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.