: Here lately I know what Rayelan has been going thru with
: illnesses that cannot be explained. I have been told that I
: have M.S. ?????

Lots of stories going around about MS-like symptoms being caused by, or actual MS symptoms being aggravated by, ingestion of aspartame (e.g., NutraSweet in diet soft drinks, etc.).

Aspartame is now in over 9000 prepackaged food items, over the counter drugs, and even supplements for kids. In some cases there's no longer a clear label indication that aspartame is one of the ingredients - even the label warning to phenylketoneurics about its presence in the product is beginning to be left off in some cases.

And this question has not yet been addressed: "What happens when regular aspartame ingestion is combined with prescription medications?" Answer: "Nobody knows."

If it seems at all possible that aspartame could be part of what you're experiencing, a trial period of 60 days' avoiding it entirely could prove informative. More info at:

http://www.dorway.com

http://www.holisticmed.com

: Also that I have degenerative back disease.

: What that is I cannot find out from my doctors other than
: it is not related to the M.S.

It's a $150 way of saying, "I notice your vertebrae seem to be eroding." :) Not happy news, exactly, but the fact that the medical doctors can't tell you what to do about it doesn't mean there's nothing you can do about it. A nutrition-oriented practitioner (chiropractor, maybe), or an herbalist, or a naturopath, might have some pretty useful ideas.

: My doctors are at their wits end because this is to fast for
: M.S. to be the cause. So they don't know where to go next.
: So does any body out there any ideas you can email at,
: SCAVENGER@rumormillnews.net

(I'll send a copy of this to you.)

Just to be on the safe side you might ask the docs directly, "Have we tested for Lou Gehrig's Disease?" which, quite possibly, they haven't, yet. But I think what you're describing is also consistent with the idea of "a toxicity, building upon itself" and if aspartame is in your diet it's a pretty likely candidate.

: THANKS,
: SCAVENGER