Allergies linked to colors by: Frances M. McCrory-Meservy September 29, 2008

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartrazine This site goes into extensive detail (Tartrazine dyes allowed in everything).

http://www.drugs.com/inactive/fd-c-yellow-no-10-lake-330.html This site goes into detail about FD&C Yellow # 10 Lake (allowed in Medications but not food)

I am asking everyone to write your congressman, senator, the FDA edical costs beand your insurance company.  Ask them to get all colors out of our medications.  Insurance lobbyists have most elected officials ears these days.  Getting colors out of our medications and food will help cut mcause the colors are making a lot of people sick.

Medical studies are finding more and more that the colors are unnecessary and cause health problems.  They are contributing to the high cost of medical expenses in this country. 

We used to think the color was so the pharmacists could identify which pill was which mg; but the pharmaceuticals use different sizes and not colors for that.  Also Beta Carotene and other natural substances can be used as natural colors. 

I am allergic to Yellow #5 and Yellow #10.    

When we moved to KS in April 1990, my new pharmacist asked me what I was allergic to.  I told him and he said he would see if there was a common denominator between the drugs.  There was Tartrazine dyes that included D & C yellow # 5.  I had a rash that would not go away and was constantly taking allergy pills to keep down the itching. 

The medications I had listed as being allergic to had sent me to the emergency room with hives on more than one occasion.  We listed Tartrazine dye as an allergy on my medical records. 

When I started checking for the offending colors, I found that those colors were in almost everything: over the counter drugs, food, soap, shampoo, washing detergent, etc.  I had to through out 3/4 of the stuff and food we had in our home.  I almost quit itching - now I just had a flair up occasionally.  As new medications were added the itching got worse.

In 2000 I decided to quit smoking and purchased Nicorette 4 mg.  I went into anaphylactic shock (hives and throat closed up) and was taken to the emergency room.  We did not connect the incident with Nicorette 4 mg.  A couple of days later it happened again.  I started looking for colors on everything. 

Yellow # 10 was in Nicorette 4 mg.  We looked it up on the internet.  It was banned in 5 countries and the FDA banned it in all food; but allowed it in medications and makeup.  I purchased some Nicorette 2 mg because it did not have Yellow # 10 in it.  I did not have a reaction and called the pharmaceutical.  They refunded me the price of the Nicorette 4 mg. 

I started checking my over the counter medications and prescription medications.  Yellow # 10 was in almost everything.  My doctor changed my fluid pill and blood pressure pill.  Today instead of 1 200 mg Celebrex a day I have to take 2 100 mg pills; instead of 1 25 mg Elival I have to take 2 & 1/2 10 mg tabs; there is a trace of yellow # 10 in my blood pressure meds and Diabetes meds.

I took Elival to control pain when I had sciatica (damaged nerve) and now I take Elival (amitriptyline) to control pain from peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes.  When I was taking the 25 mg tab that contained yellow # 10, I had vivid dreams that verged on nightmares. Now that I am taking 2 & 1/2 10 mg white amitriptyline tabs, the dreams have stopped.

Then I started checking the over the counter meds.  There is only one aspirin I can take is Bayer plus.  I can take over the counter:  Excedrin, Benadryl no color added and Tylenol Sinus nighttime.  That's just about it.  Almost every product over the counter has yellow # 10 and/or yellow # 5, red # 6.  Check it out for yourself.

The use of tartrazine is now banned in several countries and restricted in others due to its unfavorable safety profile.

I've found that pharmaceuticals make so much money they don't care if 1 in 10,000 are allergic to their drugs.  That's acceptable collateral damage.  Now keep in mind that the 1 in 10,000 are reported cases of allergies or adverse reactions.  How many people do not know that the colors are causing their allergies or sinus infections, etc.?

We started ordering my meds from WNW Pharmacy in British Columbia Canada and all my pills are coming in white.  Yellow # 10 is banned there.  I go on Medicare next month (October 2008) and will have part D insurance.  We can no longer order our meds from Canada (it's a no if you have Medicare or supplemental insurance).

Some colors are banned because they cause cancer or other problems.  European Commission banned Red 2G (Red # 10) and the BBC News wrote an article about the following suspect colors.

Which colorings?
Sunset yellow (E110) - Coloring found in squashes
Carmoisine (E122) - Red colouring in jellies
Tartrazine (E102) - New colouring in lollies, fizzy drinks
Ponceau 4R (E124) - Red colouring
Quinoline yellow (E104) - Food colouring
Allura red AC (E129) - Orange/red food dye

United States equivalents are   yellow # 5, Yellow # 6, Red # 3, Red # 7, yellow # 13 & Red # 40

Above from BBC News

May 2014 Yellow # 13 is Quinoline Yellow.  When my bone and joint specialist asked what I thought fibromyalgia was, I told him tendonitis.  He asked if I had ever taken the antibiotic Quinoline.  My answer was yes.  He said Quinoline causes tendonitis in most people who take it.  Is Quinoline Yellow related to the antibiotic by the same name?  I think I will avoid that color to see if my pain level improves.

Tartrazine (Answers.com) known as D & C yellow # 5 in the United States and E102 everywhere else is an azo dye.  It is lemon yellow dye made from coal tar - used as a food color.  It is used in Africa and Sweden for yellow, E133 Brilliant Blue FCF or E142 Green to produce various green shades. 

Tartrazine dye is banned in Norway and Austria. It was banned in Germany until the European Parliament lifted the ban.

Tartrazine dye is in almost every food, soap, makeup, hair products, moisturizers, crayons, stamp dyes, Vitamins, antacids, prescription drugs (capsule or coating color), over the counter drugs and makeup.

I have to read every package to check for colors.  The only ones that I know are safe are Del-Monte (they only put it in Mexican Corn), Frito Lay and Procter & Gamble products.  All other brands are suspect.  Approximately 360,000 Americans are allergic to tartrazine dyes.

Reactions to tartrazine dyes my include sinus infections, indigestion, anxiety, migraines, clinical depression, blurred vision, itching, general weakness, heat waves, feeling of suffocation, purple skin patches, sleep disturbance, Obsessive-compulsive disorder and hyperactivity. 

The United Kingdom found that when added to or mixed with other preservatives, it caused hyperactivity in children.  Organic foods typically use beta carotene as an additive if a yellow color is needed. 

The FDA requires that the presence of tartrazine is declared on food and drug products.  They seize products that do not declare the tartrazine color when it is present (usually Chinese egg noodles).  

Lake yellow #10 has been banned in 5 countries and is banned in food in the USA.  It is allowed in our medications and makeup in the USA.  If it is too dangerous for food, why is it allowed in our medications?

The only known treatment is allergy pills (check the colors) or total avoidance of the color (almost impossible).

Medications do not need any color at all added to them.  A lot of our pills are starting to show up with no color (just white).  Hopefully that means someone is listening.

1 Th 5:14-15 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

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