FDA says Zicam nasal spray can cause loss of smell

AP/Yahoo News ^ | 6/16/09

[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?