<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Reader Question: I heard there are medicines that can treat the flu if you catch it. Why should I bother with the vaccine? You&amp;#039;re right that there are now medications designed to treat the flu, but the truth is, they don&amp;#039;t work that well. First of all, you have to take the medicine\u2014Tamiflu is the most common one\u2014within 12 to 48 hours of being exposed to the flu virus. That means you have to realize that you actually have the flu (and not a bad cold or some other virus) very early on, then get a prescription from your doctor. And even if you get Tamiflu in time, it&amp;#039;s not going to prevent you from feeling awful. According to studies by the manufacturer, flu patients who used Tamiflu felt better an average of 1.3 days faster than those who did not. What&amp;#039;s more, Tamiflu may not work at all this year, since the strains that are currently circulating appear to be resistant to it. There is another flu medication, Relenza, which is an inhaled powder. Unfortunately, it can sometimes trigger breathing problems in people who have asthma and other respiratory problems. The upshot is that this year&amp;#039;s flu vaccine is a good match to the strains that are circulating right now, so if you haven&amp;#039;t already been vaccinated, go do it! Remember that influenza is not just inconvenient. Each year, flu is to blame for about 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths. I want to hear from you, so e-mail me your questions at dailywd@womansday.com.  Disclaimer: Your seeking information on health related topics and/or Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD&amp;#039;s providing such information herein constitutes neither the solicitation of nor the provision of medical advice, services, care or treatment. Communication with Dr. Fryhofer on this website does not create a doctor/patient relationship. For concerns about your own particular medical condition, you should consult your own medical professional, who can examine and evaluate you. Communication on a website is not a substitute for taking an active role in your own medical care and treatment and being personally seen by a physician of choice in your area.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/life/a41010/flu-medicine-vs-vaccine-5303/>