Tamiflu

What is Tamiflu? Tamiflu® (oseltamivir phosphate) is a treatment for influenza, commonly known as ‘the flu’. It attacks the influenza virus and prevents it from spreading throughout the body. Unlike medicines that ease symptoms, Tamiflu treats the virus at its source, by striking the underlying causes of the flu. As Tamiflu is prescription medication, it is not possible to purchase it before a doctor has done a consultation. If you wish to buy Tamiflu from HealthExpress, you can do an online consultation which will be reviewed by one of our doctors. The online consultation is free of charge and you don't oblige to buy anything.   Start you free online consultation now

How can I buy treatment? Tamiflu Obtaining treatment from us couldn’t be easier. Simply complete our online consultation, which will then be reviewed by one of our registered UK doctors who will be able to recommend treatments that would be beneficial to you after your diagnosis has been completed. You will then be able to login directly to your personalised member’s area from where you will be able to place your order.

Conclusions - Tamiflu 75 mg is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for influenza. Tamiflu is not a substitute for a flu vaccination. Patients should continue receiving an annual flu vaccination according to guidelines on immunisation practices.

Against the Avian Bird Flu in Asia? Most of the current focus on a pandemic flu centers on the H5N1 ‘Avian Bird Flu’ in Vietnam and Thailand. The Bird Flu has become endemic to the region, which has accounted for all of the reported human deaths from the flu for the past year. The fatality rate for the virus is in the 70-80% range. Tamiflu was used in vivo in an effort to save tigers at a Thailand zoo. The zoo housed 441 tigers and some were fed Bird-Flu infected chickens. Those that had not been fed chickens were segregated away from those fed infected chickens. The tigers were treated with Tamiflu, but eventually 45 tigers died and 102 were euthanized for humanitarian reasons. Thus, in spite of Tamiflu treatment, 33% of the entire tiger population died, but this could have been close to 100% of the infected population.

Conclusions - "Tamiflu, made by Swiss company Roche, has been singled out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as it's drug of choice to protect against bird flu and for use in case of a widespread human outbreak." [source: Reuters 1st March 2005].

Avian Bird Flu is thought to have originated in Asia in wild waterfowl such as ducks, which carry the virus without suffering harm. It then moved into poultry, where it evolved and became a threat to humans. The first case of a person dying from Bird Flu was reported in Hong Kong in May 1997.

UN officials warned that the Avian Bird Flu outbreak posed the "gravest possible danger" of becoming a global pandemic; and the World Health Organisation has warned governments they must stockpile vaccines in preparation for a pandemic. The US, French and Italian governments have all placed orders for Avian Bird Flu vaccine, but the British Government has been criticised for being slow on the uptake.

The recommended adult dose of Tamiflu for prevention is 1 pill per day. Since first responders, doctors, and nurses would be caring for patients over an extended time period in a pandemic, it would seem that each would require at least a month's supply or 30 pills (assuming the recommended dose for human influenza would be sufficient for protection against a pandemic flu).

The production rate for Tamiflu has been at about 1.5 million doses per year. Production is being increased to 4 million doses, so if 3 million doses were available, that would be enough antiviral to protect 100,000 people for a month. However, the 100,000 would be for the entire world, not just United Kingdom. Thus, the amount of available antivirals that might protect at the dose of 1 pill per day would be limited. Only a tiny fraction of doctors, nurses, and first responders worldwide would be covered.

Influenza is caused by a highly contagious virus which affects the respiratory system. The virus is passed from one person to another by coughing and sneezing. When the virus enters the body it invades cells, where it replicates to form lots of new virus particles.

These new copies of the virus are then released from the cells and move on to infect adjoining cells, where the process is repeated. After a couple of days a sufficient number of cells have been infected so that the patient feels flu symptoms such as headache, fever and general aches and pains, which continue for about a week until the body's immune system kills the virus.

In order to leave one cell and infect another, the influenza virus uses a chemical helper that is found on its surface. This substance is an enzyme called neuraminidase, and without it the newly formed virus particles cannot leave the infected cells.

Oseltamivir works by binding to the neuraminidase on the surface of the virus particles, and stopping it from working. When the neuraminidase helper is blocked in this way it means that newly formed viral particles cannot be released from the infected cells. This prevents the flu virus from spreading and infecting other cells.

Oseltamivir therefore confines the infection to a smaller area. This makes the symptoms of the infection less severe and also makes it is easier for the body's immune system to kill the virus. The medicine has been shown to reduce the duration of the illness by approximately one day, and to reduce the risk of developing flu-related complications, such as chest infections that require antibiotics.

This medicine is only effective against the influenza virus. It will not work against illnesses that are caused by other agents.

The recommended oral dose of Tamiflu for treatment of influenza in adults and adolescents 13 years and older is 75 mg twice daily for 5 days. Treatment should begin within 2 days of onset of symptoms of influenza.

Patients should be instructed to take any missed doses as soon as they remember, except if it is near the next scheduled dose (within 2 hours), and then continue to take Tamiflu at the usual times.

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect:

Tamiflu may cause mild to moderate nausea or vomiting in one out of ten people. Other less common side effects may include: rash, abdominal pain, bronchitis, sleeplessness and vertigo. Taking Tamiflu with food may reduce the potential for these side effects.

If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Tamiflu is generally well tolerated: Tamiflu may cause mild to moderate nausea or vomiting in 1 out of 10 people. Other less common side effects may include bronchitis, sleeplessness and vertigo. Taking Tamiflu with food may reduce the potential for these side effects.

If a Tamiflu overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include dizziness and weakness.

Do not take Tamiflu if you are allergic to the main ingredient, oseltamivir phosphate, or to any other ingredients of Tamiflu. Before starting treatment, make sure the doctor you consult with at HealthExpress.co.uk knows if you take any other medicines, or are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. Tamiflu is not recommended for use during pregnancy or breast-feeding, as the effects on the unborn child or nursing infant are unknown. Tamiflu is also not recommended for use in children younger than 1 year of age.

Tell the doctor in your consultation if you have any type of kidney disease, heart disease, respiratory disease, or any serious health condition.

How to buy Tamiflu Tamiflu can be bought from Healthexpress.co.uk after doing an online consultation. The consultation is free of charge and you are not obliged to buy when you do a consultation. If you have bought from us once, we will automatically remember your details and you don't need to fill in a consultation the next time you wish to order. If any of your details change, you can conveniently change them after you have logged in. Remember that you are not commiting to buy anything when you do a consultation and it is completely free of charge.

How do I buy Tamiflu? To order Tamiflu, you need to do an online consultation. This will be reviewed by one of our doctors who will send you a diagnosis via email. If we think Tamiflu can help you, you can go to our website and buy Tamiflu. If you place an order before 3pm you will recieve it the following day.