So the National Flu Pandemic Service said DS had Swine Flu and gave us an authorisation code to get Tamiflu, but it turned out that what he actually has is...

[MonstrousMerryHenry]

...tonsillitis. [unimpressed emoticon]. Quite different from the flu. Had I not had my wits about me I'd have gone 'oh, ok' and got the wretched jab or whatever it is, which would have left the poor soul with a throat like a football that someone's stamped on.

Is this how it's meant to work? You phone up/ go on the website, get a 'diagnosis' from a machine (no actual humans available to talk to), you say it's bollocks and then call the doctor anyway who then puts paid to the Pandemic Service's BS and dishes out a proper prescription? I somehow thought the whole point of the service was to relieve doctors of the pressure of being inundated with calls.

But if that means the NHS is dishing out Tamiflu left, right and centre because the Pandemic Service's diagnostic criteria are too vague, I don't quite see how it's helping.

Someone enlighten me, please.

Bloody stupid isn't it - I had confirmed (swabbed) swine flu last week - paid for the swabs myself to be sure because we'd been diagnosed twice before. Had secondary lung infection which was the only reason I even sought help.

Thought it was just a bad cold

Hope your DS feels better soon.

Thanks wmmc - he's chirpy despite it all, bless him (tonsillitis made me cry last year - childbirth didn't! Though my tonsils were far worse than his [hasty justification emoticon]).

Are you better now?

Oh - so your two earlier diagnoses were presumably through the Pandemic folks machines?

You know what's just occured to me? You know how if you go to the doctor saying 'I was reading on netdoctor.com about Fungal Brain Implantitis and I think that's what I've got because I match lots of the symptoms', and then your doctor goes ?

Well, how does that differ from what the Pandemic Service offers?

Nope GP diagnosed both the first two as well. Was pre- trained monkey deployment National Flu Service days!

A friend got Tamiflu having answered "no" to all bar one of the pandemic helpline's questions. It was simply a stomach bug which they all went down with and recovered from within 24 hours

I'm still on the drugs but I'm getting there thank you. If it wasn't for the fact that one of my lungs decided to conk out a bit I'd have been just dandy!

Twas very bad - I did not Mumsnet for five days

My ds was also "diagnosed" yesterday byamanwhotalkedreallyreallyfast and we were given the code to collect antivirals.
The guy on the phone did ask if he had had symptoms for more than 7 days (he hadn't) but didn't say anything about how the antivirals are designed to stop the flu spreading through your body and must be taken within 48 hours of the first appearance of symptoms. my ds started with a cough last wednesday and only became feverish on Monday morning.
We have decided there ids less than no point in giving him antivirals so he is just coughing away upstairs, but otherwise feeling a lot better. I thought the whole helpline service was shite. What is the point of giving people medicine that even the manufacturers claim will not be effective, so far into a bout of flu? I would much prefer to have seen the doctor, although we can't get past the door as it has a huge lambs blood cross on it

Is that right Gemmie - can it start with just a rotten cough? Ds1 has been coughing really abdly this evening, says he was all day at school as well...he isn't hot though. I am getting the cough too, but suppressing it...we do both feel rotten but not that bad, iyswim. Just a bit yuck.

MrsTH I really hope his little throat is better soon xx

well, Flight...I suppose the point is I don't know whether ds has actual swine flu or normal seasonal flu, or a terrible cold. Swabbing for antibodies is the only way to find out.

He did have horrid cough for maybe 3 days, then complained of feeling dizzy and having a bad head on Sunday. Then early hours of monday morning he reeled out of his room with a 39.6 degree temperature all totally disoriented.

On a side note, I feel slightly rotten because he really WAS ill, and I accused him of putting it on when he said he felt well enough to eat his chicken and potatoes but not nearly well enough to eat his peas and sweetcorn

Here's hoping that everyone feeling mardy for any reason feels better soon!

Aw poor thing. Sounds horrid for you all

Yes ds's cough has been hideous for about 2 days now, I think I might keep him off tomorrow. Hope he is better soon too.

I mean hope your ds is! Not mine! Though of course i do

Gemmie - it is hilarious when they do deign to see you at the GPs. They cleared the waiting room for me and I was whisked through like I was turning left on entering a plane

There is a SF testing centre in the town near where I live. They analyse all the local swabbings - these are people who have been swabbed and tild they have SF and have been treated as such, such as with Tamiflu. Well apparently over 90% of those swabs have been negative for SF when tested.

There will be loads and loads of people whp think they have/have had SF through the riginal doctors/NHS Direct diagnosis, and now through the diagnostic website. Hpowever many, probably a high percentage, will have likely had some other virus, bug or infection instead.

My doctor was desperate to dx me with SF earlier int he year. I know, and insisted on, I had an ear infection, Reluctantly the GP treated me with abs (I refused Tamiflu) and lo and behold the abs kicked in and it cleared.