FDA says Zicam nasal spray can cause loss of smell

AP/Yahoo News ^ | 6/16/09

[Kartographer]

The FDA says consumers should stop using Zicam Cold Remedy nasal gel and related products immediately. All the over-the-counter products contain zinc. Scientists say that ingredient may damage nerves in the nose needed for smell.

[Kartographer]

Glad I didn't use it enough to prevent me from smelling what Zero's been shoveling!

[classified]

OHHHHHH! Good comeback!

[SouthTexas]

Post of the day!

[perfect_rovian_storm]

Yeah, and the CyberCzar will declare that Carbonite is bad for your data. Then, the Sleep Czar will declare the sleep number bed bad for your back.

Let’s just hope they don’t go after Ruth’s Chris and put Hannity out of business.

[oh8eleven]

Scientists say that ingredient may damage nerves in the nose needed for smell.
I'm not a scientist, but I can verify it happened to me.

[Quix]

Some of us hyper smellers could do with some blunted smell.

LOL.

[Rebelbase]

Oh man, this whole time I thought my GF had been taking Beano.

[mgc1122]

Good to know if you work in Michael Moore’s vicinity ...

[counterpunch]

Poor Rush!
First his hearing, now his sense of smell.
As much as I love Rush, I gotta say, he needs to stay away from the medications.

[Perdogg]

use Vick’s vapor, it smells good. I used the Zicam and it caused me to sneeze unclogging my nose.

[kempster]

Isn’t Zicam a sponsor of Rush Limbaugh?

[WayneS]

Loss of sense of smell, eh?

You’re supposed to REMOVE the sprayer from your nostril after using it, aren’t you?

[Red Badger]

The zinc will get rid of the stink?..................

[FlashBack]

I’m sure that the ‘red-meat’ crowd is already targeted by 0.

[Red Badger]

I live next to a sewage treatment plant. For folks like me it would be a blessing..............

[ASOC]

LOL

OTC meds CAN kill you

Tylenol will kill the liver, all the rest follows
APCs can kill you via blood thinning or Reye’s Syndrome

Of course, prescription meds can kill you as well.

Nothing is safe, too much water (not drowning) can kill as well. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication)

What will the FDA clear as ‘totally safe’?

[Sans-Culotte]

That warning has been around for over a year. I have continued to use it. Haven't actually come down with a cold for a year and a half.

Of course, it is not really a spray. It's a gel that is supposed to coat the inside of the nostrils and not be inhaled. Maybe people are actually sucking it up their noses?

[Integrityrocks]

I had a really bad sinus infection once and the pain was intollerable. Zicam was the only thing that gave me relief. I used it for about a week. With antibiotics I was cured and never used the stuff again, and I can still smell the good and bad all around just fine. I’d hate to see a good product get a bad rap because of that operative word “may” cause something.

[newheart]

Great. It actually works as advertised. So that’s why the government wants it off the market. Honestly, I am not sure if it isn’t worth the tradeoff.

[trtdenver]

I need to get my wife on Zicam nasal spray asap. Her sense of smell is that of a drug dog. We usually have to go to no less than 5 hotel suites before she will agree on the one that smells the least...even at Bellagio, etc. Absolutely drives me nuts. This is great news as far as I am concerned.

[capt. norm]

For those who are clumsy and take too much up the nose, they make swabs that accomplish the same thing....unless some clod decides to snuff it up his nose

(same way they are misusing the spray.

Both are clearly marked with warnings.

By the way, they have always worked for me...zero colds in three years, even after a couple 'starter colds' that went away in about two days.

[Dr. Sivana]

At this rate, Rush Limbaugh will soon wind up doing his show with half of his senses tied behind his back.

[La Lydia]

This is a bummer. I have been using the stuff for YEARS and it works, heads off the colds before they get going. Also, their Extreme Congestion can open your sinuses in two minutes, and lasts for nearly a day. Are they going to take zinc supplements off the market, too?

[CaptainK]

I hear you. I might try a few sprays today to test it out.

[Think free or die]

"Scientists say that ingredient may damage nerves in the nose needed for smell. I'm not a scientist, but I can verify it happened to me. "

I've had the same experience. I stopped using Zicam a couple of years ago when I realized that my sense of smell had become impaired. Fortunately I haven't lost it completely. I can't prove the connection, but when I realized that I was missing out on smells I previously would have experienced, I gave up using Zicam. It just wasn't worth the risk.

[wideminded]

I have never used Zicam or anything similar but I have been losing my sense of smell anyway. I usually can’t smell even very strong perfume. Hopefully this isn’t a sign of something worse.

[pburgh01]

LOL OTC meds CAN kill you Tylenol will kill the liver, all the rest follows APCs can kill you via blood thinning or Reye’s Syndrome Of course, prescription meds can kill you as well. Nothing is safe, too much water (not drowning) can kill as well. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication) What will the FDA clear as ‘totally safe’?

