Fungal toenails - terbinafine or removal?

[Pantheon]

I have tried over the counter products over the past few years but the nails are just too far gone.The GP suggested terbinafine but I am concerned about possible side effects. And I would need to stop breastfeeding my 1 year old (was planning on stopping soonish anyway). The other option i----s removing the toenails entirely and then using topical treatments or laser to hopefully get rid of it that way.

Would appreciate any advice or if anyone has either taken the medicine or had nails removed. For some reason I really can't work out what to do! But I do need to do something

Terbinafine worked for me. No side effects, monitoring blood tests all normal. I’ve seen people who have had toenails removed. The thought of having someone take my toenail off makes me feel ill. Just thinking about the red raw nail bed <shudder>
It’s not pretty, a couple of people I know had infections too so it was painful and needed dressing twice a week at the surgery along with antibiotics.

Terbinafine worked really well and quickly for me. No issues whatsoever.

I'm waiting for blood tests to get Terbinafine.

Can't even think about having my nails removed, that's torture!!

Hi! I've had awful fungal nails for over 10 years, every single nail and thought I'd tried everything! I was so sick of it and breastfeeding as well so I made a new year's resolution to apply tea tree oil and lamisil twice every single day without fail. I also bought a kit and file them down.
I cannot believe it after years of misery but they're actually growing out beautifully. Painfully slowly but you can see the growth coming. I'm taking progress pics for my own future thread 🤣
Not suggesting you haven't tried everything but I know I hadn't been consistent for a whole year or more before this so it was a last ditch attempt while breastfeeding!

Can you tell me what kit you bought to file them down?

I have treated them myself and thought it gone only for it to return again.

I have not asked the GP for treatments.

@Nauticalthemedloo just a cheap set from amazon for manicures! With an electric file which has loads of extra rolls of the filing stuff so you're never using the same one twice.
Not sure if it will work or last but I can't have the tablets atm so it was worth a go.

@User65412 - thank you, I didn't know filing the nail was a thing but it makes so much sense!

Thanks everyone. I actually got an infection in my toe due to the fungal nail a few months back and had antibiotics for it so that's why I am desperate to get rid of them and even considered taking them off completely as it had become a health concern and not just cosmetic. But I definitely don't want to risk further infection by taking them off. I think I'll go back to the podiatrist and do everything bar removal (filing, treatments etc) and then if no luck terbinafine.

I’ve had issues with nail infections on and off for years, tried everything and finally caved and got terbinafine about 3 months ago, god knows why I didn’t do it sooner - no side effects whatsoever and I can already see the new uninflected nail growing through!

I think I’ll need to keep taking it for at least another 3/4 months while the whole nail grows out but I’m so pleased I might actually be able to get my toes out before the end of the year 😊

My nails fall off all of the time. Grow then fall off.
Honestly the bedi isn't that raw.

I am tempted to get it removed completely.

My daughter had absolutely awful fungal infections on three of her toes for years and no amount of medication would make an impression..we went the NHS route, the alternative route and all
kinds of “old wives tales” routes. At 12 years old she was becoming very sensitive about how they looked and was starting pointe work in ballet so wanted to get it sorted. We saw a private podiatrist, paid about £300 and she had them removed. It was pretty gruesome and not for the faint hearted..she was adamant she wanted to go ahead and she was soooo brave. Was grim and painful for about 5 days then healed beautifully and thankfully no problems since. We were strongly advised against the medication route given her age, but obviously as an adult it’s different. Just wanted to give a “coming out of the other side” surgical removal story.

After years of problems, I fixed mine by gently filing the surface of the nail regularly and running in Vicks vapour rub - did it every day for a few weeks and then just occasionally. They are great now & have been so for couple of years but I don’t wear nail polish on them…letting them breathe is key.

I tried every treatment under the sun, mine were grim. Took a course of Terbinafine and they started to improve within a week, 3 months later my toenails were perfect and the infection has never returned. Wish I'd used it sooner.

I think the side-effects are overplayed (maybe because the drug is expensive?).