Would you take the Tamiflu?

[july]

I am seven weeks pregnant. Yesterday, I got tested for flu and it was negative. I went to a walk-in and the lady kept referring to a book and had to call a number a few times to see what she could do with prescriptions. She prescribed tamiflu but said it was a class c. She Did it because the test could be a false negative since I came in so early and the coughing came on suddenly. We talked about taking it and I told her I was going to speak to my OB office.


I called the office and was told to keep the prescription in case I need it. They also told me to control the symptoms with Tylenol and cold medicine. I took a Tylenol this morning and my temp was normal to mid 99's all morning. Now that it has worn off, it is slightly over 100. I am slightly achy. I have a bad cough. I have a little mucus, but not significant. When I have a bad coughing fit,p a little mucus comes up. I don't feel that sick.

i have never been diagnosed with the flu in as long as I can remember. 

I just don't know. 

[spk926]

I would follow the OB's directions and take Tylenol again to control the symptoms. Your first Tylenol wore off so that's why you're fever is going up again. Take more Tylenol and rest.

[robyn]

I would take it. The flu can be especially dangerous to a pregnant woman and tamiflu is very helpful in lessening the illness quickly. Have you been exposed to the flu? If so I would definitely take it. Your symptoms sound pretty flu-like. I had it a couple of years ago my symptoms were similar. If it was just a cold I don't think you would have a fever. Either way, I hope you are feeling better soon.

[CloudBee]

Nope, but I would run back to get re-tested if I felt worse, and then reconsider.

Sorry you're sick!

[Brie]

I have taken several class C meds this pregnancy, but in the situation you described I would not take Tamiflu.

[thebreakfastclub]

I would take Tylenol and plain Mucinex.

[Ashley&Scott]

Jan 16, 2015 15:21:04 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

I would take Tylenol and plain Mucinex.

Me too.

[AmyRI]

I would only take a class C drug when pregnant if I was really hurting. The test could have been right and this could be a regular cold, in which case I would not want to be on a class C drug.

If it gets worse, I'd ask to be tested again. The likelihood of 2 false negatives is low.

[july]

Thanks.

Several coworkers have tested positive for the flu. I haven't been directly around them since I have been staying in my office like a hermit. My coworker was sick and tested negative for strep. I was around him.

[pinotgrig]

I took tamiflu when I was about 22 weeks pregnant, but I had a positive flu test. I wouldn't take it if I wasn't sure I had the flu. Can you get tested again (you have to take tamiflu early, like 48 hours of symptoms showing up) or just manage with tylenol?

[sjh722]

Jan 16, 2015 15:13:00 GMT -5 Brie said:

I have taken several class C meds this pregnancy, but in the situation you described I would not take Tamiflu.

Ditto exactly.

[july]

What is a good dosage and timeframe to keep it from wearing off? I have been taking one extra strength (500). I took it at 4-5am and as it was wearing off, my temp seemed fine. I took my temp before I posted this thread and it was 100.5 so I took another one, it is back to mid 99s.

[magpie]

I was in a similar situation while pregnant (flu-like symptoms, but mild compared to the real flu) and I opted not to take it. I was totally better in just a couple of days, so, in hindsight, I don't think I actually had the flu.

[karinothing]

No. You should read my CEP post today.

pandce.proboards.com/thread/410361/talk-tamiflu

It is not proven to be effective, doesn't prevent serious complications or reduce hospitalizations and can have serious side effects. Including hallucinations

[july]

Thanks, karinothing. After getting super dizzy last night from progesterone I don't think I want to throw they possibility of hallucinations and vomit on top of that.

I am feeling slightly worse, but my cough always gets worse in the evening. A little more achy. I had plans this weekend, so this sucks.

[nextbigthing]

I would not

Tylenol and mucinex dm, especially this early in your pregnancy

Hope you feel better soon!

[july]

Well, crap, my throat is so sore right now and I have a headache. I am so torn.

[amaristella]

OP have you only spoken with doctors so far? I would try to get a pharmacist's opinion to add into the mix as they usually are more knowledgeable about specific drugs than doctors.

