Re: FW: ZICAM cold remedy is dangerous

January 25, 2012

For a longer story, try this " snopes.com " entry:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/zicam.asp

>

> THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION SO PASSING ON TO YOU...

>

> ZICAM COLD REMEDY (Dangerous!)

>

> This is crazy.....It is true too! There is a link at the bottom of this to

> the FDA website with the information.

>

> I want my friends and loved ones to know what has happened to me in hopes

> that it will never happen to you or anybody you care about. About 10 days

> ago, I felt a cold coming on; so before I went to bed I used Zicam Cold

> Remedy Nasal Gel. It's supposed to help you " get over your cold faster. "

> Immediately after I sprayed it into each nostril I felt the most horrific

> burning sensation imaginable. It literally felt like I had sprayed pepper

> spray directly into my brain. It burned all the way to the top of my skull.

> My nasal passages swelled, my eyes watered - the burning lasted all night

> long into the next day.

>

> After about a day, I realized I couldn't taste anything and I thought, " Wow

> - I must really have a bad cold. " Then I noticed that I couldn't smell

> coffee brewing, couldn't smell my perfume when I put it on, couldn't smell

> the popcorn I burned, couldn't smell my favorite candle. I panicked and

> starting smelling everything that I could find that had really strong odors

> - ammonia, finger nail polish remover, bleach, etc. I couldn't smell

> ANYTHING! I started tasting everything that had really strong tastes such

> as HOT salsa, raw red onions, Doritos, coffee. I couldn't taste ANYTHING!

>

> I told my mother about this and she said, " Oh, I've heard Zicam can affect

> your Olfactory nerve. " I went online, typed in " Zicam side effects " and bam

> - up popped all sorts of web sites with people reporting the same thing I

> experienced. It seems that this past June, Zicam pulled the swabs for

> adults and children off the shelf but not the nasal gel.

>

> I went to my ENT and he said the Zicam had basically " FRIED " my Olfactory

> nerve and the results are most likely permanent . He put me on a strong

> dose of a steroid called Prednisone in hopes of recovering ANY bit of the

> nerve damage but he told me to " take this and pray. " He said he had read

> about the side effects of Zicam and couldn't believe it is still on the

> shelf. It isn't FDA approved. I am taking the Prednisone and praying but

> nothing is happening. I LITERALLY CANNOT SMELL OR TASTE ANYTHING! I can

> tell if foods are hot or cold, I can tell the consistency and I can faintly

> detect if it is salty but that is it.

>

> PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pass this on to everyone you care about. I don't

> want this to happen to ANYONE else!!!!!!!!!! And if you have Zicam in your

> medicine cabinet--THROW IT AWAY!

>

> Please share with everyone you can. The link below confirms. If you don't

> have a browser for the internet.this is only the fda/government

> confirmation!

>

> http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm167065.htm

>

> Joan Bottcher AKA JoNeeB

>

January 25, 2012

As I commented in an earlier response….I choose to follow the FDA’s conclusion over what snopes has to say. From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of CSent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 9:56 AMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: FW: ZICAM cold remedy is dangerous For a longer story, try this " snopes.com " entry:http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/zicam.asp--- In ProstateCancerSupport , " Chuck Maack " wrote:>> THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION SO PASSING ON TO YOU...> > ZICAM COLD REMEDY (Dangerous!)> > This is crazy.....It is true too! There is a link at the bottom of this to> the FDA website with the information.> > I want my friends and loved ones to know what has happened to me in hopes> that it will never happen to you or anybody you care about. About 10 days> ago, I felt a cold coming on; so before I went to bed I used Zicam Cold> Remedy Nasal Gel. It's supposed to help you " get over your cold faster. " > Immediately after I sprayed it into each nostril I felt the most horrific> burning sensation imaginable. It literally felt like I had sprayed pepper> spray directly into my brain. It burned all the way to the top of my skull.> My nasal passages swelled, my eyes watered - the burning lasted all night> long into the next day.> > After about a day, I realized I couldn't taste anything and I thought, " Wow> - I must really have a bad cold. " Then I noticed that I couldn't smell> coffee brewing, couldn't smell my perfume when I put it on, couldn't smell> the popcorn I burned, couldn't smell my favorite candle. I panicked and> starting smelling everything that I could find that had really strong odors> - ammonia, finger nail polish remover, bleach, etc. I couldn't smell> ANYTHING! I started tasting everything that had really strong tastes such> as HOT salsa, raw red onions, Doritos, coffee. I couldn't taste ANYTHING!> > I told my mother about this and she said, " Oh, I've heard Zicam can affect> your Olfactory nerve. " I went online, typed in " Zicam side effects " and bam> - up popped all sorts of web sites with people reporting the same thing I> experienced. It seems that this past June, Zicam pulled the swabs for> adults and children off the shelf but not the nasal gel.> > I went to my ENT and he said the Zicam had basically " FRIED " my Olfactory> nerve and the results are most likely permanent . He put me on a strong> dose of a steroid called Prednisone in hopes of recovering ANY bit of the> nerve damage but he told me to " take this and pray. " He said he had read> about the side effects of Zicam and couldn't believe it is still on the> shelf. It isn't FDA approved. I am taking the Prednisone and praying but> nothing is happening. I LITERALLY CANNOT SMELL OR TASTE ANYTHING! I can> tell if foods are hot or cold, I can tell the consistency and I can faintly> detect if it is salty but that is it.> > PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pass this on to everyone you care about. I don't> want this to happen to ANYONE else!!!!!!!!!! And if you have Zicam in your> medicine cabinet--THROW IT AWAY!> > Please share with everyone you can. The link below confirms. If you don't> have a browser for the internet.this is only the fda/government> confirmation!> > http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm167065.htm> > > > Joan Bottcher AKA JoNeeB>

