tylenol and a Benadryl then sleep. He also said he would set up a EEG to be ran to make sure he is not having seizures or mini strokes.
Five days after seeing the neurologist he have another episode. This time it lasted 45 minutes with no peripheral vision and during this time his tongue on the right side and his right thumb went numb. I panic and took him into emergency. The checked him and referred to his neurologist. They both decide that it was an optical migraine. (this headache lasted for one and a half days.) He is set up for May 12 to have an EEG ran.
What I am wondering is if he is toxic from the NutraSweet? Has anyone had this symptoms? I am trying everything. I told Brent he is not to eat or drink anything that has anything with NutraSweet in it for two weeks.
Date: Tue, 13 May 1997
Brent had his EEG ran yesterday, everything came back normal. The only thing he saw was that he had two irregular heartbeats. But he felt this is something that he will outgrow.
While reading some of the information I see that maybe the NutraSweet can be causing this. We are going to eliminate this from his diet for the next 60 days, to see if this is his cause.
Again, I thank you for the information and if there is anymore you can send me please do.
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 1997
Just an update on how Brent is doing. I last e-mailed you in May. Since then Brent has had nothing with aspartame in it and he has had no problems. Everything seems to be going good. Please pass on Brent's symptoms and reactions so other people may be aware of what aspartame can do to your body.
Date: Mon., 27 Apr 1998
Hi. I am writing in regards to my recent letters to you about my son
Brent. Since we have eliminated Nutra Sweet from Brent's diet he has only had one episode of a migraine, it could have been from he started taking vitamins which I am not sure if they had aspartame in them.
Brent's mom may be emailed at: