posted
I'm trying to figure out what is going on with me. I've had a headache for 3 weeks and sometimes it's severe.
I also have stomach pain and huge bloating along with nausea at times. The nausea is better at the moment. I have the worst constipation I've ever had and I am miserable. I'm taking 3 times the amount of stuff I usually do and it's not working.
This all started about the time I started using Stevia and got off other sweetners.
I was thinking it was yeast but after reading some on Stevia I think it could be that. I'm going off it to see if I feel better.
I read where if you have an allergy to ragweed you could be allergic to Stevia. I've never been allergy tested so don't know about that.
I just wondered if anyone has had a problem using Stevia??
Sapphire
Posts: 495 | From KY USA | Registered: Dec 2004
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kam
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posted
I just know I don't like the bitter taste and stopped using it.
Aguave nectar and honey work for me when I just need a bit of sweetness.
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nenet
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posted
There are a lot of products out there that say they are Stevia but they are not pure Stevia, they mix it with artificial sweeteners.
Make sure that you are buying natural pure stevia (green dry powdered leaves), it is actually much cheaper, if you look around, than the products that add artificial sweeteners to it.
Of course, many herbs are fine for you in certain amounts, but should not be eaten all day long. If you use Stevia in moderation, just a little a day as needed, they have not found it to have any adverse effects.
The ragweed issue is definitely something to watch out for if you have those allergies. Thanks for the heads up, as my mom is very allergic to ragweed.
By the way, I have recently discovered some great alternatives, that taste better than Stevia to me. Palm sugar, and agave nectar. Palm sugar has a very low glycemic index, and is highly sustainable.
You might want to check these out once you've been off Stevia for a while (don't want to add something new while you are trying to figure out if Stevia was a problem).
posted
I had terrible problems with it for a long time, now have no issues at all, but I mostly use real maple syrup or natural honey for sweeteners. It used to give me major GI issues. I was using Sweet Leaf, so it wasn't an issue of quality, it just didn't agree with me.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I believe stevia triggers insulin production in some people. I wonder if it could be making you hypoglycemic.
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pamoisondelune
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No problems here; I use Now brand, drops. It's not bitter at all and has no other ingredient except alcohol.
----Polly Polygonum
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Truthfinder
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posted
Yikes! I may be having the same reaction you are, Saphire. My constipation issues are not responding to my usual methods of coaxing things along. And even stronger methods I've tried are barely effective.
What did you read that makes you think it might be the stevia?
I never did find anything online that hinted that stevia could be the culprit. And I'm using Sweetleaf flavored stevia drops and/or Now brand drops, too.
Hey, six - what kind of GI problems did you have? (Was it constipation or other problems?)
I'm going to be royally peeved if this has been the culprit. I really love stevia now that I'm accustomed to it!
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
I would feel gassy abdominal pain. Can't remember if it caused diarrhea, too, but I think that might have been part of it, but the main thing was the discomfort.
I couldn't even eat things that had stevia as an ingredient. Then all of a sudden I was fine with it (and gluten). But I still don't eat a lot of it and still make a lot of gluten free meals because if it used to bother me, it probably still does at a lower level.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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Tracy, I just did a google search and found a few people that had had headaches from it and GI problems.
I was thinking my problems started about the time I started using Stevia. I am using the good kind.
I haven't had any since yesterday morning and my bloating is much better but nothing else. I'm really hoping the constipation will ease up, too.
I'm not convinced yet that this is the cause of any of my problems. Too early to tell. Maybe in another day or so I will know more.
Sapphire
Posts: 495 | From KY USA | Registered: Dec 2004
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Truthfinder
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Thanks, six and sapph.
I've been trying to remember when my problems started versus when I began using stevia regularly. I don't think the stevia use caused anything, but it certainly could have made my problems worse.
Oddly, stevia is one thing I can drink without having any GI discomfort. Lemon-in-water tea - either plain or with honey, teas of any kind - most everything else causes the bloating or some kind of discomfort, but not the stevia.
Well, I guess time will tell with you Sapphire. I hope you'll post back about it if there's a change for the better.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Hmmm, just had a more normal BM. The first since starting stevia but still not convinced it's the culprit. I think I will know more after tomorrow.
I forgot about the terrible gas I've been having, too. Terrible gas pains along with it. I'm sure my family hopes I can remedy this for sure.
Sapphire
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Pinelady
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posted
I don't see a lot of drink companies coming out
with it yet. So caution may be the better part of
valor. But I am using it now. I am sure there are
going to be some who are sensitive it it like there
is for everything.
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
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posted
No Tutu, I'm not sure, it very well could be. I first thought it was but got on diflucan and drastically changed my diet and there wasn't any change.
Maybe I haven't given it enough time but you would think in a week I would have seen some change for the better.
I'm leaning more toward the stevia right now but I can't really say yet. My head is feeling some better today plus the bloating is much better. Time will tell I guess.
