I received this in an e-mail yesterday this is probably why you can't find ZICAM in the store.

Kittywhiskers

Please read this - its important.

Subj: Zicam Cold Remedy - DANGEROUS!!!! - See Report Link at the bottom of the page

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