would i take tamiflu

WOULD I TAKE TAMIFLU

pharmafile.com

i was asked that recently
my answer was quick and simple

no
maybe

tamiflu (oseltamivir) costs about $120 for a 5 day course
thats why

just how well does it really work
its hard to find that answer

here are a list of reasons some folks
might consider taking the tamiflu
to add to the coffers for the drug company
roche
or
is it spelled
roach

-some immunosuppressive diseases like
cancer on chemotherapy or hiv etc
-on immunosuppressive drugs like those for rheumatoid ulcerative colitis
crohns or on steroids or other related drugs
-those with chronic lung disease like asthma or copd or chronic bronchitis etc
-elderly with multiple health issues or nursing home patients
-infants or children under 2
-kids under 19 on long term aspirin therapy
-pregnant or less than 2 weeks postpartum
-someone with diseases like ms als or similar neurological diseases
-morbidly obese with bmi greater than 40
whoa thats a lot of folks
-american indians or alaska natives
so i guess sarah pallin is in that category
no i guess not she is a native alaskan

just please dont give it to me if i get full blown alzheimers
let me sink or swim

now
if i was around someone in my home in these
high risk categories
like a pregnant person or a newborn
i would take it for their benefit

the sickest patients i have seen with the flu in my previous
practices
were pregnant women and young moms

now i had patients who fell in these high risk categories
or were around patients in these categories
but
the stuff is so expensive
they simply couldnt afford it

they usually did ok without it

it costs about $120 for a 5 day course
for a family of four to be on it it would cost over $500
thats a lot of money if you dont have insurance
which
there may be more of us without it soon
or
if you have a high deductible drug plan
like i do
i would have to pay for mine since i have a large deductible
that i dont hit until late in the year

so
right now if i got the flu
no
i wouldnt take it

there are side effects
especially seen in kids
the worse i saw is it can make you get all weirded out
granted most folks take it without any side effects
except for a lighter wallet

the other thing is
for it to work
it has to be started within 48 hours of symptoms
whatever that means

if started later its like taking water it dont work

the other thing thats happening
is like with the antibiotics for bacterial infections
there is now flu resistance to tamiflu
that is making it not work anyway in some infections

remember nature always wins

so
i get the flu shot in early october each year
thats the best you can do
wash your hands when needed
not obsessively though
maybe wear a mask
remember
our overconcern for germs has wiped out all our good germs
on our skin

if i get the flu
i wont take tamiflu
i will
take fluids
acetaminophen for fever headache and muscle pain
rest rest rest
stay away from everyone

unless
i put others at high risk if they get the flu
then
i would suck it up
spend the money
and
take it

the organicgreen doctor