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 capsules 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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Keep your capsules in the blister pack until it is time to take them.
Keep Tamiflu capsules in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
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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. hold the required dosage capsule over a small bowl, carefully pull the capsule open and pour the powder into the bowl
2. add a suitable, small amount (1 teaspoon maximum) of sweetened food product such as regular or sugar-free chocolate syrup, honey (only for children two years or older), light brown or table sugar dissolved in water, dessert toppings, sweetened condensed milk, apple sauce or yogurt to mask the bitter taste of the medicine
3. stir the mixture well and give the entire contents of the bowl to the patient. The mixture must be swallowed immediately after its preparation. If there is some mixture left inside the bowl, rinse the bowl with a small amount of water and have the patient drink this remaining mixture. It is not necessary to take an undissolved white powder, as this is inactive.
1. hold one Tamiflu 75 mg capsule over a small bowl, carefully pull the capsule open and pour the powder into the bowl
2. add 5 mL water to the powder using a syringe with markings (called a "graduated syringe") to show how much fluid has been drawn up. Stir for about two minutes
3. draw up into the syringe the correct amount of mixture from the bowl based on the recommended dose required (see table below), which is body weight dependent (below).
4. in the second bowl, add a suitable, small amount (1 teaspoon maximum) of sweetened food product to the mixture to mask the bitter taste of the medicine.
5. stir this mixture well and give the entire contents of the second bowl to the patient. This mixture must be swallowed immediately after its preparation. If there is some mixture left inside the bowl, rinse the bowl with a small amount of water and have the patient drink this remaining mixture.
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
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) should be closely monitored and their
healthcare professional should be contacted immediately if the patient shows any signs
of unusual behaviour..
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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
30 mg capsules contain 30 mg oseltamivir (present as 39.4 mg oseltamivir phosphate)
45 mg capsules contain 45 mg oseltamivir (present as 59.1 mg oseltamivir phosphate)
75 mg capsules contain 75 mg oseltamivir (present as 98.5 mg oseltamivir phosphate)
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Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
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Capsule contents:
pregelatinised maize starch
povidone
croscarmellose sodium
purified talc
sodium stearylfumarate
Capsule shell:
gelatin
titanium dioxide
iron oxide black
iron oxide red
iron oxide yellow
shellac
indigo carmine
Tamiflu capsules are gluten free and lactose free.
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