Customer Reviews

Boiron Oscillococcinum Natural Flu Relief 6 pack with 6 Dose Bonus Pack, 12 total!

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I'm not a doctor, but I've used over the counter "western medicines" and homeopathic medicines. We still have a chest full of western medicines, but we've also come to trust the homeopathic medicines from Boiron (including Oscillococcinum). (B&T Natural and Wellness brands are other brands we've tried and found true to their claims.) I firmly believe the claim on the Oscillococcinum box that taking the medicine as recommended at the first sign of the flu decreases the effect of the flu. We have now been using (and reusing) this product for over 3 years and we're sold on it's effectiveness though it's hard to explain.

The negative reviews I have read on Amazon are not by people who have apparently used the product, but rather by people who are attacking homeopathic medicines in general. In researching Oscillococcinum online, I found a few very critical attacks on the homeopathic medicine manufacturing process and claims that they couldn't work. The critics claim that the product is a placebo because it's so diluted that the final product does not contain traceable amounts of the active ingredients. That seems like a reasonable claim, but homeopathic medicines are more effective when the doses of the active ingredients are smaller, which seems counter intuitive based on our experiences with western medicines.

If it is true that Oscillo is just a placebo, then a double blind study of Oscillo when compared to a placebo should generate similar results. I have found interesting results from double blind studies done on Oscillococcinum that seem to tell the another side of the story on the product.

==============================================

A double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of 100 patients showed that, when given at the onset of influenza-like symptoms, Oscillococcinum worked better than the placebo in reducing the symptoms of chills (85.7% vs. 57.1%), stiffness (72.5% vs. 41.9%) and fever (79.1% vs. 40%). Also 80% of patients given Oscillococcinum' reported the treatment to be a success vs. 38% in the placebo group.'

In a double-blind, clinical trial of 300 patients with influenza-like symptoms, 55% of the patients taking Oscillococcinum' reported no chills after four days, compared with 27% of the placebo- controlled group. More patients in the Oscillo' group also reported no aches after four days-70% were ache-free compared with 48% in the placebo group. Fever in the Oscillococcinum' group was significantly lower starting on the I second day of the treatment, compared to the placebo group.'

In a double-blind, clinical trial of 478 patients published in The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology in 1989, researchers studied Oscillococcinum's effect on nine influenza-like symptoms-fever, headaches, stiffness, lumbar and particular pain, shivers, cough, coryza and fatigue - versus a placebo. The proportion of patients who recovered within 48 hours of treatment was significantly superior among the Oscillo group than the placebo group.

A recent double-blind, clinical trial of 372 patients performed by f researchers at a German University and published in April 1998 yielded results similar to those published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (above). The complete disappearance of symptoms after 48 hours was significantly superior among the Oscillo group than among the placebo group. This clinical trial also showed that treatment of influenza-like symptoms with Oscillococcinum' has positive effect on the decline of symptoms and on the duration of the disease.

==============================================

I tend to believe these double blind study sources, especially since I've tried the product and know what it's done for me and my family. We're sold on Oscillo.

My naturopath recommended this product when I was pregnant as an alternative to taking cold medicine. Instead of just treating the symptoms, it is supposed to direct your immune system to kill the virus instead. I couldn't believe that during my entire pregnancy (which compromimises your immune system) I did not have a serious cold or the flu while teaching elementary school. I just took some whenever it felt like I was starting to have symptoms and then had, at the worst, a minor bit of congestion for a day or two. Since then, I have purchased it to keep myself and my infant son healthy. Have not missed a day of school in 3 years for cold or flu yet!

As recommended by my pediatrician with unbelief I started giving this medicine to my 2 yrs old son with the first symptoms of common cold or flu: amazing results!!! the symptoms withdraw in a day and never re-appeared again. We even gave our son preventive dosages and it works also!. FYI I'm a doctor who was very skeptic toward homeopathic products but this thing WORKS! I recommended to my patients as well and with same positive results with no side effects! Good work Boiron.

This was our third order. My wife discovered this over some review and from parents of my daughter's class mates. We have no way of really knowing it works or not. But our kids (seven and two) enjoy having them. However we did noticed that when they catch anything (if any) the symptom is very mild to none. (knock on wood) Compare to before where they always have fever to break out the cold.

Let me share something. 3 months ago I would have agreed with the naysayers, and likely chimed in to say so. And then, something happened. I walked into a healthfood store asking for some chinese herbs to treat a tendon with micro-tears where it connects to the bone. Commonly called tennis elbow. The lady told me that I didn't want Chinese herbs, I wanted a homeopathic remedy. LOL... ah no thanks lady... I know that technically there is no active ingredient in homeopathic remedies. And I'm a serious health nut, so I do know a thing or two. Ha, or so I thought. She never did convince me to buy the homeopathic treatment, so she gave me 6 free samples. So picture this - I have no vested interest in the cream working, as I did not pay for it. And I applied the stuff as skeptical as all get-go. Now some background. I injured my elbow firing a very high powered tiny handgun. The recoil was too much, and the three shots in a row tore my tendon. I tell you that just so you know that I'm not some Yoga-Yuppie. I had been suffering for 6 months when I went into the healthfood store and it was getting worse every week. Lifting anything was excruciating, and I just could not do it. Lifting a bottle of beer to my lips was a challenge, and I'd just use the other arm. I applied the cream, and I knew immediately it was not just water, because my elbow started stinging, and the pain level increased. I'm smart enough to know that this is very often the case in any healing of any kind, that because the tissue and nerves surrounding the injury heal faster than the injury itself, the pain response can sharply increase. So I was surprised, that it was actually doing something. The next morning, I rubbed more cream into my elbow. The next morning, I was stunned. There was a very noticeable decrease in pain. About 25%. I used up all the free sachets I was given, and ordered a tube of the stuff from Amazon. I know, I should have gone back to the store and bought it there. 1-Click got the better of me. I went through most of one tube in 3 weeks, and by then my elbow was 90% healed. Now I rub it in once a week, I should do it more, but my elbow is 95% healed, and it's now rare that I think about it. So call me a skeptic that's now a believer, but this stuff truly worked.

