I received this e-mail this morning.
Please read in entirety.
Hi Everyone
I am passing this email forwarded to me this morning.
It's
about a medication that is familiar to many of us. Note
also the FDA 's comments at the end of the message.
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 on 7/30 and passed away on 8/3. 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 stokes 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. (***see links below who provide
a disclaimer saying some of those on this list may already
be reformulating their drugs to exclude PPA..you need to
read the label to make sure.)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 or ange)
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Original
Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & C ough 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 Rel! ief
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/cder/drug/infopage/ppa
