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Original poster

11 month old - how safe is Tamiflu?

24 replies

Divvy · 24/07/2009 16:53

Just had the doctor round, as ds nearly 12 months has had a temp since Monday, sore throat, upset tummy. Temp today is 102 and wont go down with calpol. He isnt really ill. Doc had to come out though as under 1 and with symtoms needed to be seen.

We cant get Tamiflu in liquid as there is none in our area, so capsules need to be broken open and put in water.

How safe is Tamiflu?

OP posts:

Original poster

Divvy · 24/07/2009 19:34

I have decided not to start Tamiflu, unless he gets gets worse, think its for the best.

If it was just a bog standard virus he would just be on paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Seems they have a name now, and virus was not mentioned, like it usually is when our kids are ill with a temp!

OP posts:

Original poster

Divvy · 24/07/2009 19:46

I know its all been done over the last few weeks, is it that boring now?

OP posts:

pofacedandproud · 24/07/2009 19:48

Glad he is not too unwell, so hard to know exactly what it is. I would also err on the side of caution with regard to Tamiflu if he is not too unwell.

Northernlurker · 24/07/2009 19:53

If it wasn't a pandemic situation you wouldn't expect to give Tamiflu to your child in this situation would you? I wouldn't certainly. I think it's as well to avoid it - it does have side effects of it's own that your ds can do without. Have you tried ibuprofen for the temp? Dd3 has been a bit off in the last 24 hours with a temp and cold symptoms. I think it's a cold - could be flu but if so it's the most pathetic flu I've ever seen Anyway - ibuprofen has been noticeably better at dropping her temp.

Original poster

Divvy · 24/07/2009 20:05

I have given ibuprofen at 6, and his temp is back down now for the first time today!

This also would be the most pathetic flu I have seen. He is happy and playing now.

I think along with under-diagnosing, ie missing other illnesses, they are also over-diagnosing! With such a powerful drug, that could make him alot worse than he is. My 2 year old has had much worse viruses

Why would I want to give my under-the-weather child an antiviral.

If this is the case, then why are we not given anti-virals every time our kids are ill like this?

OP posts:

Northernlurker · 24/07/2009 20:10

Yes exactly - it's all very odd. I don't believe 100 000 cases of flu for a second. 100 000 bad colds like the one I've had - yes. I haven't felt brilliant but I've functioned as normal.

Northernlurker · 24/07/2009 20:11

Good news his temp is down - sounds like he's on the mend.

Original poster

Divvy · 26/07/2009 10:12

he is no better, but no worse. if he takes a turn for the worse will it look really bad that i havent given him the tamiflu?

OP posts:

ZZZenAgain · 26/07/2009 10:15

I am sorry I really have no idea. I was reading yesterday that Tamiflu was thought to be linked to violent psychotic disturbances in some Japanese teenagers who had been given it.

I keep getting confused messages about this Swine Flu/Tamiflu business. At the moment, I really don't know what I would do if dd caught it.

ZZZenAgain · 26/07/2009 10:16

This was an article in a serious German news magazine and the comment was from a viral expert who was being interviewed on this subject. I can't comment on the veracity of any of it. Iti s troubling.

lljkk · 26/07/2009 10:23

The Tamiflu isn't that powerful a drug, anyway. It shortens the worst symptoms (on average) by one day. My gut feeling is that if my child was that ill I probably would give it, mind. But I don't think it's irresponsible for OP to have held off for now.

pofacedandproud · 26/07/2009 10:37

you have to give it within the first 48 hours anyway, so it is probably too late to be thinking about Tamiflu. Hopefully he'll turn a corner soon.

Original poster

Divvy · 26/07/2009 10:44

Too late for regrets I guess. I would have given it to him if he was really ill with it.