I got flu symptoms today, and bought this Oscillo product from WholeFoods, but wanted to check the reviews on Amazon. Now, I must admit that I am still skeptical, I have too much of a background in the sciences to not be, but I am at least open to thinking differently now. I sure would not have bought this product 3 months ago. In fact I clearly remember mocking it when I saw in WholeFoods last year. So I just took one vial about 2 minutes before writing this review. And though it may just be a placebo affect, I honestly feel better already, and I wasn't even thinking about how I felt until right now. So maybe there's something to this stuff? I don't know, but I'm not so opposed to it anymore either.

Oh, and the cream I put on my elbow is called Topricin, and from my searching online, many professional athletes swear by the stuff!

Leaving my review a neutral 3 stars for now. I got the first flu symptoms today, they should peak the day after tomorrow, be the same the next day, and then slowly subside over another week. We'll see if this Oscillo stuff makes a difference or not.

I was skeptical to take this remedy but upon recommendation from my father I decided to give it a try. I tell you, it was truly amazing. My husband and my son both received flu shots this year, I did not. My husband was lucky and did not get the flu. However, both my son and I got the flu (shows you how effective the flu shot is!). Within 1 day of taking this remedy I felt significantly better. After the 2nd day, I felt like I had nothing more than a cold. Granted, I did not take this remedy alone - I took it with plenty of fluids & bed rest. In short, it worked like a charm. I will always turn to this medication at the onset of the flu.

On a side note, many of my friends from India have been using this remedy for decades - without reservation - and it works for them too.

I carry a vial of this stuff in my pocketbook and when I think that I may be coming down with something I take it immediately. I have not been sick for a least 5 years (maybe just a mild sniffle because I caught it in time) and haven't had a sick day from work in at least that long as well.
I'm hooked and will never be without!

I am not a homeopathic believer by any means, but I promise you I wouldn't be writing this unless I actually thought that the product did some good. Anyway, on Tuesday morning I had come down with what was probably the world's worst flu. Body aches, fever, chills, sore throat--the whole shebang. I visited my family Wednesday night. Unfortunately, my mom was out of flu medicine, so she made a quick stop to the store to purchase some for me. She came back with some Oscillococcinum, saying, "It's worth a shot, right?"

I begrudgingly took some. Then another dose. And then another. Always with my cold medicine, of course, so it could all be in my head. But I have NEVER bounced back as quickly taking regular cold medicine. I feel almost 100% and it hasn't even been a full day later. I was outside wrestling with the dog just a little while ago, when I had just yesterday anticipated an entire week's worth of recovery time because I normally get over illnesses slowly.

I just had to share my amazing experience with this product. DEFINITELY worth a go!

This product is amazing. I had two different people tell me to try it (both family members). I admit I was a bit skeptical because it sounded too good to be true. However, both people who recommended it were people I trust, so I bought some for the med cabinet. Months later, I had what started out as aches and chills. Several hours later I was sitting by "the throne" with my mouth watering (sorry for the description, but understand, I was pretty far gone). Something reminded me of the Oscillo I had in the cabinet, and I figured I didn't have much to loose except my stomach, which I was getting ready to loose anyway. I took some, never vomitted, and about 15 minutes later felt well enough to go get back in bed (my stomach had settled without me ever getting "sick"). After I was in bed about 15 minutes or so, my very tense and achey body started to relax and I fell asleep. The next day I still did not feel 100 percent, but was MUCH better. I continued taking the Oscillo every 6 hrs that day. My husband and I have both used this numerous times since then, and we ALWAYS have good results. INTERESTINGLY, ONE OF THE TIMES I PURCHASED IT, I HAD A PHARMACY TECH TELL ME THAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING IT WORKED BETTER THAN THERA-FLU.

My dad insisted that I take this the last time I got a cold, so I did a little research, and found out what this is. They use pseudo-scientific jargon to disguise the fact that this is quite literally a sugar pill. The active ingredient is "Anas barbariae hepatis et cordis extractum HPUS 200CK". "Anas barbariae hepatis et cordis" is Latin for duck heart and liver, HPUS is the acronym for a reference book that defines the ingredient. But don't worry about consuming duck organs, the "200ck" describes the method of preparation. They puree the duck parts in water. Then they actually completely empty out the bottle and refill it with pure water, and whatever is stuck to the side of the container is then presumably absorbed into the new water, thus quickly and drastically diluting the solution. And then they repeat this process....200 times! They take the final "solution" (pure water) and put it on little balls of sugar. Statistically it would be like winning the lottery if even one molecule of duck was in your dose of sugar. Basically they could be using the heart and liver from the same duck for every dose they make until the sun explodes and they would have plenty left over. True, if you take this medicine your cold should be better in a few days. However, if you don't take this medicine guess what? Your cold should be better in a few days. These people are immoral crooks, and France out to be ashamed that they haven't put this company out of business.

I am sorry for the negative review, it just makes me very upset to see such a deliberate, organized, long-lasting scam that has been accepted by so many. There is no cure for the common cold yet, just stick to medicines which help your symptoms, and if it makes you feel better to take this, go ahead, it won't hurt you, it is probably the safest medicine on the market.