Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension
What is Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension used for?
Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension is used to treat or prevent the onset of the flu in adults and children 1 year and older.
How does Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension work?
The flu (influenza) is an infection caused by influenza viruses. It is most common in the fall and winter. The flu is highly contagious. The virus usually enters the body through the mouth, nose or eyes. When a person with the flu coughs or sneezes, the virus goes into the air and can be inhaled by anyone nearby.
Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension works by stopping the flu virus from spreading through your body.
When Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension is taken within 2 days of you feeling symptoms of the flu, it can help you feel better sooner.
When Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension is taken within 2 days after coming into contact with someone with flu symptoms, it can help prevent you from getting sick with the flu.
What are the ingredients in Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension?
Medicinal ingredients: oseltamivir (as oseltamivir phosphate)
Non-medicinal ingredients: monosodium citrate, saccharin sodium, sodium benzoate, sorbitol, titanium dioxide, tutti-frutti flavouring and xanthan gum.
Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension comes in the following dosage forms:
Do not use Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension if:
You are allergic or sensitive to the medicinal ingredient of Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension (oseltamivir phosphate) or any other ingredient in Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension (see “What are the ingredients in Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension?”).
To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:
- Have hereditary fructose intolerance, as the Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension oral suspension contains sorbitol and you should not use the suspension if you have this condition
- Are allergic to other medicines, food and dyes
- Have any type of kidney disease
- Have liver disease
Are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant
- Are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed
Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take or plan on taking, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.
How to take Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension:
- Your doctor has prescribed Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension after diagnosing your flu condition. Other people may not benefit from taking this medicine, even though their problems may seem similar to yours. Do not give your Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension to anyone else.
- Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension does not replace the flu shot. If you are at high risk of developing complications from the flu, you should continue to get your flu shot as recommended by your doctor. You may still get the flu even though you got your annual flu shot.
- It is important that you start taking Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension as soon as possible from the first appearance of your flu symptoms. If your flu symptoms, most notably fever, do not begin to improve in the first day or two after you start Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension, speak with your doctor.
Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension can be taken with food. As with many medicines, if you take Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension with a light snack, milk, or a meal, you may reduce possible stomach upset.
- Shake the medicine well before each use.
- You must complete the entire treatment recommended by your doctor, even if you are feeling better.
- Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than prescribed by your doctor. Never share Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension with anyone, even if they have the same symptoms.
Usual dose:
Treatment with Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension (adults, adolescents and children (1 year and older))
You should start taking Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension no more than two days after flu symptoms have started. Typical symptoms of the flu include sudden onset of fever, headache, tiredness, muscular weakness, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat and cough.
- Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension should be taken twice a day (once in the morning and once in the evening) for five days.
Prevention with Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension (adults, adolescents and children (1 year and older))
You should start taking Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension within 2 days after coming into contact with someone with flu symptoms. Typically, about one in ten people get the flu during an outbreak, although this may change. If someone close to you (like someone living in your home) has the flu, your chance of getting it yourself is higher (around one in five people).
Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension should be taken once a day for 10 days or longer as
- recommended by your doctor if you have come into contact with someone who has the flu. It is important that you start taking Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension as soon as possible after you were in contact.
Preparing Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension (liquid form taken by mouth):
- Your pharmacist may have prepared the medicine for you when you collected your prescription. If not, you can do it easily yourself.
- 1. Tap the closed bottle gently several times to loosen the powder.
- 2. The overcap in the pack has a line marked to show you an exact amount (55 mL). Fill it with water to the fill line.
- 3. Pour all of the water from the overcap into the bottle, onto the powder. Always use 55 mL of water, whatever the dose you need. Put the child-resistant cap back on the bottle. Shake the bottle well for 15 seconds.
- 4. Open the bottle and press the bottle adapter hard into the neck of the bottle.
- 5.
Screw the child-resistant 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 Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension oral suspension ready to measure out a dose. You will not need to prepare it again unless you start a new bottle.
How to Measure and Give the Correct Dose
- Always use the oral dispenser (syringe) provided with your medicine to measure a correct dose.
- For doses above 5.0 mL to 10 mL, the 10 mL oral dispenser (transparent plunger) should be used.
- 1. Shake closed bottle well for about 5 seconds before each use.
- 2. Push the plunger completely down toward the tip of the dispenser.
- 3. Remove child-resistant cap from the bottle. Insert tip of the dispenser firmly into the opening of the bottle adapter.
- 4. Turn the entire unit (bottle and dispenser) upside down.
Pull the plunger out slowly until the desired amount of medication is withdrawn into the dispenser.
- 5. Turn the entire unit (bottle and dispenser) right side up and remove the oral dispenser slowly from the bottle.
- 6. Put the medicine directly into the mouth by pushing down the plunger of the dispenser. Make sure the medicine is swallowed.
- 7. Close bottle with child-resistant cap after each use.
- 8.
Take apart the oral dispenser, rinse under running tap water and air dry prior to next
- use. Do not boil the oral dispenser to avoid damage to the dispenser.
Contact your doctor or pharmacist if the dispenser is lost or damaged, and they will advise you on how to continue to take your medication.
Overdose:
Missed Dose:
If you forget to take a dose of Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension, take it as soon as possible, then continue with the regular times you take your medication. Do not take double the amount if you miss one dose.
If you have missed several doses, inform your doctor and follow the advice given to you. Do not change your dose of Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension unless instructed to do so by your doctor.
What are possible side effects from using Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension?
These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.
Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension is generally well tolerated. The most common/possible unwanted effects are:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Headache
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Symptom / effect | Talk to your healthcare professional | Stop taking drug and get immediate medical help | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||
| UNKNOWN | |||
Allergic Reaction: dizziness, breathing problems | X | ||
Liver Problems: yellowing of skin or eyes, dark urine | X | ||
Severe Skin Reaction: flushing, rash, itching, swelling | X | ||
Neurologic and Behavioural Issues (in pediatric patients): delirium (confused thinking), hallucinations, self-harm (sometimes fatal) | X | ||
If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.
If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, or regional poison control centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.
Storage:
- Keep out of reach and sight of children.
- Store away from heat.
- Store Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension (dry powder) at room temperature at 15-30°C.
- After reconstitution, store at room temperature (15-30°C) for 10 days or in a refrigerator (2-8°C) for 17 days.
- Keep Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension liquid suspension in its original labeled container in a refrigerator at 2-8°C. Do not freeze. The pharmacist will write the date of expiration on the bottle label when reconstituted by the pharmacist.
- Do not use this medicine after the expiry date on the package.
- Do not throw away medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. This will help to protect the environment.
If you want more information about Oseltamivir Powder for Oral Suspension:
- Talk to your healthcare professional
- Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada website: (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug- product-database.html); the manufacturer’s website (www.strides.com), or by calling (905) 829-3838.
Last Revised: June 1, 2023
Reporting Side Effects
You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:
- Visiting the Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting (https://www.canada.ca/en/health- canada/services/drugs-health-products/medeffect-canada.html) for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax; or
- Calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.
NOTE: Contact your health professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.