Will Tamiflu Side Effects Stop You from Taking It?

Many people are tired of paying attention to influenza. However, flu season is just getting underway. This viral infection is capable of killing vulnerable individuals and making hundreds of thousands miserable. A few medications can shorten the duration of flu and make the infection less severe. Perhaps the most common is oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Some readers are convinced that Tamiflu side effects are worse than the infection itself. Others are grateful to have had relief from the misery of flu.

Tamiflu Worked Fast!

Q. I had the flu really bad. I took Tamiflu and was better in one day!

A. Oseltamivir is a prescription antiviral drug to treat influenza and is effective against both A and B types. Tamiflu works best when a patient takes it as soon as possible after they notice symptoms (48 hours or less). It can also help keep others in a household from catching the flu.

Readers have reported a wide range of reactions to Tamiflu. Some, like you, report that it can be highly effective at speeding recovery. Others tell us that it did not work well, if at all. Many visitors to our website complain bitterly about side effects.

One person wrote:

“I ended up getting the flu even though I had a flu shot. At urgent care I was prescribed oseltamivir. The first pill made me so sick with vomiting that I decided not to take any more. Instead I just rode the flu out.”

Oseltamivir or no treatment at all are not the only options, though. Japanese researchers conducted a meta-analysis of four trials comparing oseltamivir to baloxavir (Xofluza). Baloxavir was safer and more effective than oseltamivir, especially for hospitalized flu patients (Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy, March 2024).

Tamiflu Side Effects:

Q. I saw your column in which a reader wrote to say how well Tamiflu worked. I personally have the opposite perspective.

In 2016, I had a fever and general malaise, no pain but very tired. I went to urgent care. They thought it was flu, but a flu test was negative. Nonetheless, the doctor was adamant that I had flu and prescribed Tamiflu.

My husband went to pick it up and even with insurance, it was $150. Because I was so tired and listless, I didn’t bother to read about it. I took three of the pills as prescribed and was violently nauseated. I couldn’t even sip water. Since I had not had any nausea before taking the pills, I knew it had to be the Tamiflu. I stopped taking the pills and was soon feeling better.

I think Tamiflu is a menace and provides false hope to people at outrageous prices. My flu symptoms were gone in about a week. When I was well enough, I read up on Tamiflu and was horrified to learn that in addition to nausea and vomiting, Tamiflu can cause suicidal thoughts. Why would people would prefer the risks of Tamiflu side effects to a few days of bed rest?

Using Tamiflu Appropriately:

A. According to Paul Auwaerter, MD, Clinical Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the usual rapid influenza diagnostic test is far from perfect. It does not detect all cases of influenza. During flu season, doctors may rationally prescribe oseltamivir (Tamiflu) for an at-risk patient with symptoms even after a negative influenza test.

That said, many other viruses cause flu-like symptoms, and oseltamivir won’t work against them. Sometimes physicians try to limit the use of this antiviral medication only to those who may develop complications. They worry that overprescribing could allow influenza viruses to develop resistance to it.

Tamiflu Side Effects:

You are correct that Tamiflu side effects include nausea and vomiting. This can certainly be an unpleasant experience. Doctors sometimes recommend that you take the pill (just one at a time) with some food to reduce that possibility.

Tamiflu Advantages:

Research shows that people hospitalized with the flu who are treated with Tamiflu are less likely to end up in the ICU. They are also more likely to survive their illness (Clinical Infectious Diseases, Nov. 2019). It appears to be especially helpful against influenza A H3N2, a strain that was especially virulent last year. Anyone who is not hospitalized should definitely be informed about Tamiflu side effects. Some might prefer, as you do, to recover without medication. Others might ask about Xofluza.