Terbinafine
Information about Terbinafine
Terbinafine uses
Terbinafine is used in the treatment of fungal infections.
How terbinafine works
Terbinafine is an antifungal medication. It kills and stops the growth of the fungi by destroying its cell membrane, thereby treating your skin infection.
Common side effects of terbinafine
Headache, Diarrhea, Rash, Itching, Taste change, Nausea, Abdominal pain, Decreased appetite, Decreased white blood cell count (neutrophils), Erythema (skin redness), Increased liver enzymes, Joint pain, Muscle pain, Urticaria, Dyspepsia, Skin exfoliation, Weight loss, Skin lesion, Scab, Skin disorder, Pigmentation disorders, Burning sensation, Application site pain, Liver failure, Agranulocytosis (deficiency of granulocytes in the blood), Low blood platelets, Severe skin reactions, Eye irritation, Dry skin, Contact dermatitis
Available Medicine for Terbinafine
Expert advice for Terbinafine
- Terbinafine helps treat fungal infections of the skin and nails.
- Do not skip any doses and finish the full course of treatment even if you feel better.
- Treatment may be needed for 2 to 6 weeks for skin infections and 6 weeks to 6 months for nail infections.
- It can make your skin more sensitive to sun. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen and protective clothing when outdoors.
- Your doctor may monitor your liver function regularly during treatment. Inform your doctor if you notice yellowing of eyes or skin, dark urine, or stomach pain.
- Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to conceive or breastfeeding.
Frequently asked questions for Terbinafine
Terbinafine
Q. Can Terbinafine be safe for use in patients with liver cirrhosis?
Oral intake of Terbinafine is not recommended in patients with chronic or active liver disease. Your doctor may prescribe a liver function test to check whether the liver is functioning effectively or not. This is done because the medicine gets metabolized by liver enzymes and any inefficiency in liver function can lead to increased levels of the medication in the blood, resulting in increased side effects and toxicity. Therefore, it is important to inform your doctor if you have any liver disease or cirrhosis. Also, inform your doctor about the medicines you may be taking as taking Terbinafine with another medicine can lead to liver toxicity and Terbinafine by acting on the liver enzymes can change the levels of other drugs. Your doctor may suggest periodic monitoring (after 4-6 weeks of treatment) of liver function test and make dose adjustments accordingly.
Q. Can I drink tea or coffee while taking Terbinafine?
Caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee should be taken with caution while being on treatment with Terbinafine. Terbinafine decreases the rate of metabolism of caffeine by 19% which is an important constituent of coffee, thereby increasing the levels of caffeine in the blood. This increased levels of caffeine may lead to side effects such as jitteriness, headache, increased heartbeat and restlessness.
Q. How long do I need to take Terbinafine?
The usual duration of treatment for Tinea pedis (fungal infection in the foot), Tinea corporis (ringworms) and Tinea cruris (fungal infection in the groin) is about 2 to 4 weeks. However, the duration may sometimes be extended to 6 weeks. Usually, the duration of treatment for fungal infections of nails varies from 6 to 12 weeks. For fingernail fungal infections, it may take 6 weeks whereas toenail fungal infection may take about 12 weeks to recover. However, the exact duration of the therapy is decided by the doctor depending upon the type of infection, the site of infection, and the patient’s response to the therapy.