Has anyone successfully treated a very serious toenail fungal infections?

[2021hastobebetter]

I’ve had over 30 years of crappy athletes foot and this became a serious toenail infection about 10 years ago or longer. Athletes foot doesn’t clear up with Lamisil or other steroid: antifungal creams from the GP. Washed daily and clean socks or powder. The toenails are disgusting and my feet regularly split between the toes and cause major issues with pain. In the summer I try to keep them clean, dry and out with flip flops and it is slightly better. But they stink and always have done. I have been depressed about it since about the age of 12.

Last gp didn’t do a lot as fungal paints etc on toe nails do nothing and creams do little. I wash daily with tea tree oil, dry well, powders etc and nothing works.

Just moved to a new gp and she said - you can’t live like this. All 10 nails are yellow, thick, crusty and foul. So she got me to cut them all yesterday and has sent them off as a sample for testing. She then says blood tests and a high dose of tablet anti fungal tablets - but these can cause damage hence blood tests.

I do feel hopeful as my feet make me cry and I have to throw shoes away so often - my slippers for examples had them a few months and need to bin them as they stink and are rank.

Has anyone ever successfully treated a serious fungal infection? New GP says it’s a long treatment but worth a go?

Any success stories out there.

I had terbinafine to clear mine up. It was only one toenail mind but it actually hurt it was so bad, it took several months of tablets but I was very glad to get rid of it. I had a couple of blood tests whilst on the tablets but results for liver function tests were always fine.
It’s definitely worth a go, you can’t continue on like that, it sounds awful!
I hope you soon start to notice a difference

Following with interest OP, I’m in the same boat. Completely sympathise!

I took Terbenafine, no problems with it and it did work .

I had three months of anti-fungal tablets to clear up infected toe nails. It worked brilliantly, but did make me nauseous. I threw up breakfast every day for three months.

You do need regular blood tests to check your liver is handling it okay.

Never had a recurrence.

Dh has just started terbinafine tablets for his. He had to take them a few years ago too and they did work. He had regular blood tests last time and will this time too

I am also taking tablets, a drug called fluconazol and I also have the blood test to check for liver damage, but no problem so far.
I only have 2 nails infected, and i think with all nails on both feet, you need to continue with the tablets for quite a long time.
I am also applying tea tree oil as often as i can.
Itching between the toes, I have regularly. The skin is split and so red.
I found the best relief for this is after every bath or shower, using a hairdryer to dry the skin between my toes.
It seems to dry up the infection far better than just towel drying.
Hold each set of toes apart and then dry between , I don't have the dryer on hot as it burns but it is effective any way

The tebinafine that people take, is that every day?
And what dose?
The fluconazol I take is 1 tablet every month. 150mg

Dh takes terbinafine daily

My father was referred to podiatry, they took cutting and had them analysed. He was then given treatment with blood checks.

I'm surprised Lamisil didn' work; I've had athletes foot a couple of times, and one application of Lamisil Once cleared it up both times.

Terbinfine did the trick here - all nails affected although not as bad as you. Took 9 months for them to grow through clear.

I'm surprised your previous GP didn't suggest this. Topical treatments are for very superficial infections and take years to treat.

Yes I took terbafine daily for 3 whole long months.
Didn’t really get any side effects and it went and still has not returned 5 years later!

Get the tablets honestly. Are they terbinafine? I had a very bad infection in my big toe (I blame a hot tub) which spread over a year to all my toes. I tried over the counter stuff which was useless.
Take the pills, I think I had 4 months worth and in that time my tie nails had fallen off with new pink ones growing in behind them. they do warn about possible risks to your liver but it’s a very rare side effect, and you have a boood test to check. It was so worth it for me.
I also threw all my shoes and socks out when the infection had been cleared and started with new shoes as I didn’t want to reinfect myself!

Terbinafine* sorry

It would be worth trying to get to the bottom of the reason why you get the fungus in the first place. The tablets work, but if you continue to get the athletes foot, the fungal toenails might also return. Have you looked at your diet, for example? Do you have any other symptoms?
I had fungal toenails, which I think may have been linked to a thyroid condition. I started taking medication for hypothyroidism and my toenails began growing healthy pink new nails within a couple of weeks.

I can’t believe no one has mentioned Vics Vaporub! It works like a dream on fungal nail infections. Just apply a few times a day, especially under the nail.

I have some toenail issues, I file them down flat no odour associated with the problem, it is a nuisance because it requires constant maintenance 😖

I had the same and suffered for about 20 years until I eventually took the tablets, I think the same ones others have taken. I was given a monthly blood test and took them for 6 months. Cleared it up amazingly well and have had no issues since. This was about 5 years ago.

Surprised you weren't referred to a podiatrist . If they are badly infected , sometimes the nail will be removed. It is surprisingly painless , in order for new one to grow.

Yabu

I was the same op, had 4 badly infected nails including the two big toes, they were painful and stopped me wearing certain shoes.
I tried numerous cures from the pharmacy, all expensive but nothing worked so went to the GP. Was given a three month course of Terbinafine 250mg. Ended up taking them for four months, but they worked brilliantly.
Stopped taking them last October, and for the first time in years I'm looking forward to showing my feet off in flip flops/sandles this summer.

It takes about 6 months to 1 year to see the results of Terbinafine but stick with it. I had one nail that was bad and had had for years trying everything. That worked.

If you have serious fungal infections then topical won't work as the nail is too thick for it to penetrate. If you're not squeamish look up the toe bro on YouTube, he has one that specifically deals with treating fungal nails.

My sister got toenail fungi in India She swore by neat tea tree oil.