[july]

Jan 16, 2015 23:12:15 GMT -5 amaristella said:

OP have you only spoken with doctors so far? I would try to get a pharmacist's opinion to add into the mix as they usually are more knowledgeable about specific drugs than doctors.

Yes, she said she was pregnant herself and wouldn't take it, but said it is a personal decision.

[lilac05]

From what you're describing right now, I wouldn't. I would take Tylenol at exactly the recommended time on the package, rest, drink lots of water, and talk to doctors/pharmacists/read as much as possible about pros/cons of Tamiflu while pregnant. Then my decision would already be made if I suddenly got much worse.

[amaristella]

Jan 16, 2015 23:20:45 GMT -5 july said:

Jan 16, 2015 23:12:15 GMT -5 amaristella said:

OP have you only spoken with doctors so far? I would try to get a pharmacist's opinion to add into the mix as they usually are more knowledgeable about specific drugs than doctors.

Yes, she said she was pregnant herself and wouldn't take it, but said it is a personal decision.

In that case and with the OB office recommending Tylenol for the fever then personally I would probably not take it. But of course that is also a personal opinion. :^)

[karinothing]

Jan 16, 2015 21:36:49 GMT -5 july said:

Well, crap, my throat is so sore right now and I have a headache. I am so torn.

But this could be a million and one other viruses.

The dangers to a pregnant woman re flu are two fold.

1) due to weaken immune system you are at a higher risk of complications. Tamiflu has been shown not to reduce serious complications, so not even sure it would help.

2) fever. Fever is most dangerous between the 9-12 week of pregnancy. And we are talking high fever of 103. Fever managmwnt is important. Keep taking tylenol to keep fever down.

Obviously if you want to take Tamiflu you can, but being category C the risks have ti outweigh benefits and given the effectiveness of tamiflu, i would not be personally sure it does. Expecially when you already tested negative

I know it is hard no to worry, get lots of rest and fluids.

[july]

My husband took my daughter out to eat last night. He ran into the OB. He didn't know I was feeling worse and just said hi. What a weird coincidence.

I think the thing that was bugging me is that we are conditioned to think that if you are prescribed medicine that it will actually help you and it is important to take. In this case, it may lessen the symptoms and slightly decrease the duration, but it is not the same as antibiotics where you really need it. I told the OB office that I wasn't really comfortable taking it and they just said I need to keep it in case I needed it, which was so vague. I asked the pharmacist if there were any risks of not taking it and she said, the most serious risk of the flu is death. I almost hung up.

The CDC recommendation also encourages taking tamiflu if the flu is suspected, so it is not a clear answer. "Decisions to start antiviral treatment should not wait for laboratory confirmation of influenza because laboratory testing can delay treatment and because a negative rapid influenza diagnostic test result does not rule out influenza. Pregnant women are considered to be at higher risk of influenza complications by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and thus, empiric treatment is recommended. Treatment decisions, especially those involving empiric treatments, should be informed by knowledge of influenza activity in the community."

My fever seems better today. I woke up at 2 to take more tylenol and the temp was normal. It is still normal. I don't feel nearly as bad as I did last night with the aches and chills, but I still have other symptoms that have gotten worse.

[karinothing]

That makes sense @fivedogs. I have a beef with tamiflu because i think it is marketed improperly in the US. I do realize it is basically all that is out there that has much of an impact (aside from fever reducers).

I just hate that it is pushed as a miracle drug, when it doesn't seem to be (it is no penicillin)

[pooh8402]

Jan 16, 2015 17:05:15 GMT -5 july said:

What is a good dosage and timeframe to keep it from wearing off? I have been taking one extra strength (500). I took it at 4-5am and as it was wearing off, my temp seemed fine. I took my temp before I posted this thread and it was 100.5 so I took another one, it is back to mid 99s.

Fwiw, you can take 4000 mg of Tylenol in a 24 hour period. That is 2 extra strength tabs every 6 hours.

I am a nurse, I am not a doctor, so don't take this as medical advice.

And personally, I wouldn't take the tamiflu in this case. It sounds more like a cold. Fever management is important here.