im so glad i tried this!!! (artificial sweeteners no more)

Just this week i have gone off artficial sweeteners cold turkey. I feel amazing. Not only does my stomach feel better, but i feel less bloated. The best part- I have so much more control when eating. I can stop when i'm full and don't immediatly look for something sweet after eating. I'm not even really craving sweets at all. My urge to binge is almost completly gone ( only a tiny binge yesterday). This is the best idea i have had in a long time. i recommend it for anyone who may be overdosing on artificial sweeteners (diet soda, light yogurt, sugar free gum, splenda, sugar free stc.)

Everyday I have a Coke Zero and at least one coffee with 1 sweetener/cup. I've heard that having sugar leads to craving more, but I like it too much to give it up!

Thats awesome that you are feeling so much better :)

so, i decided to try a diet coke....i got a headeach!

I know the jury's out on whether artificial sweeteners are a good or a bad thing but I tend to think your experience would be pretty common if other people tried it.  I don't have a sweet tooth especially and so I much prefer to have a small amount of a food sweetened with old-fashioned sugar or honey than large amounts of 'sugar-free' foods just to save a few calories.    I think the other side of the equation is that all of those items you mentioned.... gum, light yoghurts, diet sodas etc.... have got lots of other bits and pieces in the ingredients list besides sweeteners.  Thickeners, flavourings, emulsifiers, colours, caffeine (in the case of cola drinks), all to turn them into something resembling food.   They've all been passed as safe by various bodies but I think those added extras will one day be shown to have unexpected side-effects if consumed in large amounts.

Good luck

another update...unfortunate, but proves the point more so.

i chewed two packs of dentyne ice and drank a diet coke

i felt sick and then

i ended the night with a binge on homemade apple pie and oatmeal cookie dough

i swear the sweeteners make me feel gross and make me crave sweets!

no more no more

Yeah I agree. If I have a diet drink if just makes me crave something else sweet and I'm more likely to go and buy a bar of chocolate! I usually only have one or two diet drinks a week now...but I'm thinking...if I just have one a week, I could probably just let it be the real thing, and not worry...