Sapphire
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Truthfinder
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I plan to take a couple of different bottles of stevia drops to my next CEDSA testing appointment (computerized Electro Dermal Screening) to see if they test negatively for me in some way, and particularly with reference to my bowel/GI function.
If the weather cooperates, I should get that testing done in January.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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Brussels
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posted
I prefer agave and honey too. If not fighting candida, honey is fine. If with candida, I guess it's not a good idea.
I never liked the taste of stevia leaves. I used while with lyme and candida though. I liked the tea though... Funny.
A plant is made of thousands of chemical components. Who knows what a component could be doing to you? I would simply test it energetically and see how it fits you...
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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I've come to the conclusion that it's definitely the stevia. No stomach problems now and had 2 normal BM's this morning.
The headache is almost gone. No more head pressure. I don't know if I'm allergic to ragweed or what and that's what caused it.
Hubby and daughter are using it with no probs.
Brussels, I will try to test it. I'm new to this so don't really trust it.
I don't care for the taste of stevia either but had to use something. I will look into agave. I don't have a clue what that is.
Sapphire
Posts: 495 | From KY USA | Registered: Dec 2004
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Truthfinder
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Sounds like you've found the culprit, Sapphire.
Are you going to re-try the stevia in a few days to make sure it is the problem?
Well, as of this morning, I've stopped all use of stevia. Because of my slow bowel-transit time, it will take a least a week for me to know if anything changes. And I'll still have the drops tested for me at my next appointment.
Oddly, you mentioned that you were having `terrible gas'. In my case, one strange thing I noticed was that I had somewhat less gas and that 98% of the time, there was virtually NO ODOR to it, no matter what I ate or took or did. That is definitely not normal for me. And I don't know if it's normal or not for most people.
(Sorry if this is TMI for anyone.)
The agave nectar sounds interesting. Never tasted that.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Yes, it was definitely part of the problem. I woke up with a headache today so it may not be the culprit there although it has been much better since stopping the stevia.
I may try the stevia again just to make sure. I think I will enjoy feeling better for a while first. Maybe next week.
Haha, at least your gas was odorless. Most of the time mine is, too. Either that or I have lost my sense of smell. LOL
Let me know about your experiment. I knew pretty quick that was it.
Guess I will get some of the agave and give it a try.
Sapphire
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Truthfinder
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I don't blame you. I'd enjoy 'normalcy' for awhile.
Well, don't fall asleep waiting on my experiment. It takes soooo long for me to know what is affecting me.
Plus, starting tomorrow, I have 3 days in a row of eating restaurant food, and that usually messes with my GI tract.
This probably isn't the perfect time of year for 'research' in this area. I already have a couple plates of Christmas cookies and candies from wonderful friends......
Oh, well. We'll see what happens.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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RZR
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posted
quote:Originally posted by sixgoofykids: I had terrible problems with it for a long time, now have no issues at all, but I mostly use real maple syrup or natural honey for sweeteners. It used to give me major GI issues. I was using Sweet Leaf, so it wasn't an issue of quality, it just didn't agree with me.
OMG! I had no idea Sweet Leaf Stevia could cause GI problems. I will have to stop using it for a couple of weeks and see if I have any GI improvement.
Thanks for the heads up! Jennie
-------------------- Tick bite May 2009 Diagnosed June 2009 Posts: 2329 | From SouthEast | Registered: Jun 2009
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posted
I had no idea it could cause these problems either Jennie. That was what was causing my GI problems. It only took me a couple of days off of it to figure it out. It was causing headaches, too.
Tracy, any difference yet?
Sapphire
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This will be my 4th day off stevia. But my diet has NOT been great the past 2 days, that's for sure.
I took some Cascara s. last night and that hasn't helped either, so far.
It will take awhile to know anything in my case.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
I think another sweetener substitute is rice syrup made by naturally boiling rice to break it down and not the rice syrups made with enzymes. The trouble with Agave nectar and honey for me is that they are very high in fructose. About 1/3 of the population lack the liver enzyme needed to digest fructose, so it ends up in the colon, being eaten up by yeast and bacteria that make bad things out of it. Agave and honey both give me problems, because of the fructose. Rice syrup is almost all glucose, which quickly enters the blood stream and does not require an enzyme from the liver to digest.
Plain old table sugar has less fructose than honey or agave nectar. Still, it is about half fructose.
You can also buy pure glucose made from corn, but I can't tolerate corn.
So, if you are having difficulties with sweeteners, consider that you might be one of those with the genetics that doesn't allow you to digest fructose.
Tish
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Truthfinder
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Thanks, Tish. I looked into the Agave nectar, too and I think I'll avoid the high-frutose exposure, at least for now. I'm just back to using local, home-grown honey and some pure maple syrup, on occasion.
Well, now that the holidays are over and I'm back to a more normal diet, I don't think stopping the Stevia has made any difference.
