Foo - ZiCam Warning

Below is a forwarded email I received just now from a lady at work:

I was immediately skeptical as you see fake stuff like this often (not to mention, I have been a fan of Zicam for a while). I googled it though (http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&q=zicam&btnG=Google+Search), and found many references to Zicam problems. Even snopes lists it as "undterminded" (http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/zicam.asp).

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I need to warn you about a product on the market and hopefully you will pass it on to as many people as possible. I felt like I was coming down with a cold last Friday and because I'm around sick family members so much I wanted to possibly head it off. I used Zicam, which is a gel nose spray which claims to keep a cold from becoming "full blown."

Immediately I had an intense, horrible burning in my nasal/sinus passages. The skin on my face hurt to touch and I had pain and burning so that it hurt to move my head. My husband was here and kept asking if I wanted to go to the ER but the thought of getting in a car was overwhelming. My face was burning hot and my nasal passages were so swollen that I couldn't breathe through my nose and I could see the swelling when I looked in the mirror. It lasted for about three hours and it was Labor Day weekend and I couldn't see a Dr. until Tuesday.

I have seen two ENT specia lists in the last two days because I have lost, totally lost, all ability to taste or smell. They both told me the same thing and suggested an immediate course of action. This is called "chemical trauma' and most times it's permanent. I'm going to have a CT scan on Monday and am on a high dose of the steroid, Prednisone for two weeks. If there is even a thread of the olfactory nerve left, it will help to rejuvenate what is left.

I have been on the Internet (just put in Zicam) and there are hundreds of people who have had this happen. I am so angry and devastated and saddened right now that I don't know how to get through this. I cannot handle the thought of never tasting food again or trying a new recipe or smelling a Thanksgiving turkey. Cooking has been an absolute passion of mine for as long as I can remember and at the moment I don't see the point of even putting dressing on a salad. I keep thinking that this cannot be happening to me. I suck on a lemon, bite down on a clove of garlic, smell a bottle of ammonia, nail polish remover, anything.

I'm starting by telling people I love. PLEASE don't use Zicam, tell your friends.

http://www.zicam-cold-eeze-lawyers.com

Thanks for the warning. I hope she gets better. Dang.

Yikes I think I will be cleaning out my medicine cabinet once I get home.

I would tend to believe the doctors and courts who found Zicam to be free of blame.

Below is a forwarded email I received just now from a lady at work

The safest course of action is to ignore most "forwarded emails" unless you know the person quoted in the email and know the content to be true.

Chris

That's why I use the disolvable ZiCam tablets. I hate nose sprays.

It may be a placebo, but it's my favorite placebo when I feel a cold coming on....

There are those I work with that swear by this stuff. I think since every person is different chemically that one can use it and get this effect while many others think it is the miracle of all times. Yeah, that sucks for that lady to have the possibility of permanent taste and smell loss.

I have the nose swabs. Not the nose spray. I haven't ever had an issue either???

I wish I could lose my sense of taste, I would lose a ton of weight.

I would tend to believe the doctors and courts who found Zicam to be free of blame.
Can you post links to that? I was hoping to find something similar myself...have always been a user of Zicam. I have noticeable seen it help....one of the few products I've always sworn by.



The safest course of action is to ignore most "forwarded emails" unless you know the person quoted in the email and know the content to be true.

Chris
You didn't read past the first line did you?

I said that I normally brush these off too....but I did google up some stuff to show some possible validity to it.




I have the nose swabs. Not the nose spray. I haven't ever had an issue either???
+1 (though I prefer and usually use the chewable tablets)

Can you post links to that? I was hoping to find something similar myself...have always been a user of Zicam. I have noticeable seen it help....one of the few products I've always sworn by.

Here (http://www.integratir.com/newsrelease.asp?news=2130981573&ticker=MTXX&lang=EN&title=null) is what I was referring to. I think Snopes points to this as well.

My wife uses the swabs. The packaging and ingredients basically screams snake oil scam, so I stay away from it. I eat stuff with a lot of capsaicin (puree habanero peppers, thai food, etc), intake a lot of vitamin C, and drink about 5 liters of water per day when I'm starting to feel sick. It usually doesn't last long.

There was just something on the news the other night about this condition. fact or fiction, I don't know.

Here (http://www.integratir.com/newsrelease.asp?news=2130981573&ticker=MTXX&lang=EN&title=null) is what I was referring to. I think Snopes points to this as well.
Thanks....I didn't even noticed the links at the bottom of the snopes page.

Zicam isn't available in canada but someone once brought it here for me. I tried it when i had a cold and it was really amazing. It was the spray which i admit, makes you sneeze. Aside from that, i had no problem. This woman probably had a bad reaction which can happen to any one with any drug. I can't take penicillin, but it doesn't mean that's penicillin's fault. I'm allergic! if you can't tolerate the spray, take the pills.

Do yourself a favor and don't take any over the counter or presciption "medication" unless absolutely necessary.

I am pro-zicam, but I only take the dissolveable tablets. I never like to put anything up my nose in general.