Tamiflu concerns: your experiences
Updated on 09 December 2009
As scientists question whether Tamiflu is effective in the treatment of swine flu, we gather stories from viewers about their experiences.
Following our report raising fresh doubts over how effective Tamiflu is, we asked for viewers to send in their opinions.
The report was produced in connection with the British Medical Journal who answered some key questions here.
TAMIFLU: YOUR VIEWS
I find them irritating and vomit inducing and also poorly realised. - Michael
I came down with "suspected swine flu" last Wednesday, so had my wife collect some tamiflu for me. After three tablets I had broken out in dreadful red spots, initially on my palms and feet, but they spread. Eventually saw a doctor who diagnosed erythema multiforme, I therefore worry why we're prescribing it so willy nilly. - Andrew
Three weeks ago, I got a virus infection, which appears to have been swine flu. I assessed myself online as we are asked not to see our GPs and was prescribed tamiflu. I took it for five days and on the sixth or seventh days I was vomiting. I believe tamiflu didn't help me as I got worse as the days passed. I am on my third week since I first had the virus infection and I am now taking amoxicillin for a chest infection. - Maria
I had a patient who's liver function went off after taking Tamiflu, it really is not without side effects and as a pharmacist I am concerned about it's widespread use in patients without other medical conditions with little evidence to support this practice. - A clinical respiratory pharmacist
I was prescribed Tamiflu when I returned home from holiday with what I believed to be swine flu. I realise it could have been the placebo effect but I felt that the antiviral helped to expedite my recovery as I was only ill for about three days. - Paula
I am in my third week of illness following what appears to started with swine flu but my experience is that noone has been remotely interested in whether I had or have had H1N1 or not. My horrible symptoms ticked virtually all the list ed swine flu symptoms. But the NHS website questionaire said Tamiflu was not appropriate so I soldiered on with paracetemol and fluids.
Following the NHS advice I contacted my surgery when I failed to improve "after five or six days". The surgery nurse phoned me back, ran through the same website questionaire and said I "may have had swine flu" but it was to late to offer Tamiflu and anyway it didn't really work any quicker than nature. "Some people may take ten to fourteen days to recover."
My wife also met virtually every criterion for swine flu but since she improved more rapidily no one even knew she was or might be a swine flu statistic. I do not beleive in the efficacy of Tamiflu. It seems to have been widely accepted that the drug scarcely shortens recovery time and can have unpleasant side effects. We were not offered Tamiflu. But as far as the NHS know, we didn't have even swine flu at all. - Mike
My doctor has advised that if I get symptoms, go to bed and stay there until I get better.
Which beats panicking about Tamiflu. - John
I have lodged a complaint with Roche due to my Tamiflu adverse reaction. I was in intensive care due to Tamiflu. I did not have swine flu. - Yola
Our four-year-old son was diagnosed with swine flu in August. The diagnosis was made over the phone, he was refused direct contact to a medical proffessional, instead perscribed the lower 40mg dosage of tamiflu, we were also recommended to break the capsule open, mix the contained powder with a drink and encourage him to consume.
My partner had to travel four miles to a specific medical centre to collect the perscription, the dosage twice dailly.
We gave him his first dosage immediately upon her return, and the second the same day before he went to bed. Through the night he was unsettled, nothing more than you'd expect, but enough that we felt the need to let him sleep on the settee considering the circumstances.
His third dosage was give the following morning, his condition through the day can only be described as "up-and-down" although it was becoming apparent the scale of his ups and downs were getting more extreme.
By late evening into his second day on tamiflu (the forth dosage give at teatime) he was becoming very irratable, very uncomfortable and quite distressed then he started to hallucinate, became very disorientated and was very confused.
The paramedics arrived, took one look at him, listened to his cough and after giving them a quick rundown on the previous 36 hours, the two paramedics looked at each other and said "croupe".
It left us both deeply angry at the quick over-the-phone diagnosis, the unnecessary suffering and our powerless position in being able to determine what part, if any, the Tamiflu played.
