Tamiflu – worth taking with you when travelling abroad?

[kordanwalker]

I'm going to New Zealand at the end of August and last time I went I ended up getting quite ill with flu-like symptoms, which wasn't ideal when I was so far from home.

A friend mentioned Tamiflu and suggested it might be worth looking into before I travel. I've never taken it before, so just wondered if anyone here has had any experience with it?

Not looking for medical advice as obviously that's something I'd discuss with a doctor or pharmacist – I'm more interested in people's personal experiences. Did you find it useful and would you bother taking it abroad with you?

Tamiflu is given once flu has been confirmed (either influenza A or B)it doesn’t work on viral infections. I think you would struggle to have a dr/pharmacist to prescribe you it to take on holiday for ‘just in case’. You would be better getting the flu jab.
If you became unwell whilst away and it was severe enough for tamiflu then a dr would prescribe it to you.

I think it’s worth having a chat with your GP or pharmacist before you go, especially as you’ve had a bad experience with flu while travelling before. I’ve never taken Tamiflu myself, but from what I understand it’s something that’s generally used when you actually have influenza rather than just as a general precaution. I’d probably check what they recommend and what the situation is with getting treatment in New Zealand rather than taking it without discussing it first.

I’ve taken Tamiflu before when I actually had flu, and for me it did seem to make the illness a bit more manageable. I wouldn’t personally take it routinely or start it without speaking to a doctor, though.

If you’re going somewhere remote, it might be worth asking your GP what they recommend before you go, especially given what happened on your last trip.

If this happened not long after your flight it may well have been something you contracted on the flight. Air travel can be notorious for spreading viruses/bugs.

Try putting some Vaseline in your nostrils before and during the flight. This helps stop viruses attaching themselves as much. Obviously observing good hand hygiene is essential too. I know many people swear by wiping down armrests/your seat,tray etc with antibacterial wipes if you wish to go that far.
Enjoy your holiday and hope you stay well.

My friend took Tamiflu after getting flu abroad and felt it helped shorten the worst of it. I’d probably ask my GP about taking it with me, just for peace of mind.

I agree, it's better to take precautions. I went to the UK at Christmas and wore a mask on the plane (both journeys) and used antibacterial gel for the whole trip, especially after using public transport.

I also bought that Vicks First Defence nasal spray (after seeing it recommended on here) and used it religiously for the duration of the trip. When I flew back home in January, the plane was full of people coughing and spluttering but I didn't come back with a cold, flu or covid. Could just have been lucky I suppose but it was the first winter I've not ended up with a horrible respiratory virus after travelling.

Probably worth speaking to a pharmacist before you travel. They should be able to advise whether Tamiflu would be appropriate to take with you and when it should actually be used.

Click Pharmacy have a pharmacist service and I found their information on Tamiflu quite useful when reading about it:

www.clickpharmacy.co.uk/coughs-colds-flu/tamiflu

Might be worth giving them a call and asking before you go.