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What Is Symmetrel Used For?

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What does the onset of unexplained chronic fatigue, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, and unemployment have in common? Viruses.

For years, patients reported developing chronic fatigue after contracting a virus such as the flu or mononucleosis. For these patients, the cause of this sudden, debilitating fatigue cannot be explained. All they know is that contracting a virus worsened their lives.

If anything, lowering our viral load upon infection may help prevent long-term repercussions. As flu season descends on us, we need to know available options like Symmetrel for managing flu symptoms. Read on to learn more about viruses and antiviral medicine.

Long-Term Effects of Viral Infection

So far, we have placed little emphasis on the long-term dangers of getting infected with a virus.

Medical researchers now realize that Long Covid is an epidemic in and of itself, with almost 1 in 13 U.S. adults exhibiting symptoms. As a result, we are racing to learn more about complex post-viral illnesses like chronic fatigue syndrome.

It turns out Covid is not the only virus that can cause long-term illness.

Ambiguous post-viral illnesses can result from common viral infections, like the flu.

The Covid epidemic of the past three years hastened research in this area, allowing millions of silent sufferers a voice. Millions of Americans suffer from unexplained post-viral syndromes, where symptom management is their only recourse.

Post-viral syndromes are a nightmare to treat and diagnose since we know little about them and why they happen. Thus, prevention is key: practice good hygiene, get adequate nutrition, and take antiviral medications when needed to lower the viral load in the body.

Influenza

Flu season is hitting its peak now, so we want to make sure our readers are up to date about this virus.

If you have not received a flu vaccine, it’s not too late to get one. Visit your family doctor or local pharmacy and simply book an appointment. A vaccine could save your life; the flu remains deadly for some, with 4,500 deaths occurring in the U.S. so far this season.

If you are concerned about influenza in your area, you can view the CDC’s real-time flu tracker for up-to-date statistics. At a glance, it appears the type A influenza virus is circulating most rapidly.

Type of Influenza Determines Symptoms

There are actually 4 types of influenza viruses. They are categorized as A, B, C, and D.

A is by far the most common and is the only type of virus able to cause global pandemics. This means that it can circulate rapidly and efficiently enough to affect entire countries. The two most common substrains are A(H3N2) and A(H1N1), making up 100% of all Type A cases in America this year.

Type B can also be dangerous to human health and cause serious illness, though cases are rarer than Type A.

Type C causes mild illness in people and is not infectious to the point that it can cause flu pandemics.

Type D mainly affects livestock.

Antiviral Medicine for Flu

The CDC has found that this year, all flu strains are genetically susceptible to antiviral medications.

Prescription flu antiviral medications like Symmetrel oral should be started as soon as possible for maximum effectiveness.

If you do end up contracting the flu, we recommend procuring an antiviral medication if you can. There are many available on the market, and they should make symptoms more tolerable, and illness resolve faster.

In a flu season where both flu and Covid are circulating, we want our bodies to get as much rest as possible.

How Antivirals Work

Unlike many antibiotics, antivirals are targeted toward specific viral strains.

Therefore, taking Paxlovid will not help you if you have the common flu, and a common flu antiviral will not help if you have Covid (of course, you could be simultaneously infected with both).

If you are sick, you’ll want to find out the principal cause. Therefore, don’t neglect to do Covid testing and whatever testing you can get from your care provider to find the right medication for you. You can take pain-relief medications in the meantime to help with symptoms.

Let’s say you find out from lab tests your doctor ordered that you have influenza B. Your doctor prescribes you Tamiflu, a brand-name antiviral.

Tamiflu

Tamiflu works as a neuraminidase inhibitor, and it should be effective against most flu viruses. Its antiviral action interferes with viral reproduction.

“Neuraminidase inhibitor” means the medication suppresses a critical enzyme the flu virus needs to replicate in your cells. Since the virus cannot be released from the cell during replication, it prevents the virus from propagating in your body.

This acts fast to decrease the viral load in your body, which reduces the symptoms you get and how long you are sick.

Symmetrel Oral

One of the common Symmetrel uses is its antiviral activity. This treatment is not as commonly prescribed as neuraminidase inhibitors, but it can still be effective for treating flu symptoms.

Its generic name is Amantadine Hydrochloride, and you may be familiar with this medication as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

Taking this medication before being infected with the flu may help prevent infection. Once infected, taking this medication can improve flu symptoms.

The mechanism of its antiviral activity is unclear, but it appears to prevent viruses from colonizing host cells in some way.

With any drug, taking it at regular intervals lessens your chance of side effects and helps maintain a regular concentration of medication in your body.

Caution

Before taking prescription antiviral drugs, always consult with a medical professional that knows your health history. This will help prevent undesirable side effects.

Learn More About Antiviral Medicine

Just know that if you find yourself coming down with the flu or covid, you can get antivirals like Symmetrel or Paxlovid to significantly reduce your suffering and symptoms.

These formulations have been shown to be effective, and though it is not guaranteed, they could help prevent more serious long-term illnesses.

Feel free to contact us for more expert pharmaceutical help and information.