Tamiflu - Does It Help Much?

My daughter had H1N1 last year and we started the tamiflu right away and it gave her terrible stomach pains and nausea. Didn't work for us, but you might want to try it to see. Everybody is different.

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The tamiflu did not help my ds at all and with such nasty side effects we stopped it after 2 days anyways.
I used to always fore-go the flu shot as well until we had our ds who was high risk. Now we have gotten them for the past 3 years and no one has gotten sick over the winter, flu or anything! I totally recommend them now.

We get the flu shot every year and my oldest only got the flu last year before the h1n1 vax was available in my area. I find it best to get early sept. He was put on tamiflu when he got it and he started day 1 of the flu works best if it's started in the first 48 hrs he was only miserable for about 2 days. His fever broke on day 3 but that's better then the week or more that the flu can last.

Last time my kids had the flu, they were 4 years old. Tamiflu is not given to children under 5 (or 6). Not sure. We all had type A influenze which was mild considering how bad flu can get. We dealt with fever and congestion and body aches for a few days. Lots of tea with honey and lemon, and lots of chicken soup. My husband had the flu in october '10 and the big baby that he is, he acted as though he was dying. He got tamiflu for 5 days. Fever was gone after 2 doses, body aches gone the 2nd day and then he just felt fine though continued taking the tamiflu as recommended. He didn't have side effects and now he says 'tamiflu saved his life.'
we get the flu shot (because of compromised immunity in one of my kids) and we have had years when we got the flu and then years when we didn't get the flu. my personal opinion is that flu shots/flu mist does nothing because it's based on previous year's flu, and there are new strains of flu every year. but we do get the shot because i fear of more complications with my daughter. So, no win-win situation.
How old are your kids? Tamiflu is effective if given within 48 years of contracting the flu. If they aren't experiencing bad side effects I say continue giving it to them.
good luck

Tamiflu is supposed to get you better one or two days sooner than without. It's hard to judge, because you don't know how long you would've been sick without it! I took it 3 years ago, when I had Influenza B, and I remember not feeling too bad during the recovery period - spent a few days on the couch but not feeling terribly sick, if you know what I mean.

We usually do get flu shots. I had one this year. I hate being sick...

Statistically it shortens the duration of symptoms by 1-2 days and also severity. Of course there is individual variation and there is no way of knowing how severe an individual case would have been without it. DS had the H1N1 flu last Fall (2 weeks before his peds had the vaccine). He was almost 4 at the time and he had Tamiflu (those were the CDC recommendations at the time). He said it tasted awful. His flu was mild (26-48 hours of fever and lethargy). We always do flu shots. It saves a large number of lives every year (mostly elderly and immunosuppressed people)

Goodness, I'm sorry you are dealing with this! Our son also has the flu and gave it to me, and we both got the flu shot! We took tamiflu two years ago, when we both had H1N1 and it worked pretty quickly for both of us. We were both back on our feet within a few days. It's taking a little longer this time. I'm on Day 3 of meds and starting to feel better; my son is on Day 4 and was starting to feel better but apparently came down with something else. On the whole, I do think Tamiflu works and I do think there's value in getting the flu shot. It's supposed to lessen the effect of hte flu, should you get it.

We have never had the flu shot, I have only had the flu once, and that was last august, lasted for 3 days with only taking tylenol. My 13 year old daughter had H1N1 and the doc asked us about Tamiflu ( he knows my thoughts on side effects) and his suggestion was, the side effects may be worse and not neccesarily going to make a big difference by taking it, so we declined and she was fine within 3 days.

I got my daughter Tamiflu when she had swine flu and it was so expensive and we never really noticed much difference. I would not do it again. I never get flu shots for my kids or even me (I work on a school bus) but just take probiotics. We never get the flu or any sickness.

I like: Oscillococcinum. Sold over the counter walgreens, health food stores etc... They market a kids formula which is a little more $, but the same ingredients/dosage as the adult one. Our doctor recommended it. It knocked it out of me within 12 hours. We don't do the flu shots anymore. And I have grade school kids.

I used to get the flu shot every year - and got the flu every year. I stopped taking the flu shot almost ten years ago and have had two light cases of the flu since then. No more flu shots for me, ever.
My 20-year-old daughter has never had a flu shot in her life and has had the flu four times, always a light case.
I don't go to the doctor for colds and flu - I just treat the symptoms. Aspirin for fever/aches, echinacea to boost my immune system, a Neti pot to clear my sinuses, bourbon with a few drops of peppermint oil for coughs.
Had a bug a few weeks ago, and my regimen knocked it out in four days, only two of which I even missed work for.

Tamiflu, yes, knocks the flu right out, stick with it :)

Flu shot, HELL no, the ONLY time any of us have ever gotten the flu, are the years we've gotten flu shots. I'm over it. I'll take my chances. I don't even know what they shoot you up with anymore.

PreK is a tough age, they loooove sharing germs! Keep hand sanitizer in your little one's backpack, as well as some tissues with the germ stuff in them (I think Kleenex makes them). I am a GERMOPHOBE!! I sent fask masks into my kids classes when I was prego with #3 and H1N1 was going around. For real. Other kids snot is the worst thing ever.

Hope everyone feels better soon :)