We now tackle any flu-like symptoms within our family by stocking up on liquid forms of ibuprofen and paracetamol/calpol to treat the kids, and keeping them in doors under our close watchful eye. - Colin and Amanda
In July I got all the symptoms of swine flu except the sore throat. A colleague said he was going to get some Tamiflu and asked if I wanted some. I agreed and went on the website, answered the questions, and was told that I didn't have swine flu. My colleague said that I had same as him and that I must have put in some wrong answers. We did it again and I got the required registration number and off he went for the Tamiflu.
I had been reading all available information about swine flu and noted that one Dr had said that Tamiflu was pointless because all it would give you was the same symptoms as the flu.
My colleague returned with the Tamiflu which I said I would take later. He rang me two days later and said he had taken his Tamiflu and felt awful and continued to feel the same for over a week. I decided to opt for what I knew and took paracetamol. I got better more quickly than he did and he wasn't at all pleased that I had managed it all on paracetamol. He wont be taking Tamiflu again so he says. - Noel
My seven-year-old daughter was prescribed Tamiflu two weeks ago. She had a relatively unusual set of symptoms including vomiting, sore throat, cough and a high temperature. She recovered very quickly once she started taking Tamiflu. The only side effect was slight nausea on a couple of occasions.
I didn't hesitate to give her the medication. I'm an older mother who was born to an older mother, who could remember children dying before the days of vacinations and anti-biotics. I don't have a blind faith in everything that eminates from drug companies but I have a daughter with a slight history of asthma, so I did the recommended thing and I'm glad I did. - Helen
What a complete waste of NHS money. The clinics have to be staffed during the week and at weekends. No one is swabbed, so we have no idea how many of the patients actually have swine flu! Many of the symptoms listed, are the same as a bad cold virus. Still its ok, we are making Roche even richer at the public's expense. - a clinical flu manager
Since I went down with flu in July, I have had to consult my GP and have my eyes tested. Other problems have also developed but nobody will take note. - Barbara
My two grandchildren (aged two and six) were both prescribed Tamiflu by their separate GPs when they were diagnosed with swine flu. They both vomited immediately each time after taking a dose and their mothers eventually discontinued its use. They have now both recovered, having resorted to paracetamol treatment to control their temperatures. One of the GPs now says that Tamiflu is not suitable for young children. - Bob
I have worked in the NHS for the last 30 years as a dentist. I have become increasingly concerned about the over presciption of medicines. The cavalier approach to Tamiflu is yet another example of the power of the drug companies? How can it be justified that some dispensing GPs have a financial interest in the medication of their patients. Whilst I have every confidence in the majority of dispensing practitioners I am concerned at the increasing involvement of some doctors in drug trials in general practice.
The over-prescription of drugs is often all too apparent. I routinely see reasonably healthy patients who are often taking well over ten different drugs/medicines.
There needs to be some investigation in to the financial arrangements of dispensing GP practices.
Very concerned and angered by this apparent waste of resources and the possible dangers to patients taking multiple doses of often interacting drugs - anonymous
I have just completed a five day course of Tamiflu. I have to stay I was profoundly disappointed with the results. Not only do I continue to have flu symptoms, but I am also having to recover from the side effects of the medication, which in my case reached a peak on day five: nausea and abdominal pain giving me a completely sleepless night. In retrospect one can see that Tamiflu was never going to fulfil the bold claims made for it. It was supposed to save us from being wiped out by bird flu, remember. - Mark
After being prescribed a five-day course of Tamiflu over the phone, I felt worse and a doctor put me on Amoxacilan 250mg, saying that I had a minor chest infection. I took the tablets for a few days, but could not breathe anymore. I was shivering, sweating and freezing at the same time. I could not get warm, but I was burning up.
I was taken to hospital, put on a drip, had a blood test and was given antibiotics. Three days later I had a CT scan. I am scheduled to have an endoscopy camera inserted into my lungs and one of the glands will be removed from my chest. My breathing is still difficult but I feel it is getting better as time goes on.
