Experiences with terbinafine for fungal nail infection

[Cityzen74]

I have had a fungal nail infection on my toenails for about 8 years. I tried all the over the counter treatments to no avail and it has eventually spread to 8 of my nails. As a result I hate my feet and can never wear sandals or be barefoot as I am so self conscious.

The dr suggested terbinafine many years ago but at the time I was ttc which took a while, then I was pregnant and then breastfeeding so I couldn't take the tablets. I have finished breastfeeding now and so I have been prescribed the tablets.

Am a bit nervous about taking them for so long (3-6 months). Does anyone have experience of this? Did it get rid of the infection? Did you feel ok? I have recently had a blood test to check liver which is ok and I have to get it checked again in 2.5 months so also feeling nervous about that.

Any advice would be gratefully received 😀

I had a similar experience to @DoneAdulting although my sense of taste was altered rather than disappearing completely. I stopped taking it after about six weeks also because after googling I found that there are plenty of people who were taking it fine for a while and then lost their sense of taste completely and it never came back - pretty scary prospect. My taste alterations reversed gradually over a few months after I stopped.

Turned out the 6 week treatment was enough for me though and my toe is ok now which is great. I'd tried heaps of other things first over about a decade and nothing else shifted it.

My DH was allergic to terbafine. Came out in a hideously itchy rash all over his body. Took quite a number of days to settle down.

He's tried everything topical (medical and "home remedies"), a course of itraconazole and done very expensive laser treatment which we thought had worked but it hadn't.

Now seeing a different podiatrist and will be having a last ditch throw everything at it attempt with some different laser treatment over a longer period concurrently with a long course of itraconazole.

Fingers crossed.

@Pixiedust1234 thank you for your reply. That sounds awful, I hope it improves for you soon

Oh am really glad to hear it worked for your DH 😀

Glad they are working - hope your test results come back ok next week. My dr said I had to take them until the infection had completely gone so he said it could be up to 6 months or a year.

I am really sorry to hear this @Pixiedust1234 . That is awful and I hope you can see the rheumatologist soon and get the right medication for you.

I am sorry to hear that - the infection is just so hard to get rid of isn't it.

I got my blood test results back today and apparently all ok so I can continue taking them.
Thanks for info on how long your doc said to take them - I think I'm in it for the long hall to. Will just have to keep having blood test checks.
Also before taking the tablets I mentioned it was hard to live with all the itching but as well as growing the infected nail out the itching has stopped completely too.

I did several years ago and had no issues at all and it cleared the infection when nothing else did after several years of trying.

I was taking other medication which required 3 monthly bloods though, so was reasonably comfortable that any issues would be picked up through those.

Hi @Cityzen74 did you end up getting the meds? I was on them for 1 month recently and was so scared I had been putting it off for years (bought them several times and they went out of date as I put it off for so long!) Finally my H said do something as it's so bad on all 5 toes of 1 foot and I was getting down about it! So I started after having a liver test for 1 month,I got really bad nausea for few weeks and generally not feeling right (I read on the leaflet about depression too) and then had another liver test plus a diabetic one (that they didn't tell me they were doing ) they said liver fine and to get more terbinafine but I was showing signs of diabetes!!! With the nausea and that I stopped taking them. The only improvement in that month I saw was my heels weren't as cracked on that foot? I knew I might have to take it for a year so wasn't keen. I don't know what to do really now.

I took it for almost 2 years for my big toe nail, kept on top of the blood tests and it worked. One of my middle toenails is thicker than the others but not discoloured like my big one was so I'm not bothered about that. I know exactly how self conscious you feel though, I use to glue a false one on for holidays!

I totally sympathise as I have at least one fungal toenail that has been there for about 3 years! Tried loads of crappy topical solutions esp in lockdown as had time to faff with it. I barely wear sandals now unless it’s really hot and I’ve always quite liked my feet so really annoying!
Dont want to take meds as it’s not affecting everyday life but it does piss me off that I’ll never have nice toes again….

Why dont you go to a podiatrist or foot health professional?
I have lots of patients who have battled with fungal nails who i help and get their nails back to perfection. The topical solutions are not all crappy, the reason they dont work is because you need the nail prepared properly to absorb the solition. Most people put the topical solution onto dead nail and waste their money. The nail needs proper prep first. Fungal nails can be gotten rid of,it takes time though.

I see lots of Dr’s as patients,most of which will not take oral Terbinafine. I don’t advise it at all, horrible stuff.

Hi @Cityzen74

Did you end up starting the course? What's your experience like?

Thank you!

I took it twice the second time as the doctors didn’t believe it was caused the first time.

the first time I was taking it - I took one tablet and my skin literally peeled off all over my body - I was covered head to foot in a rash - that took 6 months to clear using heavy antihistamines and I developed a serious autoimmune disease.

no one believed it was the anti fungal medication and one tablet. I was going through some serious trauma at the time and was told that was the cause

the second time I was put on it this time I took 2 tablets one each day - a similar thing happened to the above except I had to spend weeks in hospital this time

it was my krypton

I paint my toe nails now 😂

@Mamoun Yes I have been taking the tablets for about 9 months now. I am very lucky and my liver has been fine (had tests) and have had no other side effects. It is working and I can see that the infection is growing out - my nails seem ok at the bottom. I expect I might have to have one more course but after that I really hope to stop. Are you considering taking them?

I am very sorry @Nailsandthesea for the terrible trouble you have had - that sounds awful.

@Cityzen74

Thank you for your message!

Yes I have terrible nail fungus on all of them. I have not done anything about it because pregnancy + breastfeeding x 3 DC in the past 7 years.
I have had my blood-test today...
Was just looking for opinions as what you can read online is pretty scary!
Very glad it worked / is working for you!