Easy silly..Medical Pot...it cures everything don't you know, including critical thinking. 420 dittos DUDE!

[JD91]

"Oh man, this whole time I thought my GF had been taking Beano."

Now that right there's funny!

[Vicki]

Been using zicam for years. Haven’t had a cold for over 3 years and I can still smell.

[Vaduz]

We can tell,just kidding I couldn’t pass it up shame on me.

[murron]

Is this just referring to the nasal spray, or is it also referring to the tablets and throat spray?

[Citizen Soldier]

I admit I had the same thought when I heard this news, they are also advertisers for now government owned GM — so what do we take away from all this ? There must be a page in Saul Alinsky’s playbook about choking off the finances of opponentws to drive them out of business. I use Zicam before I fly and I never get sick anymore afterwards like I ALWAYS did.

[TChris]

I lose my sense of smell when I use Afrin for very long. A few days after stopping, my sense of smell returns.

Odd experience, that.

[ASOC]

ROTFLMAO

The stuff cures almost everything - ‘cept the munchies.....

[wideminded]

BTW when I was looking up more about this I read that the problem with Zicam was announced at a medical conference 6 years ago. There’s lots of material on the internet about it that is several years old. So what does that say about how well the FDA is protecting our health?

[jimfree]

Vicki, I’m going to miss Zicam if it’s taken out.

[CaliforniaCon]

Re: “Glad I didn’t use it enough to prevent me from smelling what Zero’s been shoveling!”

***********

Agree — Zicam and other zinc products had better NOT go off the market. I’ve used Zicam off and on for years now and love it — it really helps —

There’s another spray warned against for years — AFRIN — which also does a great job of clearing the nasal passages if not OVER-used. I like that one, too.

After using these and other products over time, yet sparingly, I have neither a perpetually stuffed up nose nor loss of ability to ‘smell.’

What I DO smell is Obama’s BS being scattered around 24/7. ENOUGH!

[Joya]

Thanks for the warning. I still like the oral mist.

[oh8eleven]

I stopped using Zicam a couple of years ago when I realized that my sense of smell had become impaired.
I very rarely get a cold and only used Zicam once or twice. I noticed the loss of smell (and taste) right after that. Fortunatley, they have recovered somewhat.
Most notable is the scent of a woman's perfume now seems to smell medicinal or "metallic."

[pelicandriver]

“The FDA says about 130 consumers have reported a loss of smell after using Matrixx Initiatives’ Zicam products since 1999.”

That works out to about 13 people a year allegedly losing the sense of smell from Zicam. I wonder how many people use Zicam. How many people lose the sense of smell each year? Is the number of people who lose the sense of smell subsequent to using Zicam more than would occur in the general population?

[metmom]

ping

[a fool in paradise]

The FDA says about 130 consumers have reported a loss of smell after using Matrixx Initiatives' Zicam products since 1999.

And how many other people who use zinc without any brandname or a competing brand have also suffered sense of smell in the past decade?

This seems to be a targeted attack on Rush's adveriser as well a home remedies.

Zinc is the stated culprit, not "Zicam". And plenty of people have not lost sense of smell.

Big Pharma wants your cold symptom medicine sales.

[a fool in paradise]

"Loss of the sense of smell is potentially life threatening and may be permanent," said Dr. Charles Lee, of FDA's compliance division. "People without the sense of smell may not be able to detect dangerous life situations, such as gas leaks or something burning in the house."

Talk about fear mongering. I don't even have natural gas in my home. And my apartment requires smoke detectors.

[a fool in paradise]

What will the FDA clear as ‘totally safe’?

Marijuana for "medicinal" purposes.

[skinkinthegrass]

This seems to be a targeted attack on Rush's adveriser as well a home remedies.

This has, the Democ'RAT'S "pawprints", all over it.

[a fool in paradise]

The FDA said Zicam Cold Remedy was never formally approved because it is part of a small group of remedies that are not required to undergo federal review before launching. Known as homeopathic products, the formulations often contain herbs, minerals and flowers.

The FDA is homeopathicphobic.

[a fool in paradise]

Is this just referring to the nasal spray, or is it also referring to the tablets and throat spray?

Anything with Zinc.

And the FDA is also saying that there is no evidence that Zicam actually does anything stated:

But government scientists say they are unaware of any data supporting Zicam's labeling, which claims the drug reduces cold symptoms, including "sore throat, stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing and congestion."

So they have TWO stated reasons for attacking Zicam (plus: the FDA has NO oversight for homeopathic products, the products accounted for about 40 percent of its $111.6 million in sales last year, and Zicam is an endorsed product by Rush Limbaugh).

The Obamunists are siding with Big Pharma which sells products that ARE bad for your physical health and impair your ability to function.

[a fool in paradise]

I use Afrin very limited (one day, not the 2 or 3 day max stated). But it will open a nasal passage. It’s not homeopathic, however.

Zinc is zinc.

[a fool in paradise]

It cures “loss of appetite”.

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl