Cure for fungal big toenail infection

[Toenailsupportgroup]

AIBU to ask if anyone has found anything to permanently get rid of this. I've had this problem for years and I've tried painting various treatments on and it seems to be just in the top half of my toenail but never grows out completely. Please recommend any products that truly work!

Terbinafine tablets from GP.

I had it on a big toenail and two middle toes for about 10 years. They looked horrendous (side effect of hypothyroidism probably).

I tried all the home remedies like the nail paint, vicks, tea tree oil, coconut oil, cutting them down and soaking in vinegar (painful!), washing and alternating shoes and it never cleared up.

I was worried about taking the tablets as you need liver function blood tests to check it isn’t affected but it was fine and I’m really glad I did it as the nails are perfect now over 2 years on. Took about 9 months to grow out completely

Although just as the nails grew back, I dropped a tin on my other big toe and it was black for bloody months so still couldn’t bare my feet for a while !

Terbinifine is also the only thing that worked for me, but it cleared up toenails that had probably been gross for 15 years

@Marmite27 that’s why they only give you a month’s worth and then you need a liver function test.

Wasn’t told of (and clearly didn’t read the leaflet!) the caffeine thing.

Anti fungal pills via the GP. I had to take them for ages and they tasted disgusting. But cleared it, and in a side bonus I’ve not had any athlete’s foot since either whereas I used to get a bit every few winters,

I had no idea they could damage your liver though! That wasn’t mentioned

anti-fungal tablets from the doctor is the main way. (terbinafine) my DS was on them many years ago
it has to grow out from the base of the nail which will take near on a year depending on how fast your toe nails grow

Go to a podiatrist.

DH had an infection had spread to most of his toes across both feet < not envy.

£35 podiatrist appointment- the guy trimmed his nails reeeeeally short and gave him a solution to put on them. He was meant to go for a follow up but the first lockdown put paid to that. The infection is still there on one foot, DH didn’t bother with the solution 🙄, but the other has really cleared up.

Terbinafine for 3-6 months but you will need blood tests before and a month in.

This! I had tea tree oil, antifungal medication, coconut oil, but in the end this got rid of it.

i asked my friend who’s a podiatrist as I suffer too. He said stay away from the tablets, they can damage your liver

Every medication has potential side-effects, though. If we stayed away from any medication that could do damage to x/y/z part of the body, nobody would ever take any tablet again! It’s about balancing the benefits and risks to you. Regular Liver function tests will pick up any damage caused by the tablets.

And, while not suggesting your friend had unscrupulous motives with regard to your treatment, it’s in his interests for people in general not to treat (and clear) their infections with medication, as then they won’t need to see him. It’s kinda like how I’m always slightly sceptical of dispensing opticians who are very vociferously against laser eye surgery...

Checking in to come back later

In addition to the topical treatments mentioned above, I have also used an electric pedicure machine to file the surface of the nail - treat one day, file the next etc. (I think mine came from Lidl on the offers week)

It’s taken 10 months, but will continue with this regime if it returns.

Oregano oil?

Used to call it Pizza toes!

Would this terbafine stuff treat endless thrush too?

Another one for bobbin's method. Cut off as much as you can. Anti fungal cream (the one for athelete's foot) on the nail bed.

File the top of the infected bit of nail and paint on anti fungal nail varnish (from GP). This bit of nail then go a bit thin so I could trim off even more.

Repeat repeat repeat with grim satisfaction.

It took about 3 months if I remember but now it is gone. At least, I have the feeling it is lurking ready to come back but it hasn't actually reappeared and it was 10 years ago.

Sorry this was totally gross.

Ticonazole nail lacquer from the doctor on prescription.

I used it for a whole year. I think it was twice a day every single day. No nail varnish. Just that stuff. Although I think one day I applied nail varnish for a wedding but took it off at night and painted the prescription stuff on.

It eventually worked. I also wore sandals a lot to help my foot breathe and didn’t wear the same socks or shoes as before. Tried to keep my feet dry and not sweaty.

I gave up initially after eight months and it was back within a month so I started again. I’d stopped too soon.

If yours is not clearing up I would suggest you’re not doing it for long enough or you’re missing out too many treatments. If you persevere and keep your foot away from sweat etc it will work.

I’d decided if it didn’t work after a year I would get the pills that you need blood tests for to make sure your liver is ok. But I didn’t need that thankfully!

While I'm on the gross stuff, I have lost the nail a couple of times since (ski boot fitter lied!) and I always take the opportunity to splurge some anti fungal cream on the nail bed.

So grim, sorry.

Vicks or white vinegar

@kennelmaid

Seriously, Vick's Vapour Rub. Cleared up a long lasting, treatment resistant FNI within a week.

Im off to get some... thank you for that!

I asked my GP about this and she recommended oil of oregano, dabbed on twice a day with a cotton bud. It worked but it takes months for the nail to grow out.

www.healthline.com/health/antifungal-essential-oils

See a doctor, prescription for about 6 months and never had it back.

Terbinafine here too. I wasn't aware of the caffeine thing either!

I tried every topical treatment going.
Only thing that worked was terbafine tablets.

Turbinafine. Takes bastard ages (about four months) but it works

My podiatrist does the Lacuna Treatment...tiny holes drilled in nail then apply Lanasil spray every day. Took about 8 months

Dettol Mould and Mildew Remover Spray; it really does work but takes time & can irritate the skin around the toe a bit. I just filed the nail & then sprayed on twice a day for about 2 weeks & then once a day (as my skin was getting irritated) for a further 6 weeks. I was about to give up as I thought it wasn’t working when I saw new, clear nail growing without infection.

Not sure how the other home remedies / medication work & if they actually clear the existing nail but this method doesn’t, it seems to kill the infection & allow new, healthy nail to grow but visually leaves the infected nail looking the same. It took a whole year for my toe to look normal again as I had to wait for the infected nail to grow out; only used the spray for 8 weeks though.

I saw it first recommended on here so it has worked for other people.