January 25, 2012

You bet, Mr. Maack, my opinion exactly!

-- RE: Re: FW: ZICAM cold remedy is dangerous

As I commented in an earlier response….I choose to follow the FDA’s conclusion over what snopes has to say.

From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of CSent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 9:56 AMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: FW: ZICAM cold remedy is dangerous

For a longer story, try this "s nopes.com" entry:http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/zicam.asp--- In ProstateCancerSupport , "Chuck Maack" wrote:>> THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION SO PASSING ON TO YOU...> > ZICAM COLD REMEDY (Dangerous!)> > This is crazy.....It is true too! There is a link at the bottom of this to> the FDA website with the information.> > I want my friends and loved ones to know what has happened to me in hopes> that it will never happen to you or anybody you care about. About 10 days> ago, I felt a cold coming on; so before I went to bed I used Zicam Cold> Remedy Nasal Gel. It's supposed to help you "get over your cold faster."> Immediately after I sprayed it into each nostril I felt the most h orrific> burning sensation imaginable. It literally felt like I had sprayed pepper> spray directly into my brain. It burned all the way to the top of my skull.> My nasal passages swelled, my eyes watered - the burning lasted all night> long into the next day.> > After about a day, I realized I couldn't taste anything and I thought, "Wow> - I must really have a bad cold." Then I noticed that I couldn't smell> coffee brewing, couldn't smell my perfume when I put it on, couldn't smell> the popcorn I burned, couldn't smell my favorite candle. I panicked and> starting smelling everything that I could find that had really strong odors> - ammonia, finger nail polish remover, bleach, etc. I couldn't smell> ANYTHING! I started tasting everything that had really strong tastes such> as HOT salsa, raw red onions, Doritos, coffee. I couldn't taste ANYTHING!> > I told my moth er about this and she said, "Oh, I've heard Zicam can affect> your Olfactory nerve." I went online, typed in "Zicam side effects" and bam> - up popped all sorts of web sites with people reporting the same thing I> experienced. It seems that this past June, Zicam pulled the swabs for> adults and children off the shelf but not the nasal gel.> > I went to my ENT and he said the Zicam had basically "FRIED" my Olfactory> nerve and the results are most likely permanent . He put me on a strong> dose of a steroid called Prednisone in hopes of recovering ANY bit of the> nerve damage but he told me to "take this and pray." He said he had read> about the side effects of Zicam and couldn't believe it is still on the> shelf. It isn't FDA approved. I am taking the Prednisone and praying but> nothing is happening. I LITERALLY CANNOT SMELL OR TASTE ANYTHING! I can & gt; tell if foods are hot or cold, I can tell the consistency and I can faintly> detect if it is salty but that is it.> > PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pass this on to everyone you care about. I don't> want this to happen to ANYONE else!!!!!!!!!! And if you have Zicam in your> medicine cabinet--THROW IT AWAY!> > Please share with everyone you can. The link below confirms. If you don't> have a browser for the internet.this is only the fda/government> confirmation!> > http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm167065.htm> > > > Joan Bottcher AKA JoNeeB>

January 25, 2012

The biggest issue with most Cold Medications and decongestants from a Prostate

Cancer patient standpoint is they can really inhibit the flow or stream of your

urine per my urologist. The reason I say this is because I noticed it and

queried him on it. Worse yet, is if you are on somthing like Hytrin for

improved stream or flow it can have a serious reaction to a decongestant. The

warning labels support this, so take heed all.