Terbinafine side effects

[EllaBella41]

I'm 3 days into my first course of terbinafine as I have multiple fungal nails. I've tried to treat them with OTC medication but to no avail, so the GP offered terbinafine.

I've heard they have various side effects and I've started experiencing them already, particularly low level nausea, headaches, what seems to be a bit of stomach pain and quite a strong metallic taste in my mouth. I know these aren't hugely disruptive but just wanted to see if people felt the tablets are worth it? I'm a bit nervous taking them after reading the rest of the possible side effects on the leaflet.

Thank you!

I recently saw my gp after a nurse in urgent care had prescribed this for a fungal nail infection
She did not explain the significant risk of liver issues other than to say I would need blood tests to check my liver function at the start of and during treatment
On doing my own reading I was not happy to take the tablets so saw my own gp
He said he agreed that this medicine carries a real risk and he personally would not take it
His advice was that unless the infection was causing me serious pain I should not take the tablets and instead consult a podiatrist for debridement and topical treatment with the same drug and accept this infection may take a very long time to resolve

Make sure you have a blood test before you start taking it, particularly the neutrophil white blood cell count.

I had been taking it for months and started to feel as though I was getting flu - the white cell blood count was really low. I had to have blood tests twice a week for around 6 weeks, then once a week for two months. then one a month and it took over 18 months for the level to return to normal. I was really lucky not to have been ill over that time.

This is a really rare side effect apparently but needs looking out for. On the plus side it cured the toe nail! I would be really reluctant to take it again.