OP posts:

cheerfulvicky · 26/07/2009 12:38

ZZZ, I was also reading about this. I googled Oseltamivir, which is the medical name for Tamiflu (Tamiflu is just a brand name) Have a look at:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oseltamivir#Adverse_effects

bruffin · 26/07/2009 13:19

Yes exactly - it's all very odd. I don't believe 100 000 cases of flu for a second. 100 000 bad colds like the one I've had - yes. I haven't felt brilliant but I've functioned as normal.

It's not a bad cold. I have had it since a week last friday and it has only just got to the stage that if feels like a bad cold. It's not the need to go to bed and do nothing type flu, but it's definitely a lot worse than a bad cold. I have never had a week off work before except when I had shingles

yummymummy310 · 26/07/2009 16:14

I wasn't sure whether to give my child tamiflu but when she suddenly got a lot worse and couldn't breathe was so glad I had just on the off chance it was stopping the virus reproducing as she seemed to be one of the unlucky ones who's breathing was badly affected. She was also treated with steroids and an inhaler as she had what could be described as an accute asthma attack - is almost fully recovered now by the way 9 days after first symptoms. Think most kids fight it off fine.

My other little girl wasnt all that poorly just like with a nasty virus nothing alarming. Tamiflu is said to maybe have side effects though so it's really a case of weighing it up for yourself which is hard.

My understanding is that it was banned in Japan as people were taking it to avoid flu all the time when they were scared about bird flu which killed half the people that got it. There were 3 or 4 cases of teenagers becoming suicidal but when you look at the huge number of people taking the drug the percentage of people who became suicidal was lower than suicide rates amoungst the general population. Think it got blown up in the media and so they banned it but that's just my take on it I may be wrong.

I'm glad I took it as this flu has wiped me out and I've got a chest infection it is supposed to stop pneumonia developing but whether that's true I don't know, have felt so weak woulld've taken anything going!

Think it affects different people different ways and it's the unpredictability of it that has resulted in them prescribing tamiflu.

To my mind if I'd got shingles I would've taken antivirals to stop getting blisters so am taking them now ( a little reluctantly) to try and fight off this nasty flu.

Hope you are all well soon x

Original poster

Divvy · 27/07/2009 11:45

No temp spike since yesterday afternoon

I truely beleive this was a virus, but I know he will now be added to the numbers of people that have had swine flu!

None of us are feeling ill, and he has had it for a week now.

OP posts:

yummymummy310 · 27/07/2009 11:55

hopefully you are right! Lot of viruses about not just swine flu which is also a virus of course. My youngest little girl did have swine flu though and wasn't any worse than your child, where as me and my eldest daughter were very poorly and my husband hasn't had it - so glad he didn't get it just hope that means he's got away with it as children are infectious for 7 days then takes 48 hours for symptoms to show x

Original poster

Divvy · 27/07/2009 11:58

I think they should still be swabbing, sending out swabs with the flu friend along with the Tamiflu.

OP posts:

pofacedandproud · 27/07/2009 12:11

Well after a bloody woman in the playground made her two year old with a hacking cough kiss my 14 month old on the lips, I am expecting some sort of illness to enter the household pretty soon. Just hope it is just a bog standard virus and not SF. Glad your lo feeling better Divvy.

yummymummy310 · 27/07/2009 12:17

yeah they should be but where would they find the man power to do 100's of swobs per surgery. Especially with so many people of ill with swine flu! I would've loved to be swobbed but am sure we had it as I was so ill and it affected by daughters breathing so much - the main difference between swine flu and other viruses in some unlucky people not all x

lollie69 · 05/08/2009 11:56

Here is even more information:

articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/08/04/Squalene-The-Swine-Flu-Vaccines-Dirty-Little- Secret-Exposed.aspx

MitchyInge · 05/08/2009 11:58

that article is about the vaccine

this thread is about tamiflu, which is not even mentioned in the article

you do know there is a difference between tamiflu and the vaccine, don't you? would hate to think you were just scaremongering!

lollie69 · 05/08/2009 14:11

sorry wrong link: ]]www.telegraph.co.uk/health/swine-flu/5943331/Tamiflu-linked-to-side-effects-among-children- reports-find.html]]

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