What's in your medicine cabinet might be lethal

Ironwolf

The Knife Poet
I just got this from my Dad,
who keeps track of these kinds of things...

Please read the following information and take a look at your medicine cabinet. Some of the items may already be in your medicine cabinets.

Thanks to a Kamloops, BC Canada , FSNA member who forwarded this email - if you would like to check it out - the website to do so is at the end of the article.

I received this information from a friend whose mother recently passed away. Apparently, this was caused by a medication that is deadly. Here are the details and I suggest you pass it on to your loved ones and others.

Subject: Phenylpropanolamine (PPA)

I would like to thank those of you who expressed condolences on the recent passing of my mother. She suffered a hemorrhagic stroke while she was driving home from my house at 7:30 and passed away at 8:30. My mother's stroke and passing was an enormous shock to my family because she did not have any symptoms or risk factors for a stroke. Just the week before she had gone to her doctor for a check up and received a clean bill of health. She did, however, develop a cold while she was visiting me and had taken Alka Seltzer Cold Plus for 3 days. Since her passing, we have learned that Alka Seltzer is one of the many cold medicines that contains Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) which can cause hemorrhagic strokes or cerebral bleeding even with the first use. I am forwarding a list of other medications that currently use PPA. These medicines are supposedly being recalled but my mother just purchased this medication less than two weeks ago. Pharmaceutical companies have known about this danger for years, we unfortunately, did not.

I urge you to review the list of medicines with PPA and avoid these medications. All drugs containing PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE are dangerous. You may want to try calling the 800 number listed on most drug boxes and inquire about a REFUND. Please read this CAREFULLY.

Also, please pass this on to everyone you know. STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient. It has been linked to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain) among women ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use of medication. Problems were not found in men, but the FDA recommended that everyone (even children) seek alternative medicine.

The following medications contain Phenylpropanolamine:

Acutrim Diet Gum Appetite Suppressant

Acutrim Plus Dietary Supplements

Acutrim Maximum Strength Appetite Control

Alka-Seltzer Plus Children's Cold Medicine Effervescent

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold medicine (cherry or orange)

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Original

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Medicine Effervescent

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu Medicine

Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Sinus Effervescent

Alka Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine

BC Allergy Sinus Cold Powder

BC Sinus Cold Powder

Comtrex Flu Therapy & Fever Relief

Day & Night Contac 12-Hour Cold Capsules

Contac 12 Hour Caplets

Coricidin D Cold, Flu & Sinus

Dexatrim Caffeine Free

Dexatrim Extended Duration

Dexatrim Gelcaps

Dexatrim Vitamin C/Caffeine Free

Dimetapp Cold & Allergy Chewable Tablets

Dimetapp Cold & Cough Liqui-Gels

Dimetapp DM Cold & Cough Elixir

Dimetapp Elixir

Dimetapp 4 Hour Liquid Gels

Dimetapp 4 Hour Tablets

Dimetapp 12 Hour Extentabs Tablets

Naldecon DX Pediatric Drops

Permathene Mega-16

Robitussin CF

Tavist-D 12 Hour Relief of Sinus & Nasal Congestion

Triaminic DM Cough Relief

Triaminic Expectorant Chest & Head

Triaminic Syrup ! ! Cold & amp;am p; Allergy

Triaminic Triaminicol Cold & Cough

I just found out and called the 800# on the container for Triaminic and they informed me that they are voluntarily recalling the following medicines because of a certain ingredient that is causing strokes and seizures in children:

Orange 3D Cold & Allergy Cherry (Pink)

3D Cold & Cough Berry

3D Cough Relief Yellow 3D Expectorant

They are asking you to call them at 800-548-3708 with the lot number on the box so they can send you postage for you to send it back to them, and they will also issue you a refund. If you know of anyone else with small children,

PLEASE PASS THIS ON. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF!

DO PASS ALONG TO ALL ON YOUR MAILING LIST so people are informed. They can then pass it along to their families.



To confirm these findings please take time to check the following:
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm150767.htm
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/ppa




Gail Stenson

Public Health Clerk

St. James-Assiniboia

Health & Social Services Center

2015 Portage Avenue R3J 0K3

Phone: 940-2388 Fax: 940-2636

eMail: gstenson@wrha.mb.ca
 
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All of the meds containing PPA should be off the market since 2000 at least in the US. But if this gets people to go through their medicine cabinet and get rid of expired medication it's a good thing. My Aunt had boxes of penicillin that looked like they were from WWII.
 
Thats scarry Alka-seltzer cold has been my go to for years at the first sign of a cold I grab a box guess I had find something different before the cold weather hits. Thanks for posting this.

God Bless
Rodney
 
As a pharmacist, I remember that all PPA was recalled several years ago in the U.S. However, it certainly could still be made and shipped to other countries. PPA is a real good decongestant, but it has very serious side effects in some people. All decongestants can raise your heart rate and blood pressure. Some people have more problems with others. If you have heart problems or high blood pressure then you really should stay away from all decongestants if possible. A good rule of thumb is, "If your prescription is more than a year old it should be discarded."

Ironwolf, I am sorry for your loss of your mother. I lost mine a few years back and I still catch myself thinking that I will go over to see her. May God bless you and may you feel his comforting grace strong about you.
 
Thank you Cal,
but while my Mom did pass not long ago
the woman mentioned in this notice wasn't my mom.
And yeah,she's still really close:
I catch myself thinking "I have to take her a pumpkin spice latte" when I'm in Starbuck's...
Peace and blessings be with you also my friend.
 
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