Toenail fungus, please help me how can I get rid of it? Panicking

[disgustingandashamed]

It is really distressing me today. I had it on 1 toe, tried over the counter blend thing of teatree oils with some other stuff, has not worked and now another toe has it.

I have a lot of autoimmune illnesses which are much more serious realistically but for some reason, the look of my two nails now has really upset me today.

It sounds stupid but I feel so panicky at the idea of it taking over all my nails. I currently have nice finger nails.

Today I can't stop thinking about contamination and how I will never be really sure if our apartment is properly clean now again? I feel like everything my foot touches is contaminated like the sheets and towels etc and I wash them on max temp to try to kill fungal spores but I feel so gross and filthy.

I can't take the oral medication that can affect liver and kidneys - what can I do instead that actually works? Or is the reality I will just have this for the rest of my life now?

Podiatrist was unhelpful as he didn't think it was that bad. But it looks awful and now spreading.

I’ve been using Vicks since Christmas and it is definitely growing out.

@MadAboutCarbs its this one. It has to have miconazole nitrate in to work.
Cream

https://patient.info/medicine/miconazole-for-fungal-skin-and-nail-infections-daktarin

@disgustingandashamed
I do get what you mean about contamination, I have pretty severe OCD that Covid sent into overdrive. I put kitchen roll down and cut my nails into that. I do feel able to just gather it up and dispose of it and clean the clippers though. I don’t feel I have to clean the whole floor. I also have chronic health issues and painful arthritis too and it is tiresome. It was only a couple of months ago I was thinking that it was never going to go, now here I am with just 1/3 of nail left infected. I can’t tell you how pleased I am, especially as mine actually hurts for some reason. Keep going op, it will go!

Just to reassure you I had my bunion operated on with a very obvious infected big toe. I was tempted to ask them to remove the nail while they were operating and I had a totally numb foot and leg.

I’ve tried Vicks and various over the counter medicines (including prescribed ones) with no success. Terbinafine made me feel ill.
Since January I’ve been using a treatment called Excilor which comes in a pen https://www.boots.com/excilor-fungal-nail-infection-pen?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc--PLAs_HeroCompare--Healthcare_Footcare-_-UK_Smart_Shopping_Healthcare_Footcare&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1_SkBhDwARIsANbGpFvPyX7xxCCWX9GUPhCb67baKb06UMALPvHrWnOHOgw4RO4imWs-7owaAhq0EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds. It does seem to be working and I only have a couple of infected nails now. I have been religious about applying the stuff and not used nail varnish for the whole time.

White iodine (it must be white) applied every day works.

Tea tree oil worked for me when I had an allergic reaction to stuff from the pharmacist.

I had similar for two years. Nothing helped. I tried everything. Everything. Even the stupid ideas. And the horrible medication that screws with you.

In final desperation I tried Excilor. Ffs it worked! It is slow. You must keep it up for months and stick to the regime. But I have lovely nails and it's never come back.

Have you looked into obsessive compulsive disorder and intrusive thoughts?

You should try this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07Q5H1VGV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Easy to use just paint it on and remove it the next day and paint on another layer. My daughter had a really bad infection where her big toenails were really thick, started using it in February and now has nice pink nails growing up from the bottom. No filing or washing needed and as it provides a waterproof layer you can forget about contamination. I know it’s exspensive but it work. The bottle she is using has lasted months

I don't believe you can cure it externally.

I believe it's a symptom of illness/imbalance in your body.

it's probably a gut imbalance on top of your auto immune situation.

it's not gross, just keep your nails trimmed & get on with the rest of your life

OP - so too have psoriasis by any chance?

Because I do: and what I thought was a fungal nail for years - was actually …. Nail psoriasis! And it cleared up the minute I got my P under control.

I had nail fungus on both my big toes last year and it has completely cleared up after 10 months. I did a combination of things : thoroughly clipped away dead nail (one one toe, only about a third remained), scraped out dead skin under the nails and the sides and applied a fungus treatment (lanbena I bought over Amazon) as well as 6% iodine solution. The regular clearing of the dead skin and clipping of infected nail seem to be the key. My nails looked pathetic at first but they grew back pink and healthy. You do have to be patient, there is no quick fix.

Is it definitely a fungal infection. It could be nail psoriasis which doesn't respond to fungal treatments but looks almost identical

I second the white iodine. Couldn't find it in any chemist, had to order off Amazon. You still have to wait for the nail to grow out, so you're looking at 12-18 months, but it definitely sorted it.

I was told to avoid sugar, alcohol, excess carbs etc, go barefoot/ toes out as much as poss, plus potassium permanganate foot baths and Lamasil Once

I cut my toenails over the loo so no mess on the floor, just flush.

I used Daktarin athletes foot cream and kept trimming right down - it's worked. Your anxiety about this is out of control OP - please speak to your GP, you sound like you have OCD. Canestan did not work for me.

I only ordered one bottle(12ml) of the Lanbena stuff and still have a tiny bit left over - the iodine solution seems to have done the trick.

Mine has been eradicated with the Boots Advanced Nail Fungus stuff.

It has taken a while, but the healthy mail is growing it out now.

Try and avoid your nails being in damp shoes for prolonged periods. Give your shoes a wash / wipe with anti-fungal products, dust with anti fungal foot powder.

Just clean the shower.

All will be well.

I suffered with this for years and years on my little toe nail, resulting in me constantly getting athletes foot on that toe. I literally tried everything spend £100s over the years it always came back. Believe it or not I fix it earlier this year with clear Lugo's iodine.

Becareful as it can burn your sensitive skin but he'll it worked amazing for me.

The paint on things never worked for me. I took the tablets prescribed for about 3 months and it completely disappeared and never came back again. Are you sure you can't take it?

(*correction not clear just standard Lugo's iodine from Amazon)

Can I ask what the iodine solution is? I've got this really badly on my two big toes and several.others. i can't wear sandles or any open toes sboes at all.

I’d third the nail psoriasis,it can look very similar.I have a lot of autoimmune stuff and I have nail Ps.

I have a couple of horrible fungal toe nails - a big toe and one next to it - but I’ve had them like that for a few years, and they’ve not spread any further. 3 other people in the house and none of them have ever had it. And I’ve never had a hint of it on my finger nails. So don’t worry about broader contamination. Just try and deal with the nail. I’ve tried a bit with mine, but haven’t really put the effort in.