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Original poster

What if I don't collect tamiflu?

16 replies

pigsinmud · 08/10/2009 13:49

Dd1 (5) woke up yesterday with awful headache, sore throat and high temp. Doesn't come below 38 with calpol and peaks at over 40.

SF is in her school. I did the online test to see what it said and it gave me a number for tamiflu.

I never intended to get it as she seems to be coping ok with calpol, bed rest etc.. Also, test is so vague she could have a variety of illnesses. If I don't collect it and she doesn't have SF now and then in a few months she is really ill with SF and I wanted to give tamiflu, will she be crossed off the list as having already been issued it even though we didn't collect it? Hope you followed that.

I just don't see how I can be sure she's got SF.

OP posts:

sarah293 · 08/10/2009 13:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

peanutbutterkid · 08/10/2009 13:54

I'm pretty sure I've heard of ppl getting multiple tamiflu prescriptions. I wouldn't worry about that part of it.

If she's coping fine with the current regime then I would personally plan to skip collecting it, just keep a close eye on her. I don't think Tamiflu is a miracle drug by any means, anyway, it doesn't do that much to help them recover.

melrose · 08/10/2009 13:55

Don't know about tamiflu but if she is still ill she should be seen by a Dr. GP I know says that all children with suspected swine flu should be seen by a GP if ill for a few days. She says the main conecern of a lot of GPs is that people will self diagnose and more serious illnesses get missed.

Original poster

pigsinmud · 08/10/2009 13:59

Thanks. Was having an uncharacteristic panic!! I'm usually calm about illnesses.

She is not too bad at the moment. Temp is still 38.3 - had calpol about 2 hours ago. She is eating and drinking though. It's the headache that's really bothering her. I have checked for rashes and she's all clear.

OP posts:

Elibean · 08/10/2009 16:42

there is another option, which is to collect the Tamiflu and not use it - unless she gets much worse in the next few hours. After that, not much point anyway...and tbh, its best used in the first 24 hours.

I think, otherwise, if you don't collect it it won't 'count' as your dd having had Tamiflu.

Hope she's better soon, neighbour's ds just had similar sounding virus (SF or otherwise) and his bad headache only lasted 24 hours or so. I saw his mum last night, and she had the bad headache but no fever....

Elibean · 08/10/2009 16:44

btw, can she tolerate Ibuprofen? If so, I would give that too - alternate with Calpol - its far more effective in bringing fever down, IME.

Original poster

pigsinmud · 08/10/2009 16:49

Thanks Elibean. Temp back up to 39.9 now.
Can't get Ibuprofen into her - could be the flavour so might try and get a different make. Have the nurofen one and she hates the orange taste. She takes the calpol no problem.
Decided against picking up tamiflu as I doubt I'd get it down her anyway.

OP posts:

LeonieBooCreepy · 08/10/2009 16:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

pigsinmud · 09/10/2009 09:50

Much worse today. Can't get out of bed - had to carry her to the loo. Runny nose & eyes and aching. Poor little thing.

GP going to ring back - wanted to check it was ok to give her calpol all weekend. This is her 3rd day on calpol.

Got some strawberry nurofen yesterday evening from a friend, but she was almost sick with the first sip, so not going to bother with that!

OP posts:

melrose · 09/10/2009 10:38

Schlike, when the GP calls back ask for someone to see her, most GPs surgeries should eb seeing samll childrena nd not diagnsoing over the phone

Elibean · 09/10/2009 12:47

Poor love, sounds awful

Do ask GP to come and see her, children should definitely be seen and not just assumed its flu, they should come out so don't let them fob you off!

Shame she didn't like the strawb nurofen, I found the same with dd2 when she had her tonsils out....nurofen was a no-no as far as she was concerned (aged 2 at the time) and we ended up with voltarol suppositories and calpol.

dd2 started a 38.3 temp at midnight last night, and what looks like a moderate cold...v unusual for her to run a fever..am keeping close eye.

HOpe your dd is past the worst by tomorrow, schilke.

Elibean · 09/10/2009 12:48

ps dd's temp didn't drop wtih Calpol either, but did with Nurofen (thankfully, she'll take it now!)

Original poster

pigsinmud · 09/10/2009 13:14

Thanks for kind messages! Well I smuggled strawberry nurofen into a strawberry yoghurt 2 hours after calpol and her temp has gone to 37.2 - it made a big difference.

GP phoned back and said he'd come out and see her (we're in a small village so is not too hard for GP). She has never been to the docs and he mentioned the fact we hardly ever go with our children. He checked her over with her new temp of normal (typical!) and said she has tonsilitis. We've opted to go down the drug free route and if she's no better in a couple of days we'll get anti bs. GP ranted about the phone lines diagnosing people and how the numbers for SF are madness as people are self diagnosing. So we felt we'd done the right thing, by phoning him up to check. I really didn't like the idea of dd1 taking tamiflu after ticking a couple of boxes on an online form!

She still hasn't moved out of bed and is feeling very weak.

OP posts:

Elibean · 09/10/2009 16:43

Tonsilitis is awful, am glad you got the GP out, well done! Keep careful eye on her temp and pain levels, because it can go one of two ways (ie better, or a lot worse) after a few days - should know soon.

Lucky she's still eating yoghurt!

Original poster

pigsinmud · 12/10/2009 12:09

Well, ended up at Out of hours doc yesterday as Saturday night her temp was 40.6 and she was talking nonsense - she wasn't bundled up and hot, sitting there in just her knickers, absolutely boiling.

Oddly that must have been the peak as yesterday evening her temp was down to 38 and today it is 37. Doc gave us 10 days of penicillin as her throat looks awful - bit of a shock as she's never had any antibs before!

Today she is feeling much better, just need to feed her up. Not sure how long to keep her off school - def until Wednesday as she's quite weak at the moment. I feel knackered due to 3 sleepless nights!

Elibean - hope your dd2 is ok.

OP posts:

Elibean · 12/10/2009 13:26

Poor dd, I'm glad you got the ABs and that she's responded so fast (they do work within hours, IME, with tonsils). I tend to give them one day past when I start wishing they were back/they start whingeing, then send them back to school I do think its better to let them fully recover, at this time of year, than go back not quite ready and catch the first bug going round as they're run down. If possible.

dd2 is recovered, thanks for asking...had same scenario as you, given Tamiflu and collected but didn't give it: its in the cupboard! She had high temps at night for three nights, lower on fourth, fine on fifth - and never bad during day, just pale, coldy and tired. I think it was a nasty cold virus.

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