Artificial sweeteners/water enhancers - how much is too much??

 I am one and a half weeks out from surgery (VSG).   Initially, I was having trouble getting enough fluids in just because it was slow going, my water kept getting warm, I'd get sidetracked/lose track of time, etc. I've always been more of a 'down a big glass when I'm thirsty' vs. a sipper... I had Crystal Light but hadn't used it yet just because I've always been happy to drink water - it's my favorite drink!!  I'm also reluctant to use food/drinks with artificial sweetener, and because so much of that is necessary now, I was trying not to have it where it was avoidable.

For whatever reason, I ended up trying Crystal Light one day - water bottle full of ice, one packet of CL, cold water, and WHAM!!  That stuff was good!!  After having very little flavour for several days, it was like Nirvana!!  And, I was able to down a bottle of (flavoured) water much more easily/quickly.  It makes me want to drink more...not so much for hydration now but for flavour!!

What I want to know is - does anybody know how much is too much when it comes to artificial sweeteners?

Thanks so much in advance!! :)

Jillian.

 There are many varying opinions on that from different sources. If you google it, you'll find that some of them are supposedly bad for us for different reasons, affecting different areas of our bodies in negative ways ( bad for eyes, kidneys, liver, etc)  For myself, I've been drinking Crystal Light for YEARS, and so far, so good (now jus****ch me fall apart!).  I think you have to google the effects of the different sweeteners, and make your own decision about how often.  :D

 Thanks for you reply...

I Google everything!! :)  But, I've been reluctant to Google this because there is soooo much information, and it's all so contradictory!!  I used to be a Diet Coke drinker, and I can't tell you how many times I'd be minding my own business, enjoying my once-a-day indulgence, when a complete stranger would walk up to me and proclaim, "Diet Coke causes brain cancer!!".  Seriously!!

For now, maybe I'll just limit myself to two Crystal Light's a day...once I'm working out and really active again, and once I've cleared the first few weeks post-op, maybe I'll cut back to one a day for a 'treat' and up my intake of 'regular' water again...oh who knows!! :)  So many things to think about with all of this!! :)

In the end you gotta die from something so it may be from something that brings you enjoyment. Studies on lab rats are usually at thousands of times the limits a normal person could consume in a life time so as with everything use in moderation and enjoy life, Congrats on the VSG I am at 3.5 months out and down 80 lbs and love it. Good luck and live like there's no tomorrow because there may not be.

 Great perspective!!  Just what I needed (a short-cut/avoidance of all the Googlel mumbo jumbo!!) :)  Thank you!!  And, congratulations on your success so far - very impressive!!  

I used artificial sweeteners sparingly before my surgery. post op - I used it to flavor my food, my drinks.. then I found out that I developed allergy to that stuff... (skin issue  - that clear when I do not use that stuff for 1-2 weeks) 
 So now - I try to do as much natural as I can. 
I use stevia and other non-caloric sweeteners. Water - I use flavored water - Vitamin ZERO or SOBE 0 water.  
I wish I could use the crystal light - but the aspartame gives me wicked headaches and splenda - skin rash... 
There are more and more natural proteins, waters etc.