Fungal toe nail infection - cures?

[Amber76]

My big toe nails and the nails on the toes next to them on both feet are very thick and yellow. This is a long term problem - I've had it for years but I would really like to have nice pretty toes and not to be hiding the yellow behind nail varnish.

And advice on how to try and get rid of this? Thanks!

you can buy paint on solution over the counter now - it used to be prescription only, I forget the name, but the pharmacist will know

I have the same problem. Mine were compounded by being really distorted by something. I took a tablet for a year with monthly blood tests due to it being really hepatotoxic. Sadly, I got my supply in Thailand and it was fake.
A couple of years ago, I got a proper one while we lived in Switzerland. It cleared it up after about nine months.
Go go to your GP, it is bloody horrible and you have my sympathy.

I've had it for years. Paint on stuff doesn't really work for most people. Tried it.
Tablets, you may have to work on getting them from your GP as their are potentially bad side effects (liver failure being worst). You also can't have them if you're on the pill, pregnant or breastfeeding. They won't prescribe them unless you're sure you want them.
I've been on them 3 months now and am just beginning to get excited at a very small strip of "real" toenail.
What I don't get is it says can take 6-12 months for toenails. The fungas doesn't have to completely grow out before you stop taking the tablets. So how do you know when to stop then? Doesn't give a clue.

I did take Lamasil tablets for about six months few years ago but they didn't make any real difference - and I heard they can have bad side effects for liver so I stopped taking them.

I tried the paint on stuff too (can't remember the name) - used about two boxes of it and it didn't really make a difference.

Is there nothing else??

husband has been using the paint on stuff for about a year

Scroll down this article from the Mayo Clinic - anecdotal evidence on vinegar. I think I've seen something on a small trial recently but can't remember where - sorry
www.mayoclinic.com/print/nail-fungus/DS00084/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print

I also tried something that had to be taken in pulses. Take it for a week, rest for three weeks and repeat for three months.
I think the Lamasil has to be taken for that length of time because that's how long it takes for your nails to grow out.
I had mine removed (and destroyed) a year ago, it is only now that a thick layer of skin has grown to where a normal length toenail would be.

neat lemongrass oil, 2 drops, twice a day on the infected area. Don't get it on good skin if you can avoid it as it might burn.

tea treee oil damage surface of the nail wit a nail file then two drps of oil.

I'm just remembering what did actually work on shifting mine years ago ( I couldn't use the prescript stuff)

I used a combination of topical "Citricidal Oil" its a stronger anti-fungal than tea tree (I think thats grapefruit seed extract, foggy so might be wrong in that) & bathing feet in Vinegar, also taking table spoon of Cider Vinegar in water with a drop of the Oil- worked fine, but I had to give up on ingesting the oil, its a killer for heartburn

Try zinc supplement rather then trying to kill it off, fungal infections are linked to low zinc and low immunity and zinc should help and no risk of liver damage or any adverse reaction. Zinc is often deficient but rarely tested.

The paint on stuff is called Curanail and I am using it now. It seems to be working as i have a strip of healthy nail appearing at the bottom. The instructions do say that it cannot cure really bad infections and they must be seen by a doctor.

I had my big toe nails cut off just before christmas due to this problem. They have grown back better but I think I will still need to use the paint on stuff too.

I saw an ad in the back of the Telegraph that was for laser treatment for fungal nails. I bet it's really expensive but if it works... I haven't worn sandals since 1985 because of this!