I'm still doing 2-3 times more to keep my bowels moving effectively, and things still are far from right.
After reviewing my symptoms and doing more searching - for about the 3rd time - I really think my problem is dysbiosis. I think all my little good-guy gut flora are deceased.
And oddly enough, I don't think I have a yeast problem, either. I don't think there's anybody alive down there at the moment.
The other possibility is a liver issue, and that is very likely, as well.
Hopefully, I'll find out more tomorrow. I hope to travel to see my Electro Dermal Screening (EDS) practitioner and see what she comes up with. I'll be taking some Stevia with me to be tested.
But even if dysbiosis and/or liver are the main problems, did something I was taking or ingesting cause the change? I don't know if I'll be able to get info on such a broad question with the EDS testing, but we'll see.
Sapphire, have you tried the Stevia again?
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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Truthfinder
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Sapphire, did you ever revisit the Stevia issue?
The Stevia should NOT be causing my constipation issues, according to the EDS testing. I had her test both SweetLeaf English Toffee Stevia drops and NOW brand plain Stevia drops. The SweetLeaf product tested quite a bit better for me than the plain drops, but any negative effect from the NOW drops should be fairly minimal.
What did show up this time was a parasite problem in my colon, and a fairly substantial problem, at that. I tested for 2 heavy-duty anti-parasitic products, and most people only test for one product. My liver is also very sluggish and full of toxins.
So, we'll see what happens with that treatment, though I don't yet have all the products.
I hope to add the Stevia back if I can ever get somewhat `normalized'. I don't think I'll try it again until things are moving along better.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Sorry Tracy, I didn't see your post on the 7th.
I haven't tried the Stevia again. I've been thinking about it but really hate to since I'm doing better.
It very well may not be the cause of my problems and I really need to find out. I'm using Splenda when I have to have a sweetner and I don't want to continue using that.
I just started the AI yesterday so may wait a bit about trying it again.
I'm glad to hear you are figuring out what your problems are. Hopefully you will be able to use Stevia again.
Let me know when you try Stevia again and I will do the same.
Sapphire
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Truthfinder
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I hope you do well with the AI drops!
Like you, I don't think I'd plan to start anything new while on AI unless it was really necessary. It would be very easy to misinterpret any symptoms/reactions.
I'll post if/when I try Stevia again, too.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
I've been using stevia again today just to see and I have a headache. I'm pretty sure it just doesn't agree with me. I really want to be able to use it as there isn't much else to use.
I got some agave nectar and it's ok but not something I want to use all the time.
I'm still going to test one more time in a few days and see if I get a headache again. I'm a glutton for punishment. LOL
Sapphire
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Keebler
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posted
- Rather than "using it today" as in on and off throughout the day - it's best to try just ONCE when you are trying to detect food sensitivities and reintroductions. Then, not again for a few days. Again, just ONCE. Not again for a couple days. And on and on, with shorter time spans between but, still, just ONCE, in a very small amount.
It might also be most helpful to reintroduce it plain, with water . . . no other food or drink with it.
As for differences in products - it also could be the type - the place your stevia was grown, additives, how it was handled, all the way through the chain of production.
Is it organic? As others mentioned above there are brands that are not really pure stevia so I assume you've made sure yours is JUST stevia. Still . . . where it's grown, how it's treated, etc. varies from brand to brand.
Also, as stevia goes in other foods, might it be those, or the teas?
I am very sensitive to just about everything on the planet and do very well with Trader Joe's organic stevia powder. Nothing else is in it and it does not taste like a wild buffalo, as some kinds can.
Still, this may just be too intense for you. Other than some teas or cranberries and raspberries, I can't think of anything else I used stevia for - so you really might not miss it or be able to use just a touch of agave, real maple syrup or organic brown rice syrup.
Whatever the reason, it may just be temporary, but there are other things you can use. If stevia could not be in my life, I doubt I would even notice.
As for some tea blends, if they contain even a bit of licorice, that will be a sweet tea. You could also add a bit of licorice (from a capsule) to certain raspberries and see if that might be workable. If you come to do this very often, be sure to read up on licorice as you'd not want too much. In the right amount, it's very helpful for adrenal support.
posted
i have an allergic type reaction to it even wth different brands!
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Truthfinder
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I haven't done anything with it yet. I think my suspected Stevia problem may turn out to be a lactose and milk protein problem instead.
So, I'll eliminate the dairy stuff, then see how things are without both stevia and dairy. If all goes well, I'll start using stevia again and see what happens.
I've been using an excellent quality, locally-produced honey that tests' excellent for me with Electro Dermal Screening. But it has calories and sugars that I don't really want much of, and I tend to use more than I should to get the 'sweetness' I like. I still miss the stevia.
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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Truthfinder
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posted
Whatayear, what type of reaction do you have when you take it? Itching? Throat swelling?
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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canefan17
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posted
Green Stevia can actually help control blood sugar
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