Can You Take Advil (Ibuprofen) With Tamiflu?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not Advil (ibuprofen) can be taken with Tamiflu.
Can you take Advil with Tamiflu?
Nov 10, 2022- Advil and Tamiflu are safe to take together with no known interactions or reported adverse effects.
- Ibuprofen is a good choice to help manage flu symptoms like fever and muscle aches while taking Tamiflu.
- Taking both medications with food may help reduce the mild nausea and stomach upset that either drug can cause.
Answer
Advil (ibuprofen) and Tamiflu (oseltamivir) are safe to take together. There is no listed interaction between the two drugs and there have been no reports of adverse effects when combining the two.
Tamiflu (oseltamivir) has very few reported drug interactions and is safe to use with most medications.
One of the only listed drug interactions with Tamiflu is with probenecid, an agent used for the treatment of gout, and even then, the combination is generally considered okay to use as Tamiflu has a very wide safety window.
Most Pain Relievers Are Safe With Tamiflu
As flu symptoms tend to involve fever and muscle aches, Advil (ibuprofen) is a good choice to use in conjunction with Tamiflu to appropriately manage symptoms while treating the infection. It is important to note that ibuprofen is also the active ingredient in Motrin. Motrin, like Advil, is safe to take with Tamiflu.
Other over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Aleve (naproxen), are also safe with Tamiflu.
Side Effects
I do want to mention that although Tamiflu is very well tolerated, it is associated with causing mild cases of nausea and GI upset. The same is true for ibuprofen. Taking both medications with food may improve tolerability.
Final Words
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References & sources
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Ibuprofen
- A common over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer that belongs to a class of drugs called NSAIDs.
- Oseltamivir
- The active ingredient in the antiviral medication Tamiflu, used to treat influenza (flu) infections.
- Drug interaction
- A situation where two or more medications affect each other's effectiveness or safety when taken together.
- Adverse effects
- Unwanted or harmful reactions that occur from taking a medication.
- Probenecid
- A medication used to treat gout by helping the body eliminate uric acid.
- Safety window
- The range between an effective dose of a medication and a dose that could cause harm.
- Acetaminophen
- An over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer, commonly known by the brand name Tylenol.
- Naproxen
- An over-the-counter pain reliever and anti-inflammatory medication, commonly known by the brand name Aleve.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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