If you need a liquid medicine, but it’s not available, a suspension can be made up at the pharmacy from Tamiflu capsules (see Information for healthcare professionals). This pharmacy preparation is the preferred option.
If the pharmacy preparation is not available either, you can make liquid Tamiflu from these capsules at home.
The dose is the same for treating or preventing flu. The difference is how often it is given.
To make a 30 mg or a 60 mg dose, you need:
- One or two 30 mg Tamiflu capsule(s)
- Sharp scissors
- One small bowl
- Teaspoon (5 ml spoon)
- Water
- Sweet food to hide the bitter taste of the powder.
Examples are: chocolate or cherry syrup, and dessert toppings such as caramel or fudge sauce. Or you can make sugar water: mix a teaspoon of water with three-quarters (3/4) of a teaspoon of sugar.
Step 1: Check the dose is correct
To find the correct amount to use, find the patient’s weight below to check the number of capsules you will need to give the patient for a single dose. The amount is the same whether treating or preventing flu.
A 30 mg dose should be made from one Tamiflu 30 mg hard capsule. A 60 mg dose should be made from two Tamiflu 30 mg hard capsules. The Tamiflu 30mg hard capsule consists of a light yellow opaque body bearing the imprint “ROCHE” and a light yellow opaque cap bearing the imprint “30 mg”. Imprints are blue.
You should use only 30 mg capsules for 30 mg and 60 mg doses. Do not try to make a 45 mg or 75 mg dose by using the contents of 30 mg capsules. Use the appropriate size capsule instead.
For patients weighing up to 15 kg, the recommended dose of Tamiflu is 30 mg and to make this dose you should use 1 capsule of Tamiflu 30 mg.
For patients weighing more than 15 kg and up to 23 kg, the recommended dose of Tamiflu is 45 mg. However, please do not use Tamiflu 30 mg capsules to make this dose.
For patients weighing more than 23 kg and up to 40 kg, the recommended dose of Tamiflu is 60 mg and to make this dose you should use 2 capsules of Tamiflu 30 mg.
Step 2: Pour all the powder into a bowl
Hold a 30 mg capsule upright over a bowl and carefully snip off the rounded tip with scissors.
Pour all of the powder into the bowl.
Open a second capsule for a 60 mg dose. Pour all of the powder into the bowl.
Be careful with the powder, because it may irritate your skin and eyes.
Step 3: Sweeten the powder and give the dose
Add a small amount – no more than one teaspoonful – of sweet food to the powder in the bowl.
This is to hide the bitter taste of the Tamiflu powder.
Stir the mixture well.
Give the whole contents of the bowl to the patient straight away.
If there is some mixture left in the bowl, rinse the bowl with a small amount of water and get the patient to drink it all.
Repeat this procedure every time you need to give the medicine.
To make a smaller single dose, you need:
- One 30 mg Tamiflu capsule
- Sharp scissors
- Two small bowls (use separate pairs of bowls for each child)
- One large oral dose dispenser to measure out water – a 5 or 10 ml dispenser
- One small oral dose dispenser showing measurements of 0.1 ml, to give the dose
- Teaspoon (5 ml spoon)
- Water
- Sweet food to hide the bitter taste of the Tamiflu.
Examples are: chocolate or cherry syrup and dessert toppings such as caramel or fudge sauce.
Or you can make sugar water: mix a teaspoon of water with three-quarters (3/4) of a teaspoon of sugar.
Step 1: Pour all the powder into a bowl
Hold a 30 mg capsule upright over one of the bowls and carefully snip off the rounded tip with scissors. Be careful with the powder: it may irritate your skin and eyes.
Pour all of the powder into the bowl, whatever the dose you are making.
The amount is the same whether you are treating or preventing flu.
Step 2: Add water to dilute the medicine
Use the larger dispenser to draw up 5 ml water.
Add the water to the powder in the bowl.
Stir the mixture with the teaspoon for about 2 minutes.
Don’t worry if not all of the powder dissolves. The undissolved powder is just inactive ingredients.
Step 3: Choose the correct amount for your child’s weight
Look up the child’s weight in the text below to find how much of the liquid mixture you will need to draw up.
Infants less than 1 year (including full-term newborn babies)
If the child’s weight is nearest 3 kg, you will need to draw up 1.5 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 3.5 kg, you will need to draw up 1.8 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 4 kg, you will need to draw up 2.0 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 4.5 kg, you will need to draw up 2.3 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 5 kg, you will need to draw up 2.5 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 5.5 kg, you will need to draw up 2.8 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 6 kg, you will need to draw up 3.0 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 6.5 kg, you will need to draw up 3.3 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 7 kg, you will need to draw up 3.5 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 7.5 kg, you will need to draw up 3.8 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 8 kg, you will need to draw up 4.0 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 8.5 kg, you will need to draw up 4.3 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 9 kg, you will need to draw up 4.5 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 9.5 kg, you will need to draw up 4.8 ml of the liquid mixture.
If the child’s weight is nearest 10 kg or more, you will need to draw up 5.0 ml of the liquid mixture.
Step 4: Draw up the liquid mixture
Make sure you have the right size dispenser.
Draw up the correct amount of liquid mixture from the first bowl.
Draw it up carefully so as not to include air bubbles.
Gently squirt the correct dose into the second bowl.
Step 5: Sweeten and give to the child
Add a small amount – no more than one teaspoonful – of a sweet food to the second bowl.
This is to hide the bitter taste of the Tamiflu.
Mix the sweet food and Tamiflu liquid well.
Give the whole contents of the second bowl (Tamiflu liquid mixture with sweet food added) to the child straight away.
If there is anything left in the second bowl, rinse the bowl with a small amount of water and get the child to drink it all. For children unable to drink from a bowl, spoon-feed or use a bottle to feed the child the remaining liquid.
Give the child something to drink.
Throw away any unused liquid left in the first bowl.
Repeat this procedure every time you need to give the medicine.
site
Find similar products:
0800 198 5000
