Terbafine anti-fungal oral drug for fungal toe-nails

[TooManyMiles]

The GP said that the treatment which is like a lacquer applied externally does not work, and only recommended terbafine taken internally.

Has anyone tried this?
Did it work?
Did you have side-effects?

Does anyone know of any alternative/non-Western Medicine effective treatment?

Personally I wouldn’t be taking such a heavy going med for a nail infection. The fungal nail fluids/gels don’t get rid of the infection. They’re not actually supposed to (small print on them often says that you need to buy another product to kill the fungal infection) just to soften and remove nails, doing that way can take months or more. Try using Bifonazole cream first. Rub it into nail and push as much under the edge of the nail as possible. It’s designed for athletes foot so tackles the actual fungus rather than just taking the nail off. I used it for just a couple of weeks before the nail looked measurably better. Back to normal now just a few weeks later.

I took a 5 mth course of terbafine a few years ago. The only side effect was I had a sensitive tummy for 3 weeks and then it resolved.

My GP explained that liver damage was a very rare side effect but it could be very serious so I had the blood tests done.

Personally it was worth it for me, I hated having rotting toe nails, not being able to wear sandals, worrying about spreading it, watching it slowly spread to my other toenails. It did start to come back after a year when I had a great pedicure that lasted 5 weeks. But I started that topical paint immediately and it has kept it at bay for a further 3 years. I’m still wary of having nail polish on my little toe (where it reappeared) and I won’t go for pedicures but on the whole it’s under control now.

Thanks WhatcouldI

Are they harmful?
The reason for worrying about it is that it psychologically feels as though part of your feet are rotting. You feel it could spread everywhere. I hardly dare touch my toes where it is without this feeling. I worry about it infecting other people in my family. It all started for me a few years ago with athlete's foot caught at a swimming pool.

Since being older my nails are more brittle and I think this made them susceptible. I can imagine a lot of sugar not helping yeast etc, WhoAreyou, but in my case I already limit this heavily.

The tea tea oil idea might be worth a try, religiously applying it over time. Apparently even with the Terbafine the treatment means a tablet daily for 4 months.

The laser sounds interesting too I'll look into it.

The pharmacist had told me about the system of filing the nails followed by very expensive external treatment painted on, over a long period, and advised that I should ask the GP so it could be prescribed. But the GP then prescribed Terbafine, referring in passing to a 'lacquer' which 'has been shown not to work'. I don't know if this 'lacquer' was what the pharmacist had meant or not, but did not like to question the GP further.

I had the laser treatment once, it didn’t make a difference but maybe you need more than one go.

I tried loads of other things before the terbafine, none of them worked. I posted here a few years ago asking ‘if you got rid of your fungal nail infection, what treatment worked’ and the answer was 100% terbafine tablets.

I’ve had it and it didn’t work. I ended up having the same surgery three times to remove the nails.

I like PP have always treated fungal nails with tea tree oil. It's a natural antifungal.

I use a regime of soaking 3x a day, direct application, poultices and stringent (but boring) contamination prevention measures - separate foot towels and bath mats etc. boil washed after each use with more tea tree oil in the drum... I once even got to the point that I bought cheapo socks and binned them after each use!

Good luck to you OP it is a misery.

Did that work for you Synecdoche, of so how long did it take? Or is it an on going problem for you?

Terbinafine is the name of the drug. I was advised to take it for 9 months but it wasn't worth it for the short time it worked. I hate my toenails with passion but my liver is more important.
Bifonazole sounds worth a try - anyone else tried it?

@TooManyMiles I don't have the infections chronically but they do reoccur - perhaps 2-3 times a year at worst and they're pretty nasty with it.

The tea tree regime usually takes 2-3 weeks to clear the infection completely. I see results after about 4/5 days though.

(I also forgot to add I have a 'special' pair of clippers I use only for the infected toe which are boiled and disinfected with...you guessed it...more tea tree inbetween each use.)

I don't mean to quibble but it can't clear completely in 2-3 weeks as the infection is in the nail and the nail takes months to regrow - which is why you get told to take the tablets for 4 months so you are growing completely healthy nail.

If your nail infection is recurring 2-3 times a year, tea tree isn't working. You never got rid of it in the first place.

Okay, thanks @AnnaMagnani

OP I'm not a health professional of course but am just sharing what I have found to be useful for me personally.

Forgot to mention OP, when I talk about recurring nail infections I mean a subsequent infection but in a different nail. So usually for me both big toe nails! Very tiresome but an expected side effect of another health condition for me.

I took terbafine over a decade ago. Had been using the lacquars and tea tree oil for the previous few years, but the infection was slowly heading to the nail bed. Don't know if it was the Infection or the treatment, but the cuticle down the side of my toe was also cracking and very painful.
Don't remember any side affects, and had the bonus of clearing the recurrent athletes foot in the join between my little toe and "ring" toe.
Not had another toe nail, infection - but I'm tougher on any athletes foot to try and lessen any spread.

Thank you for the further details Syned, I might try this religiously first to see how it goes, then if it is hopeless for my case, go on to 'risk' the the terbafine which seems to have worked safely for some posters here.

Thank you all for being so helpful with advice. I really appreciate it.

I would warn anyone to wear rubber swimming shoes in swimming baths/saunas/showers as I had never had anything like this in all my life till the athletes foot from a place like this two years ago started it all.

@whoareyoukidding thats interesting about the uv nail lamps. i have one of those, I think im gonna try it for a few months, see how i get on. I did a quick google on it and people are recommending 20-30 mins per foot a 2-3 times a week. Will report back if any good.

I took a six month course of oral antifungal meds for my big toenail when I was in my twenties but I wouldn’t make the same choice now. It’s such a systemic treatment for a cosmetic issue, distressing as it is!

I’ve fought it off twice in the 10+ years since using white vinegar dabbed with a cotton bud at the base of the nail, morning and night. I read about it from a doctor online. The aim is to inoculate the new nail growth from fungal infection and wait for the the infected part to grow out. It take patience and you cannot miss a day or the new growth may get reinfected. It has worked brilliantly for me, and the vinegar seems to make the nail whites very bright.

Should add that a tea tree solution would also work as well as vinegar

Thanks a lot Fret.
I may get a UV nail lamp too, Hairy.

Please do report back, hairy and too, and good luck!

Thank you.
Yes, the campaign will start tomorrow, though I'll have to wait for a light. I'll try to be disciplined about keeping it up for at least as long as the pills would be needed as an incentive to start off with, and see if there is any improvement.

Ohfortuna- not entirely sure how long it took to begin to see an improvement but I've been using it for over a year and it's not completely cleared yet.

It might be an idea to also try to eat extra well to help new nail grow in faster so I'll add that to the discipline.

I always had issues with my right foot since going camping as a child. I developed "zombie toe" named by me and my friends, my big toe nail was very brittle and discoloured. I used to stick a false one over the top as it was really affecting my self esteem. Finally I went to the doctors and was prescribed what I believe you have been, took about two years and before I could get my repeat prescription I had a blood test, always came back fine. However, since working in a school I wear tights every day and one of my smaller toe nails has got it, I'm pregnant so just submerging my foot in tea tree oil in water atm. I think once you've had it bad your always at risk of it coming back but it's personal choice, how it makes you feel.

Thanks for your experiences with it, "Sprinkle".

I had not thought about tights.
I have just found this website for breathable tights and stockings:
Do you fancy some £40 silk ones for school, Sprinkle!
I see they have cotton too though.

The link to the breathable tights and stockings.
estylingerie.com/2015/04/05/hosiery-for-sensitive-skin-5-alternatives-to-nylon/