Tamiflu Patient Counseling Information

Instructions for the user: There are two stages to taking Tamiflu oral suspension.
Stage 1 Prepare a new bottle of the medicine: Your pharmacist may have prepared the medicine for you when you collected your prescription. If not, you can do it easily yourself. See the first set of instructions. You only need to do this once, at the beginning of your course.
Stage 2 Measure and give the correct dose: Shake the suspension well and draw the appropriate recommended dose into the dispenser. See the second set of instructions. You will need to do this every time you need a dose.
Stage 1: Prepare a new bottle of the medicine: You will need: The bottle, containing Tamiflu powder (in the medicine pack); The bottle cap (in the medicine pack); A plastic measuring jug (in the medicine pack); The plastic bottle adapter (in the medicine pack); Water.
Tap the bottle to loosen the powder: Tap the closed bottle gently several times to loosen the powder.
Use the jug to measure 55 mL of water: The measuring jug in the pack has a line marked to show you an exact amount.
Fill it with water to the indicated level.
Add all the water, close and shake: Pour all of the water from the jug into the bottle, onto the powder.
Always use 55 mL of water, whatever the dose you need.
Put the cap back on the bottle. Shake the bottle well for 15 seconds.
Press in the adapter: Open the bottle and press the bottle adapter hard into the neck of the bottle.
Close the bottle again: Screw the cap tightly onto the top of the bottle, which now includes the adapter.
This will make sure that the bottle adapter fits in the bottle in the right position.
You now have a bottle of Tamiflu oral suspension ready to measure out a dose. You will not need to prepare it again unless you start a new bottle.
Stage 2: Measure and give the correct dose: You will need: A bottle of prepared Tamiflu oral suspension.
Depending on the required dose you will need the 3 mL oral dispenser (orange plunger, 0.1 mL graduation) or the 10 mL oral dispenser (transparent plunger 0.5 mL graduation) from the medicine pack.
For doses from 1.0 mL to 3.0 mL, the 3 mL oral dispenser should be used. For doses above 3.0 mL to 10 mL, 10 mL oral dispenser should be used.
Always use the oral dispenser provided with your medicine to measure a correct dose.
Shake the bottle: Check the cap is secure, and then shake the bottle of Tamiflu oral suspension.
Always shake well before use.
Prepare the oral dispenser: Depending on the required dose, use the 3 mL dispenser (orange plunger) or the 10 mL oral dispenser (transparent plunger) provided in the pack.
Push the plunger completely down toward the tip of the dispenser.
Fill the dispenser with the correct dose: Unscrew the cap from the bottle.
Push the tip of the dispenser into the bottle adapter.
Then turn the whole unit upside down (bottle and dispenser together).
Slowly pull out the plunger to draw medicine into the dispenser.
Stop at the mark that shows the dose you need.
Turn the whole unit upright.
Remove the dispenser from the bottle.
Give the medicine into the mouth: Deliver the suspension directly into the mouth by pushing down the plunger of the dispenser.
Make sure the medicine is swallowed.
You may drink and eat something after taking the medicine.
Close the bottle, keep it safe: Put the cap back on the bottle.
Do not store above 25°C for 10 days or store in a refrigerator (at 2°C-8°C) for 17 days.
Take the dispenser apart straight after dosing, and rinse both parts of the dispenser under running tap water. Do not boil the oral dispenser to avoid damage of the dispenser. Allow dispenser to air dry before next use.
Contact your doctor or pharmacist if dispenser is lost or damaged, and they will advise you on how to continue to take your medication.