Influenzium vs. Oscillococcinum

[mbelisle2]

I'm getting prepared for the upcoming flu season, and I'm torn between these 2 homeopathic items- I think the info about them is confusing. Can anyone tell me if I. is more for prevention, and O. is more for treatment? Or are they the same? Is one for a certain kind of illness and the other for another? What would you recommend?

Thank you!

[bbrandonsmom]

I haven't heard of the first one. I have Occio here at home, but I also have some different herbal teas and we take SA daily. We've used Occio and it's worked, along with everything else Borion that we've tried.

[Panserbjorne]

I'd personally go for oscillo.  It's more "broad spectrum" if you will.  Influenzinum most companies make for the dominant strain of flu that year.  Oscillo really should work for any viral illness.  I don't have any influenzinum from any company because oscillo works just fine.  However, that said if you're buying a remedy you'll save money if you just get anas barbariae hepatis et cordis 200C as a remedy instead of as the "oscillo" brand.  Same thing, less money. 

[mbelisle2]

Thank you both, that's very helpful!   Anyone else?

[ttcintexas]

Can you take Oscillo purchased last year? Or do they make a new version each year based on the strains of flus expected?

[Panserbjorne]

oscillo is always the same remedy.  It's good for pretty much ever so long as it wasn't contaminated. 

[mamatojade]

The Influenzinum that we have is Influenzinum Prevention from Homecan and is taken one vial a week for five or six weeks and is to prevent you from getting sick.  The Oscillococcinum is from Boiron is we take it when we are getting sick.

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by mamatojade 

The Influenzinum that we have is Influenzinum Prevention from Homecan and is taken one vial a week for five or six weeks and is to prevent you from getting sick.  The Oscillococcinum is from Boiron is we take it when we are getting sick.

Just out of curiosity, if the prevention is working why would you need to move to oscillo?  Or are you saying that at times when you aren't doing prevention and get sick you use it?

[mamatojade]

We this is the third winter we have taken the Influenzinum and we didn't get sick last winter or the winter before so we haven't needed the Oscillo, but I keep it around just in case.  And I guess I could have worded my pp better and said that "we take it IF we are sick".

We've finished the Influenzinum series already (maybe two or three weeks ago), so too early to say how it's working so far this winter.
 

Originally Posted by Panserbjorne 

Originally Posted by mamatojade 

The Influenzinum that we have is Influenzinum Prevention from Homecan and is taken one vial a week for five or six weeks and is to prevent you from getting sick.  The Oscillococcinum is from Boiron is we take it when we are getting sick.

Just out of curiosity, if the prevention is working why would you need to move to oscillo?  Or are you saying that at times when you aren't doing prevention and get sick you use it?

[Panserbjorne]

gotcha.

[HRJ]

I have influenzium from Washington Homepathics (US) and anti cold/flu from Ainsworths (London).  Do you think the strains from Ainsworth are the same flu strains as used in the US?  Is it universal?

[pampered_mom]

I've always thought of Oscillococcinum as an after the fact kind of thing.  Celletech makes a combo rememdy specifically as a preventative and the first remedy on the label for their Winter Tonic is Influenzium  (it's also 10% off btw with the code "FALL2010" if you're interested, 15% off if you get Winter Balance with it).  I still keep Oscillococcinum on hand b/c I've been known to forget taking the preventative on more than one occassion and one or another of us begins to come down with something.

[ttcintexas]

PB--How would I know if it was contaminated? I store it in a plastic bin, on top of the fridge, with other medicines--most of which never get used :) Thanks.

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by ttcintexas 

PB--How would I know if it was contaminated? I store it in a plastic bin, on top of the fridge, with other medicines--most of which never get used :) Thanks.

if you had a kid spit in the vial.  LOL.  Or got some liquid in it, or left it with some EO's and now it smells like lavender.

[ttcintexas]

LOL! Thanks PB.