How does terbinafine work

To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them.

However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.

Your doctor will order certain lab tests before you begin treatment and during your treatment. Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription over-the-counter medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

Terbinafine pronounced as ter' bin a feen. Why is this medication prescribed? How should this medicine be used?

Other uses for this medicine What special precautions should I follow? What special dietary instructions should I follow? What should I do if I forget a dose? What side effects can this medication cause? What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication? Brand names. Swallow the spoonful of granules and soft food without chewing. Other uses for this medicine. If this happens, use less of the cream, gel or spray the next time.

Side effects may include stomach pain, feeling or being sick, diarrhoea, headache or feeling dizzy. Call or go to If you need to go to hospital take the packaging, or the leaflet that came with your medicine, and any remaining medicine with you.

Like all medicines, terbinafine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. If you're using the cream, gel, spray or solution, talk to your pharmacist or doctor if these side effects bother you or do not go away:. If you're taking the tablets, talk to your doctor or a pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:.

Some people can have serious side effects when using or taking terbinafine. These happen in less than 1 in 1, people. If you're using the cream, gel, spray or solution, stop using terbinafine and call a doctor straight away if:. If you're prescribed tablets, stop taking them and call a doctor immediately if:.

It happens rarely but it is possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to terbinafine. You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. These are not all the side effects of terbinafine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme. There's no clear evidence that terbinafine will harm your unborn baby. But for safety, your doctor will only advise you to use it in pregnancy if the benefits outweigh the risks. If you're trying to get pregnant or you're already pregnant, talk to your doctor about the benefits and possible harms of taking terbinafine. This will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are and the reason you need to take it.

There may be other treatments that are safer for you. It's OK to use terbinafine cream, gel, spray and solution when you're breastfeeding, as long as you are not putting it on or near your nipples. Terbinafine tablets are generally not recommended if you're breastfeeding. There are other antifungal medicines that are safer. Your doctor will recommend the best medicine for you. Terbinafine cream, gel, sprays and solution are generally OK to use when taking other medicines. However, terbinafine tablets and some medicines can interfere with each other.

Tell your doctor if you are taking:. These are not all the medicines that interfere with terbinafine. For a full list, check the leaflet that comes with your medicine. It is safe to take terbinafine with paracetamol , ibuprofen , diclofenac or naproxen.

There's very little information about taking herbal remedies and supplements with terbinafine. Tell a pharmacist or doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements.

It makes holes in the cell membrane of the fungus and the contents leak out. This kills the fungus and treats the infection. If you are taking terbinafine to prevent an infection, the medicine kills any fungus as it starts to appear.

It depends on the type of infection you have. Some will take longer to get better. Terbinafine solution usually starts to work within a few days. Talk to your doctor if your symptoms do not get better within 1 week. The cream, gel or spray usually starts to work within a few days.

Talk to your doctor if your symptoms do not get better within 2 weeks. Terbinafine tablets can take several weeks to work. If you have completed the course of tablets and still have symptoms, talk to your doctor. Some fungal nail infections take 6 months or longer to get better. Nail infections often get better more quickly in younger people. Infections on the big toe often take longer to clear up than on other toes. Terbinafine is usually used for a short time to clear an infection.

Do not use it for longer than your pharmacist or doctor has recommended. If you use it too often or for too long, the medicine may not work so well. This is because fungal infections can become "resistant" to terbinafine.

For some infections, such as fungal nail infections, you may need to take terbinafine tablets for up to 3 months sometimes longer. It is safe to take long-term if your doctor tells you to. If taking terbinafine is not working to clear an infection, your doctor may ask you to take it for longer or they may prescribe a different antifungal medicine. There are many different antifungal medicines.

Some are available to buy from a pharmacy, others are available on prescription. They can come as creams, gels and sprays, pessaries soft tablets you put into your vagina , tablets, capsules and liquid, or injections. Your doctor or a pharmacist will be able to recommend the best treatment for you, based on your condition. If you take terbinafine tablets for a long time, your doctor may ask you to come back for a blood test.

This is to check that your liver is working properly. There is a small chance less than 1 in 1, that terbinafine can affect your liver. It is important to continue using terbinafine until you finish the course, even if your symptoms get better.

Follow the instructions from your doctor or on the leaflet that comes with the medicine. If you stop using your terbinafine too soon, or if you do not use it as recommended, the fungal infection could come back. Talk to your doctor if you are thinking of stopping your treatment for any reason. Terbinafine tablets may increase the effects of caffeine. Having too much caffeine can give you headaches, stop you sleeping, make you feel agitated and it can make you pee more.

It's a good idea to avoid having too much caffeine while taking the tablets. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, colas, energy drinks and chocolate. Other than this, you can eat and drink normally while using or taking terbinafine. Terbinafine is not likely to affect your contraception, including the combined pill or emergency contraception. If taking terbinafine makes you vomit or have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy.

Look on the pill packet to find out what to do. Find out what to do if you're taking the pill and you're being sick or have diarrhoea. There have been some reports of "breakthrough bleeding" known as spotting when people take terbinafine tablets and the combined pill together.

It is not known whether this is to do with the terbinafine. If you get any breakthrough bleeding while using oral contraception, speak to your doctor. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of terbinafine in children under the age of 12 with use in other age groups.

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of terbinafine in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur.

In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below.

The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases.

If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you.

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur.

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:. Apply enough terbinafine cream to cover the affected and surrounding skin areas and rub in gently. Apply enough terbinafine solution to wet and cover the affected and surrounding skin areas.