Tamiflu is an antiviral drug that blocks the spread of both forms of influenza virus. It is also used to cure a few types of influenza or the flu. However, the drug cannot cure the common cold.

Your doctor will need to know if you suffer from any of the following conditions:

• Cardiac disease
• Immune system deficiencies
• Kidney, lung and liver disease
• Allergic reactions to oseltamivir, or other medicines,
• Any other known allergies to foods, dyes, or preservatives
• Pregnancy or trying to conceive
• Breast-feeding

Begin taking the medicine as soon as you notice the symptoms of flu. Take it with a glass of water. If you begin noticing symptoms of a stomach upset, take the tablet with water after food. To get rid of the infection, complete the entire course of the medicine, and don't discontinue even if you begin feeling relief from your symptoms.

A dose of Oseltamivir every 12 hours for 5 days can help treat the symptoms of flu. A dose of oseltamivir every 24 hours for 10 days or as prescribed by your doctor can help avoid the symptoms of flu from developing. Follow all your doctor's instructions carefully.

Before you begin giving this medication to children, consult your pediatrician. Although this drug may be given for children as young as one year old under certain circumstances, there are certain precautions you must take.

If you believe you have may have taken a larger dose than is recommended, rush to a poison control center or hospital emergency room immediately.
NOTE: This medicine is only meant to be used by you, and is not supposed to be shared with others.

Avoid the use of a nasal flu vaccine (FluMist) within 48 hours subsequent to using oseltamivir. Provide your health care practitioner all details of all mediations herbs, non-prescription drugs, or nutritional supplements you use, use of alcohol or illegal drugs, smoking etc. Some of these may interact with this medication causing side effects.

Visit your doctor or health care professional for regular check ups. If your symptoms don't get better, tell your healthcare practitioner. Immediately consult with your doctor if the symptoms actually get worse.

If you suffer from flu, you may run the risk of developing seizures, confusion, or unusual behavior. This crops up early on in the illness, and is more common in children and teens. These effects are not entirely unheard of, but may result in the patient harming himself accidentally. Families and caregivers of patients should look for signs of abnormal behavior, and speak to a doctor or health care professional instantaneously if the patient shows signs of strange behavior. Oseltamivir is not meant to be used as a substitute for the flu vaccine. Consult your doctor every year about getting a flu vaccine.

There are certain side effects that you must inform your doctor or health care professional about as soon as you notice these:

• Allergic reactions. These include swelling of the face, lips, or tongue, skin rash, itching or hives
• Breathing difficulties
• Anxiety, confusion, unusual behavior
• Redness, and blistering, of the skin
• Peeling of the skin, inside the mouth
• Seizures
• Hallucinations

Side effects that are minor and may not require emergency medical attention include:

• Diarrhea
• Cough
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Stomach pain

However, if these symptoms get worse, report these to your doctor.

Keep the medication away from children.
Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C.
Discard any unused medicine after the expiration date.

The shelf life of the drug is 2 years from the manufacturing date but this varies from batch to batch.