If the GP had checked me originally, I would not be under going all of these problems now. I think this swine flu is all pumped up for sales of Tamiflu. I was given Tamiflu, but did not need it as I did not have swine flu!! - Dana
My wife found the symptoms relieved within 24 hours, my 10-year-old grandson saw a dramatic improvement within 12 hours. As is the case with many media reports they appear to be of an alarmist nature before more accurate evidence is examined. - Jeremy
I am pleased to say that I have been prescribed Tamiflu for Swine Flu and it has definitely helped alleviate the efect of the virus and recover within the course of the medicine. My four-year-old son has also been given a different dose of the medicine for the same illness and has had the same good experience. We do not have any doubt about the effect of the medicine with no need to see the lab tests. - D
I was given Tamiflu after catching swine flu and after six hours of recieving the tablets my tempreture broke and my aching muscles subsided. After three days I was totally normal. Tamiflu tablets were like heaven in what felt like hell. - Sian
I took Tamiflu when I had suspected swine flu. I started taking it on day three and quickly wished I hadn't. Two days later my husband called paramedics due to difficulty with my breathing. Thankfully I was ok but told I wouldn't be welcome in hospital with the virus. What they recommended was to call my GP the following day to get some antibiotics to combat what they thought was a chest infection, which I did. On the antibiotics my chest and breathing improved but I felt worse due to the side effects of the Tamiflu.
I suffered three days of headaches which no painkiller could touch and couldn't eat due to severe nausea. I was bedridden for seven days after I took Tamiflu. When it was offered to my 4 year old daughter who had a milder form of swine flu I didn't allow her to take it and felt she would be more able to fight it off herself, which she did within five days. - Rachel
Both my partner and I have had swine flu which was awful. Anybody who says it is mild hasn't had it! We had Tamiflu on the second day of symptoms and it was an absolute god send. We felt so bad with the flu, and Tamiflu seemed to take the edge off the symptoms and made our lives a little bit more bearable for the week that we took it for. Both myself and my partner felt a lot worse 24 hours after taking our last dose. For us, taking Tamiflu was definitely beneficial. - Michelle
I was given Tamiflu in July. I only took two tablets before I started to have side effects of pins and needles and numbness in my legs. I was off work for over four weeks because I could not walk and the numbness and pins and needles spread to my arms, hands and face.
I have since been referred to a consultant at my local hospital to see if any damage has been caused by Tamiflu to my nerves but the test results came back as normal.
Now five months later, I still suffer from pins and needles in my feet, legs, arms and face all because of taking two Tamiflu tablets. The whole experience has damaged my quality of life. I can no longer walk great distances without feeling pain and discomfort in my legs.
I think that NHS Direct and doctors were to slap happy with just handing them out without giving a proper diagnosis to patients. - Melanie
I had to be given two doses of Tamiflu, which in my case worked very well in relieving my symptoms. If it wasn't for the Tamiflu I would have been hospitalised as i was very ill with the flu as I suffer from breathing problems IE emphysema and asthma. - Gary
My 12-month-old son was prescribed Tamiflu liquid after a hospital visit where we were treated like lepers. He was quite ill before taking the drug, but it was nothing compared to the reaction after just one dose. He became a screaming vomiting machine. We tried one more dose some hours later but he refused to keep it down. After that we threw the rest away and resorted to junior paracetamol. I would not recommend anyone in the family having it again.
If case histories were given as much weight as pharmaceutical trials on in-house drugs this would never have been recommended. As an aside, I have a degree in medicine. - Dominic
I had a very good experience of Tamiflu last month. I am normally reluctant to reach for a prescription. My symptoms were reported to my GP's surgery by my mother and Tamiflu was recommended. Taking this from day three of symptoms, I recovered much quicker than in previous years of having flu and did not experience any negative side effects at all. - Amanda
I developed flu like symptoms and started taking Tamiflu. The symptoms were reduced the next day and already after a week I was absolutely fine. Last year when I had seasonal flu, it took me three weeks to recover without drugs. - Anna
People are advised to report any serious reactions to the relevant authorities. If you think you have experienced an adverse event from Tamiflu you can inform the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency at www.swineflu.mhra.gov.uk. You can also email Roche Drug Safety on Welwyn.uk_dsc@roche.com.
