You thought about getting the flu vaccine, especially after seeing your friend at work take almost a week to recover from it, but you just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Now, all of a sudden, wham, you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck.
You’re running a fever, you have a dry cough and scratchy throat, your head aches, your body aches and you just feel miserable. You’re not looking forward to a week of feeling this bad but what can you do? Tamiflu may be just the answer you’re looking for and the time to take it is as quickly as you can get a prescription from your health care provider.
Tamiflu is a medication that will shorten the time you’re sick with the flu by several days, if you take it within 1-2 days after becoming sick. If your physician or health care provider is confident you have the flu, do not wait for lab test results — get started on Tamiflu right away. Healthy people who get the flu are not going to benefit much if you start this medicine later than 2 days after you’ve become symptomatic. If you are at higher risk for influenza complications, such as pneumonia and hospitalization, you may benefit from treatment even if it has been more than 2 days since you came down with the flu (but taking Tamiflu as soon as possible is still important).
People who are at higher risk for complications include:
- older adults (age 65 or older)
- young children (less than age 2)
- pregnant women or women who recently had their babies
- anyone who does not have a well-functioning immune system or takes medications that affect the immune system
- anyone with a chronic disease like asthma or diabetes
What you need to know about Tamiflu
- Tamiflu treats seasonal influenza A and B — it doesn’t treat other viruses, such as the cold virus.
- The sooner your take it, the more effective it is at decreasing the time you’re sick with the flu.
- If you are taking Tamiflu, you can still spread the flu virus.
- Tamiflu can interact with some other medications — make sure your doctor and pharmacist know about all the medicines you are taking and if you received the nasal-spray flu vaccine in the past two weeks.
- Most people don’t have side effects but some people may have an upset stomach, diarrhea or other side effects — tell your physician or health care provider immediately if you are having side effects. Allergic reactions are not common, but they do happen. If you think you are having an allergic reaction, seek medical help immediately.
Getting the influenza vaccine before the start of flu season is the best way to prevent you from getting the flu. But don’t forget about Tamiflu, even if you haven’t gotten the vaccine, as it can get you back on your feet quicker.
By Karen Babos, D.O., M.B.A.
Karen Babos is a primary contributor to the Stay Well blog and the Vice President of Clinical Programs and Quality for Walgreens. She is triple-board certified in internal medicine, geriatric medicine and hospice and palliative care.
