Hi,

Harvey mentioned this:
Lots of focus on the recent death on Whitney. There were two other serious events. These two had neurological problems; one had seizures (likely a pre-existing condition), the other had AMS with disorientation (qualifies as HACE),

SARs on Whitney


I replied about how on Mt Dana I was near passing out for about 30 minutes at 12,000' level and after $30,000 hospital bill figured out the common denominator of several events like this was Aspartame use. And that Airline pilots have had seizures as result of Aspartame. Some asked for the sources on this, and found them, the key one being FDA. Will copy in original post below and the medical reports to back it up. The bottom line is Aspartame is bad for you, especially at altitude. Including grand mal seizures.


POST:
Maybe I can be of assistance on this. After getting $30,000 of medical bills as a result (insurance covered 26,000)

I climbed Mt. Dana about 4 years ago. At the 12,000' level I became somewhat dizzy and more important was right on the edge of passing out. My vision darkened on outside. There was no good place to lie down, but I wanted to try that. As soon started lowering down knew for sure would pass out, so stopped.

Tried like 4 times. What worked best was, to keep going head down and forward. This lasted maybe 30-40 minutes. I did summit and felt better up there and made it down no problem. Another symptom was my right arm was not getting enough blood, it was half asleep.

Year later climbed Ruby mountains at 10,000' and same thing with arm, but the passing out part, was not as bad.

Then 6 months later was skiing at 8,000 and was afraid was going to pass out and fall off chair. Told ski buddies that and lowered the bar. After at top and resting a while was talking to one of them at peak and "whited out" Everything turned white, trees everything except dark jacket on who was talking with. Figured it out, my eyes were dilating against my will and was on edge of passing out.

Went to a doctor and he sent me to ER, they thought it was stroke or heart attack, 3 days later had $30k bill and they could find nothing wrong with me after zillion tests. BTW if you every watch your heart beat on sonar thing for 30 minutes it is so darn complicated its a wonder hearts last a week.

I told them it was not a stroke it was lack of blood getting to arm. Figured that out 2 hours after got out, had ski shoulder injury that crushed my rotator cuff tendon, right arm artery runs same place. So at high altitude at extreme exertion the artery gets bigger and pinched by collar bone, which was moved by injury, one issue down.

The near passing out? Figured it out, common denominator is Aspartame. I avoid it but use cough drops at high alt for wet throat. Airline pilots have had seizures at altitude. Aspartame passes the blood brain barrier.

I stopped all Aspartame and this problem has never happened again. After reading your post, thought this could be of value to you and others. Will post it separately with Aspartame in title.

Regards, Darp

FDA Report: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/03/jan03/012203/02p-0317_emc-000199.txt

There are other clinical reports in the scientific literature of
aspartame-caused toxicity reactions including Blumenthal (1997),
Drake (1986), Johns (1986), Lipton (1989), McCauliffe (1991),
Novick (1985), Watts (1991), Walton (1986, 1988), and Wurtman
(1985).

Many pilots appear to be particularly susceptible to the effects of
aspartame ingestion. They have reported numerous serious toxicity
effects including grand mal seizures in the cockpit (Stoddard 1995).


Another report: http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/fraud.htm

Aspartame Affecting Airline Pilots

Some of the more interesting developments in 1989 surfaced in the Palm Beach Post on October 14th, where an article by Dr. H.J. Robert described several recent aircraft accidents involving confusion and aberrant pilot behavior caused by ingestion of products containing aspartame.[13] Soft drink makers were notified of this problem in 1991.



And it is the most complained about to FDA substance ever: as of 1996 the FDA admitted to something over 10,000 "official" complaints. The FDA has stated that aspartame is the most complained about substance in their history. Dr. Kessler has been credited with saying that fewer than 1 percent of victims actually file a complaint. This balloons those over 10,000 "formal" complaints to over a MILLION victims... who should have filed. http://www.dorway.com/cdctext.txt

Last edited by Darp; 07/04/14 11:10 AM.