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.

Same here.

I have nine fungal toenails and have had for many many years. Once or twice the whole nail has come off, but always grown back infected.
They resolved with terbinafine but returned when I stopped.
I try and clip them as short as possible, some are so thick it's difficult, but otherwise am resigned and just try and ignore them.
Nail varnish for summer holidays. Even that looks unsightly tbh.
DH has none.

@disgustingandashamed Hi, I’m a Podiatrist and deal with a lot of fungal nails. Have you ever had the nail tested for fungus? A lot of GP clinics will do this. And some private Podiatrists will have a ‘5 minute fungal test kit’ where they can take a sample of the nail and check that it is fungal.
The oral tablets (terbinifine) work the best but I can see you can’t take those. The next best thing is a paint on lacquer called Amorolfine. You can get this on prescription or from a private Podiatrist. You have to keep having the nail thinned down (heavily filed) for this to work. This only really works if it’s only part of the nail that’s affected, not right down to the base.
Another option is for a Podiatrist to drill tiny holes in the nail and then using a lamasil spray to treat the fungus. Or having the nail removed. This can be done using a 40% urea cream which softens the nail enough to cut it right back and then you can treat the skin underneath with an anti fungal cream. You can also have the nail removed under a local anaesthetic.
Tea tree and Vicks don’t work. They might bleach a discoloured nail but they don’t treat the fungal infection.
Happy for you to message me if you want anymore advice :) sounds like you need a more understanding Podiatrist.
the risks of it spreading to someone else is very low :)

Yep, me too. I thought for several years that I had fungal toenails, then discovered that my autoimmune condition was actually psoriatic arthritis ( no sign of psoriasis anywhere apart from a tiny patch on one elbow. It explained why the fungal nail treatments never worked for me

This worked for me.

Fungal Nail Treatment, Fungus Nail Cream, Strong Anti-Fungal Toenail Cream, Nail Repair Nourishing Treatment, Restores Discolored and Damaged Nails https://amzn.eu/d/gWv7Jlu

I use the daily paint on version of this. It's really easy to use it as part of your routine. It takes a while as your nail has to grow out but it's working!

I agree with others that the first port of call should be having your nails tested to get a definitive answer as to whether you have fungal nail or something else.

Then follow the advice from @SweeeetPea

I thought I had fungal nail and went to the doc to get it tested, turns out I had something else entirely. Can't remember the name of it but the Podiatrist essentially told me it's not treatable or contagious and sometimes I'll just look like I have a manky toenail and sometimes will be fine!
He was right though as about 6 months later the 2 nails started growing out fine and have remained perfectly pleasant ever since!

My DH had it one two big toes. He took the prescription meds for three months and it's never returned. The GP was trying to warn him off it but he was adamant and had the blood tests as recommended.

I feel for you, I have it too, my big toe on my right foot is disgusting. I wish it would fucking just fall off. But this isn’t a normal reaction, it’s just an infection, me and my house aren’t gross or contaminated she neither are you and yours! I also daren’t try the meds as I used to have an alcohol problem and feel very lucky to have an operational liver and don’t want to risk it. It seems worse in summer when everyone is in flip flops and nice sandals with bare toes.

How many nails did you have the nail psoriasis in?

Asking as I have horrendous psoriasis, I'm covered all over and was starting to wonder I what I thought was a fungal infection in one big toenail might actually be nail psoriasis.

@OnTheRunWithMannyMontana I started with nail psoriasis in one toe but over time it has affected all my nails but toes are worse than fingers

www.dulwichhealth.co.uk/?v=79cba1185463

Try this company
They have a product called allitech and I'm sure fungal nail is one of the things it can cure

They are really friendly and will answer any questions etc befor you commit to buying. Think there's a pdf on the website as well

I used it for candida/ thrush that I had for 3 years which the GP were unable to treat

Go to the doctor and get pills for six months.

Or
Find a therapist that will drill holes in your toenail and apply lamisil. I had that done. It's very effective.

Go to the doctors. A work colleague had this and tried all the OTC stuff. Eventually went to the doctors who prescribed antibiotics. Result- fungus gone and toe nails recovered!

I used the Scholl stuff on one , the one that you paint on and then file the next time . I must have over done the filing as after the 2nd go the nail fell off completely where I’d obviously filed through it and the new nail has grown back perfectly ok .

Nail removal sugery, then treat the nail bed

or clearanail, holes in your nail and treat

realistically without meds those are the most successful options?

You can get decolourised or white iodine but I just used the standard brown solution that you can get from any pharmacy. I also swabbed my nails occasionally with hydrogen peroxide(6%) solution. All cheap remedies basically, I do think the greater issue is clearing away the infected nailbedskin - a soft spongy mess- and the dead nail. I disinfected the clippers and other tools regularly too. As the nail grows, the infected bits become easier to trim (about 3- months in).

I don't have time to read the full thread but I feel your pain.

Definitely white vinegar! Foot bath every night.

Candida overgrowth is really common in people with auto immune diseases or immunocompromised people!

You will need to check this against other medication you are taking (really recommend consulting a herbalist or nutritionist for this) but you can take Caprylic Acid Plus by Cytoplan (there are other brands but I had a good experience with this one).

And for maintenance you can take high strength garlic or oregano capsules long term.

Candida absolutely thrives on sugar and simple carbohydrates so a 30 day elimination diet will work WONDERS.

In fact, The Auto-immune Solution by Dr Amy Myers is a great read and includes an elimination diet. Or you can find an example online for free too, it will be called an auto-immune protocol or an anti-inflammatory diet - something like that.

Just to stress this way of eating is a temporary targeted attack on inflammation (and in your case candida). It is not a crash diet or meant for weight loss. Eat as much as you want.

If you don't think you can undertake the whole elimination then just try to cut back on sugar and simple carbohydrates very hard for a month.

Sorry if you've already tried all that!!

can you take antibiotics? I had to take a course of fluxlocicillin for a surgery wound infection and it had the happy side effect of clearing up my toenail fungus.

Try not to worry about contamination. It can't contaminate the flat. It's only toenails that are susceptible to this type of fungus. Just use basic common sense hygiene.

My cousin had her big toenail removed so that it wouldn’t spread - drastic I know but an option.

I don’t think that’s true. My brother moved in with my mum for about 2yrs and he had it - then she caught it.

Have you tried this? I got it on Amazon after years of trying everything I could get my hands on and it's amazing!! You don't have to trim the nail everytime and can apply it a couple of times a day. It cleared mine up within a couple of months when honestly my toe nails had been wrecked for years.

Have you tried actual fungal treatment? I don’t mean some tea tree oil thing, but proper treatment. I use the Boots one. You have to apply it twice a day for a month and once a day for probably a year or longer. It will go away. It’s really no big deal and will be unlikely to spread and you can’t easily give it to other people. Just sort it out and don’t panic.

@SweeeetPea If you don't mind me asking, what can you safely use if you are breastfeeding? If anything? The internet keeps telling me different things! OP, I hope this thread is helping you to see that many people have this annoying problem!