5 mistakes when using drugs to treat influenza A

Specialists have summarized the mistakes that people often make in using drugs to treat influenza A and have made recommendations.

Patients should not use antibiotics without a doctor's prescription.

When having the flu, people should not buy antibiotics on their own because antibiotics are ineffective against the flu and have many harmful effects in this case - Dr. Dong Phu Khiem - Deputy Director of the Intensive Care Center, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said.

In the minds of many people, antibiotics are a cure-all. Therefore, they are eager to use antibiotics in the hope of quickly reducing flu symptoms. However, this is a wrong view because influenza A is actually caused by a virus, so using antibiotics at this time will not be effective. Antibiotics should only be used when there is a secondary infection and must be prescribed by a doctor, which is the most important advice that doctors want patients in general and people with flu in particular to remember.

Doctors also warn that using antibiotics on your own can cause side effects such as diarrhea, fatigue, and increase antibiotic resistance.

Flu patients should use medication according to doctor's instructions to ensure safety.

People with flu should absolutely not abuse the antiviral drug Tamiflu.

Many people with flu symptoms have bought Tamiflu - an antiviral drug to treat influenza A - considered a 'miracle drug' when they have influenza A.

However, Dr. Dong Phu Khiem affirmed that people should not buy antiviral drugs on their own. This can cause unnecessary costs, leading to drug shortages, making it difficult for those who need it, or increasing drug resistance. Antiviral drugs are only effective for people at risk of severe influenza infection and have severe symptoms.

Thus, not all patients with influenza need to use Tamiflu. Mild cases of influenza A can recover on their own after a few days. In particular, Tamiflu is only effective when the flu is diagnosed early within the first 48 hours; using it later will not be effective.

Therefore, it is best to see a doctor early when there are signs of flu. Early detection and diagnosis are very important. Complying with medication as prescribed by the doctor is also another important thing to remember for all patients.

Flu patients should not arbitrarily combine drugs without a doctor's instructions.

Influenza causes many unpleasant symptoms such as fever, sneezing, runny nose, cough, etc., which greatly affect the patient's life. Therefore, many people have the mentality of using many types of medicine at the same time, thinking that the symptoms will be quickly relieved. However, when combining many types of medicine such as antiviral drugs, pain relievers, and fever reducers without a doctor's prescription, it can accidentally overdose and cause some unwanted effects.

Flu patients should not arbitrarily increase or decrease the dose of medication.

One of the mistakes that patients often make is to arbitrarily increase the dose of medication. This mostly comes from the impatience when seeing the symptoms of influenza A take a long time to subside, greatly affecting the quality of life. This greatly affects health, and can lead to drug poisoning.

The best advice for you is to see your doctor if you find that your symptoms do not improve after taking the prescribed medication. Depending on your specific case, your doctor may prescribe a different treatment plan for you.

Flu patients should not stop taking medication on their own when they see signs of improvement.

Many patients have the mentality of stopping their medication when they see signs of influenza A have subsided. This is an extremely wrong problem, because although the symptoms of the disease have decreased, the amount of virus in the body may not be completely destroyed. Stopping medication without a doctor's instructions can cause the disease to relapse, even become more severe, and develop more complicated developments, making treatment difficult.

Jessica Tanner

Update 18 February 2025