My 4yo DS has H1N1. I've been coughed on, sneezed on and thrown up on. I had to jump threw hoops to get Tamiflu but, I started it yesterday morning and feel pretty good. If I don't get "it", I definitely attribute it to the Tamiflu. I still plan on getting my H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available. I do NOT want to go through what I witnessed yesterday! It is bad stuff ladies!
Several months ago my OB told me I should immediately take Tamiflu should I become exposed to a confirmed case of H1N1. So, why was I told by the ER staff yesterday that Tamiflu can't be found - anywhere!? Then, I called my OB's office and they said, "We don't have it and won't script it. Try your regular doctor." I called my "regular" doctor, explained that I'm 9months pregnant, have been exposed to the virus and need Tamiflu. Their response? "We can't help you. Call your OB" Finally, a lovely nurse at my OB's office went straight to the doctor, bypassing the evil receptionist, and had a doctor agree to call in a prescription. Why was this such an ordeal?
Apparently there is a shortage of Tamiflu. Don't be fooled. It's out there. Pharmacies may run out but, they receive routine shipments. One pharmacy may be out. One may have a surplus.
BTW, DS is also on Tamiflu and has turned a corner today for the better. Yesterday he had trouble breathing. Today his fever is below 100 and resting well.
Kari
Re: Tamiflu - my experience
Unbelievable! Good for you for being your own best advocate though!
Hope your son continues to improve and that you don't show any symptoms. Fingers crossed!
Hey there, I am glad you were able to get Tamiflu and it helped. My OB gave me a script about a month ago when I got my flu shot just in case. I cannot believe you had to jump through hoops to get the script! WOW just WOW!
DH and I had the flu a few weeks ago and they put me on Relenza. In doing the research on it the main reason it is class C is lack of human testing, but all the animal testing showed no issues at doses 300x greater than human doses.
8.1 Pregnancy Pregnancy Category C. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of zanamivir in pregnant women. Zanamivir should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Embryo/fetal development studies were conducted in rats (dosed from days 6 to 15 of pregnancy) and rabbits (dosed from days 7 to 19 of pregnancy) using the same IV doses (1, 9, and 90 mg/kg/day). Pre- and post-natal developmental studies were performed in rats (dosed from day 16 of pregnancy until litter day 21 to 23). No malformations, maternal toxicity, or embryotoxicity were observed in pregnant rats or rabbits and their fetuses. Because of insufficient blood sampling timepoints in rat and rabbit reproductive toxicity studies, AUC values were not available. In a subchronic study in rats at the 90 mg/kg/day IV dose, the AUC values were greater than 300 times the human exposure at the proposed clinical dose.