Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines, or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
For more information, see Section 2. What should I know before I use Tamiflu? in the full CMI.
Things you should do
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Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using Tamiflu.
If symptoms do not improve and you still feel unwell after taking Tamiflu, talk to
your doctor.
Tell your doctor if you have kidney failure, impairment, or any other problems with
your kidneys.
Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken your medicine exactly as prescribed.
Be sure to keep all of your appointments with your doctor so that your progress can
be checked.
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Things you should not do
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Do not stop using this medicine suddenly.
Do not give Tamiflu Oral Suspension to anyone else even if they have the same condition
as you.
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Driving or using machines
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Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Tamiflu affects you.
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Looking after your medicine
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After water has been added to the Tamiflu powder, the suspension only lasts for a
limited time. After this time, it may not work as well.
If the Tamiflu oral suspension is stored at room temperature (where the temperature
stays below 25°C), the suspension must be discarded after 10 days.
The Tamiflu suspension may however be kept in the fridge (between 2 - 8°C) for up
to 17 days. Do not freeze the suspension.
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For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section 6. Are there any side effects? in the full CMI.
Do not use Tamiflu if:
Check with your doctor if you:
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Use in the elderly
Use in children
How much to use
Treatment of Influenza
Prevention of Influenza
How to take it
1. Measure 55mL of water by filling the measuring cup to the indicated level (measuring cup included in the box). You should always use 55mL of water, irrespective of the recommended dose you are taking. It is best to use bottled water or boiled water that has been cooled.
2. Add all 55mL of water into the bottle, recap the bottle and shake the closed bottle well for 15 seconds. The powder plus 55mL of water will make a total volume of 65mL.
3. Remove the cap and push the bottle adapter into the neck of the bottle.
4. Place the cap tightly over the top of the bottle, which now includes the bottle adapter. This will make sure that the bottle adapter fits in the bottle in the right position.
1. Shake the closed bottle of Tamiflu oral suspension well before use.
2. Take the dispenser (see Figure 2) and push the plunger completely down toward the tip of the dispenser.
3. Remove the cap from the bottle of oral suspension.
4. Insert the bottle adaptor into the neck of the bottle (see Figure 3).
5. Insert the tip of the dispenser into the bottle adapter.
6. Turn the entire unit (bottle and dispenser) upside down (see Figure 4).
7. Slowly pull out the plunger to the graduation marks in mL which your doctor or pharmacist has instructed you to take.
8. Turn the entire unit upright.
9. Slowly remove the dispenser from the bottle.
10. Push the suspension directly into the mouth by pushing down the plunger of the dispenser. Swallow the medicine. You may drink and eat something after taking the medicine.
11. Immediately after administration, take the dispenser apart and rinse both parts of the dispenser under running tap water. Allow dispenser to air dry before next use.
12. Do not boil the oral dispenser to avoid damage of the dispenser.
13. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if the dispenser is lost. If the dispenser is damaged, do not use it, contact your doctor or pharmacist and they will advise you on how to continue to take your medication.
If you forget to use Tamiflu
If you use too much Tamiflu
(by calling 13 11 26), or
Things you should do
Call your doctor straightaway if you:
Things you should not do
Driving or using machines
Looking after your medicine
When to discard your medicine (as relevant)
Getting rid of any unwanted medicine
Less serious side effects
Less serious side effects
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What to do
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Stomach
nausea (feeling like vomiting)
vomiting
stomach ache, indigestion
diarrhoea
Nervous system
dizziness/spinning sensation (vertigo)
headache
insomnia (difficulty sleeping)
Nose
sinusitis (stuffy nose and/or feeling of tension or fullness in the nose, cheeks and
behind the eyes, sometimes with a throbbing ache)
runny nose or nose bleeds
Throat
cough
bronchitis
asthma (breathlessness, wheezing, a cough sometimes brought on by exercise and a feeling
of tightness in the chest)
Ear
ear problems or ear infection
Eyes
conjunctivitis (discharge from the eyes with itching and crusty eyelids)
visual disturbances
Body
fatigue
aches and pains
Skin
mild skin rash
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Speak to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects and they worry
you.
Taking Tamiflu with food may reduce the potential for some or all of these side effects.
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Serious side effects
Serious side effects
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What to do
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Stomach
diarrhoea with blood, along with fever and severe stomach pain
Skin and other allergies
sudden signs of allergy such as rash, itching or hives on the skin, swelling of the
face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble
breathing.
yellowing of the skin and/or eyes, itching and dark coloured urine.
Infection
chest infection with fever, chills, shortness of breath, cough, phlegm and occasional
blood.
Psychological
convulsions, confusion, drowsiness, abnormal behaviour, delusions, hallucinations,
agitation, anxiety and nightmares.
These symptoms may also occur in influenza patients not treated with Tamiflu.
Patients (especially children and adolescents) and their caregivers should look out
for signs of abnormal behaviour and contact a doctor immediately.
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Call your doctor straight away, or go straight to the Emergency Department at your
nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects.
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Reporting side effects
What Tamiflu contains
Active ingredient
(main ingredient)
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Oseltamivir
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Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
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sorbitol
sodium dihydrogen citrate
xanthan gum
sodium benzoate
saccharin sodium
titanium dioxide
Tutti Frutti flavour
Tamiflu powder for oral suspension is gluten free and lactose free.
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Potential allergens
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Tamiflu oral suspension contains benzoates, saccharin and sorbitol. Maximum recommended
daily dose of Tamiflu (150mg) exceeds 2g of sorbitol. Products containing sorbitol
may have a laxative effect or cause diarrhoea..
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