Aspartame and migraine headache?

[guekjian]

Hi all, I am in OWL and I had a weird experience. Last week, at two separate time, I had a glass of Crystal Lite before going to bed (wanted a little something sweet). Both times, I woke up with such a bad headache (migraine really) that I could not get out of bed. Has this happened to anyone else?

[julirama723]

It has not happened to me, but I believe that many people have adverse reactions to artificial sweeteners. I actually haven't had a migraine since I started Atkins <knock on wood!!!>

Is there anything else you could have eaten, or have you narrowed it down to the crystal lite? Is it just crystal lite or all aspartame-sweetened stuff? Too bad that you felt ill, but now you know to stay away from it...and that's what OWL is about! You'd be amazed at the foods I discovered cause me trouble...

[guekjian]

Crystal lite is the only aspartame sweetened thing I take in. I get sugar free gum that is sweetened with something else because a long time ago (this just came back to me) aspartame sweetened gum made me sick to my stomach...and this is without dieting or watching my intake of anything...

[KayseaLee]

Hi Guekjian,
I have had the experience you described. One of the (many) times I was on weight watchers I had a fat free/sugar free yogurt for break. Within 10 minutes I had a pounding headache, sweating profusely, really horrible experience. Didn't know what caused it. Had another yogurt the next day.....same effect. Just to be sure the following weekend I tried a half a glass of diet coke. MASSIVE headache with that. I have been vigilant about avoiding aspartame ever since. It has gotten easier the last couple of years now that there are so many product made with Splenda instead. I have no reaction to Splenda at all. There is another drink mix similar to Crystal Light..(I can't remember the name though) that is made with Splenda instead...maybe if you tried that one. Have you had a reaction to aspartame before this?

[heatherm422]

I haven't had that experience with Crystal Light. Hope you get it all figured out soon though, Migraines are awful!!