Help! I can't cut my toenail and my toe is soooooo painful!

[OuchieWowchie]

I have a fungal nail infection in one of my big toes. It's unsightly but worst of all, I can't cut my toenail as it's just too thick and hard. Its grown so long that my toe is now so painful.

Can anybody recommends toenail softener to allow me to cut my nail?

Is it a gp job? Would you post a pic?

You need a chiropodist not the GP.

If a very long soak in the bath doesn't do it then you need a Urea cream. You put loads on, wrap your toes overnight (bandages or possibly socks might do) and then they should be soft and cuttable the following day.

And go to a chiropodist as soon as you can. They're not expensive.

I bought a pair of nail nippers from amazon and they cut through really thick nails really easily. They were less than £5

Find a chiropodist asap

@LittlemissAWOL oooh please, please, please could you send me a link?

www.amazon.co.uk/Toenail-Clippers-Ingrown-Scissors-Stainless/dp/B01MY6R11P

Hopefully that works.

These are the sharpest ones I've ever used (see reviews)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BESTOPE-Clippers-Stainless-Fingernails-Toenails/dp/B0762MBQ2G/ref=mpsa13?dchild=1&keywords=nail+clippers&qid=1596059769&sprefix=nail+clipp&sr=8-3

I have the same problem. I have used lots of over the counter stuff and I think it will have to be ... removed.
I feel your pain (literally)

Can you file it? Both to get the length down but also file as much of the fungus away as you can. Once you’ve done that paint tea tree oil mixed with other oil on twice a day and ta days after about three months it may have gone. Mine did anyway.

Could you bear to share a photo? People might have better suggestions.

Extraneous *days

I've heard that rubbing Vick (the stuff for a cold) into the toenail can help.

Soak in warm water for ages then cut with some good clippers. My mum was the same when she was having chemo and attempted to cut her fungal thickened toenails with nail scissors

And see if the GP will see you about treatment, you might need medication rather than over the counter stuff if it's that bad. Takes a while but is usually effective.

I had a fungal infection for years and eventually the GP gave me something I took orally. Had to have a blood test first to check my kidneys were ok, and should have gone back after 6 weeks for another check before they gave me any more, but never got round to it. Consequently though my big toenail is practically cured, the little toenail is now at the stage the big one used to be

I'd bought about 6 of the fancy stuff to paint on from Boots and it had no effect whatsoever. I strongly suggest a call to your GP (and don't neglect to go back after 6 weeks...)

When you've soaked etc don't try and cut the nail off in one go because it will bleed, nibble away at it with the tip of the clippers until you have it roundabout the right size and shape then file it down hard with a diamond deb file:
www.amazon.co.uk/INSGB-Diamond-foot-professional-quality/dp/B00CQ18QN4/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&psc=1&keywords=diamond+deb+file&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyTVhOUlJGV0NGUDZYJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjM4NjY1MjNNTUdCOUFOSksyRyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzA1NDU0M0UyS0FQQTYyUDRENSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1596060628&sr=8-2-spons

You need hospital grade clippers with a long handle
www.amazon.co.uk/Blizzard-Podiatry-Ingrown-Pointed-Clipper/dp/B00T7T3QPQ/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?dchild=1&psc=1&keywords=professional+podiatry+clippers&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyOVZXWDJWQkFQV1ImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1NzU1OTlNVkVaV0IzUDlUREImZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDUxOTE1MDE3VU9WOTBJWkpLM0wmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1596060677&sr=8-3-spons

I am an NHS podiatrist and we're not allowed to use electric nail files any more so if I get a really thick, hard nail I just nibble away at it until it is nice and flat and then file it.

oh yes, I tried the Vicks as well. And tea tree oil.

I had a fungal infection for years and eventually the GP gave me something I took orally.

Terbinafine....give them some clippings to send off to be tested first. Quite often badly damaged nails look like fungal nail when they are not. No point taking a toxic drug without being sure they are fungal first.
The practice nurse at the surgery will send them off to the lab to be tested for you.

I've been using lockdown to treat mine. Normally I treat over winter, then have to give up and put varnish on for summer and holidays, so don't really get anywhere.

This year I've been able to just carry on with treatment Its slow progress though.

It had reached the point where it was too thick and weirdly shaped to clip off. I've been soaking it and nibbling away bit by bit to reduce it, then filing the top to thin it enough to fit in my shoes. Then painting with Nailner and treating the skin around it with Lamasil Once.

I got the professional clippers from
Boots - £7.99 - and they do my thick hard toenails

I’ll post mine, if you post yours.

Mine’s a bastard, it was ingrown about 15 years ago. I had that sorted, now it’s ingrown. I also have a ganglion on my right foot.

Hate my feet

I will post mine .. later lol

But I got mine when I was pregnant about 6 years ago and they didn't want to give me over the counter stuff
I had it tested and from memory GP didn't want to give tablets as they were worried about liver or kidney ( can't remember)

But I do think I need to sort through GP of chiropodist or both. This thread has given me the kick up the bum

One foot is normal, one isn't so I have bought a sander for the hard skin and it is this one which has the sore toe. I used to see the chiropodist and last appt he didn't know how to treat it (but I think he was newly qualified so won't go back there)

But the amount I spend on over the counter stuff would pay for it to be removed in chiropodist. Just can't fancy the pain ..