artificial Sweetner???

SO-i asked about an icee last night and got a slew of comments about the sugar in it...which brought me to the question---Do all of you plan to use artificial sweetners for the rest of your life?
i dont like artificial sweetners and while i have been told, repeatedly, that i can aquire a taste for them, i'm not sure i want too...artificial sweetners have been linked to cancer and to WEIGHT GAIN in many studies...i guess i feel like regular sugar, in moderation, is better than artificial sweetners...i know all the doctors who do bariatric procedures would argue with me BUT i am looking at the whole picture, here...too many things have linked them to cancer, and in the past few years 'weight gain', to make me feel ok with them as a solution to my problems...
SO-what opions do y'all have on this? do you plan to use artificial sweetners forever?

Great question!
I mostly gave up sugar well before surgery, except in rare baked treats.. I'm not a sweets person for the most part.. I like my square of really dark chocolate, but I'll wait on that..

I have been into cleaner eating for years, but have not found any reliable scientifically based (not found on a wacky website) evidence that there is a clear cancer link to fake sweeteners.. However, I have read a slew of information strongly suggesting a strong detriment to your health from using sugar, whether HFCS or reg table sugar, honey or agave. 

Right now, I use 1 packet splenda in my coffee in the am, and if I get any other fake stuff it's from the Carbaster yogurt or rare splash of SF syrup in my Greek yogurt, or my very diluted Crystal Light. For me, I would much rather use an artificial sweetener than have the real thing.. In maintenance, when I allow an occasional treat- it will likely always be the real deal, unless I find something that tastes better... but we are not talking about a daily thing, and likely not even a weekly either.

Here's a great article regarding sugar that touches on some of the info out there (both studies and suppositions) in a well written piece http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.htm l?pagewanted=all and a quick link to the National Cancer Institutes take on the sweeteners. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial -sweeteners 

What to eat or not eat is a very personal choice, but there is a lot of fake info/bad info out there as well as some good.. For now, I'm erring on the side of no/rare sugar but I won't be intentionally ingesting huge amounts of artificial sweeteners either..

I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes a yr or so before I had WLS, so I did change from sugar to artificial sweetners, and plan to stick to them for the majority of the time. I am off my Diabetes meds now, thanks to the Sleeve, but I think sodas, sugars, etc did contribute to my obesity and diabetes and I will continue to avoid sugar. I prefer Stevia and Truvia over the other artificial sweetners.

This topic will get you a variation of opinions and that is exactly what it is...opinions.  We all need to find our own path and what works for us.  As long as we are not going overboard and eating ourselves fat again we shouldn't beat ourselves up for having a treat every now and again.  I peronally indulge in icees myself.  I was a regular die-hard pop drinker before surgery, I have vowed to never ever allow myself a glass, can or bottle of pop again because I know it will be a down ward slope to destruction for me. And I diet pop and I do not get along.  Not only does it taste like I am drinking chemicals (which I am) I get a headache, and actually feel more sugar deprived than not drinking it at all.  So I allow myself an icee once in a while to tame the pop beast that still lurks inside me.  Icees are not as accessible as pop, they are not at every resturaunt, grocery store and gas station, you can't store them at home, so they work for me.  I do use artificial sweetners but only in my flavored water packets and I actually prefer it with my fruit over regular sugar.  Loved dipping fresh strawberries in Stevia! 

So to answer your real question here:  Will I use artificial sweetners the rest of my life?  Yes, in items that I choose. Do I think they cause cancer and weight gain?  I do believe they can lead to weight gain in some.  Like I said, sometimes it makes me crave sweets more.  Do I think it leads to cancer?  It is not a natural food item and sometimes I think anything not natural can lead to bad side effects...

You have an excellent point, but I think your original post gets to the heart of the matter:

Occasional sugar in moderation, perhaps yes IN MAINTENANCE (not in the losing phase where the calories are a real issue). Pure sugar water like an ICEE - almost certainly a forever no.

There are two issues involved: first, for many folks who are or have been obese, sugar triggers a cycle wherein you begin with a small indulgence and soon find yourself with carb cravings and regularly eating way too many calories.

Second, and this is key with a restrictive surgery like the sleeve - you can down as many clear liquid calories as you want. I drink at least 72 a day of clear liquids that go right through my sleeve. Putting calories in those clear liquids is the easiest way possible to defeat the sleeve and regain weight.

If you want to take the weight off and keep it off, don't drink any drinks with sugar (including juices and pretty much any other caloric drink - protein shakes are an exception where appropriate, but for me they close my pyloric valve somewhat where clears don't). Whether you avoid artificial sweetners in the process is a matter of choice, but sugar in your liquids is the express highway to sleeve failure.

All this talk about soda pop and Icees.  I havent had my surgery yet, but was told to stay away from carbonated beverages such as pop and beer.  And I wouldnt be able to drink out of a straw due to the air that you take in first before liquid.  Do you eat your Icee with a spoon?
Just asking...would like to know your thoughts.

I don't eat my icee at all.  Never.

Fluids I do not use a straw anymore, although I think at this point post-op it wouldn't matter. But it was an issue early post-op and I formed new habits around lidded cups so now I no longer use straws. And I don't drink in restaurants because I want to be sure I don't unthinkingly drink with my food, so no straws there either.

I use Equal in my coffee and tea. I always have and I like it.

When  I have a dessert in a restaurant or party it has sugar. 
When I eat a piece of dark chocolate it has sugar.

I limit my carbs but since I'm in maintenance I do occasionally have sugar.

Before I reached my goal weight I rarely had sugar because it would have been impossible to keep to my limit of less than 40 grams of carbs per day.

I only use All Natural sweetners called Stevia - No link to cancer, no bad after taste. And no calories. But you have to be careful what kind you buy. Some of them are bitter.
I only use. NuStevia White powder. You can get it at any health food store or GNC or Amazon and lots of other on line places.

ok-several of you mentioned 'stevia' sweeteners...are they the ones derived from real sugar? i have never tried those and i think i will...
as far as drinking from a straw---i'm not sure why you wouldn't be able to drink from a straw. in the literature they sent home with me, from the hospital, it said i could drink my liquids with a straw if it helped me to get them in...
and i haven't had an icee yet-but i'd probably drink it from a straw...today i'm not having the craving so i probably wont get one when i go walking, like i had planned...