This article intends to shed some light on the various aspects of fungal infections and enabling you to deal with it in the most appropriate manner.
Fungal infections are a common site among people of all age groups and social standings. However, you have to take certain precautions while taking anti-fungal medication for a safe and speedy recovery. For the patients with severe conditions, fungal infections may prove to be nothing short of a nightmare.
What are the main types of antifungal medications?
Clotrimazole, Econazole Nitrate, Miconazole, Terbinafine, Flucanazole, Ketoconazole and Amphotericin are the most prominent anti-fungal medication prescribed by physicians worldwide to treat different fungal infections. For classification purpose, anti-fungal medication can be divided into four main categories namely Topical Anti-fungal Medication, Oral Anti-fungal Medication, Intravenous Anti-fungal Medication and Anti-fungal Intravaginal Pessaries.
What are the main side effects of antifungal infections?
Many anti-fungals have similar adverse effects like gastrointestinal problems, rashes, headaches etc. In addition, one may have to encounter problems like Amphotericin, which may cause muscle and joint pain, hypokalaemia/hypomagnesaemia, hearing loss, diplopia, convulsions or peripheral neuropathy. Another side effect is Fluconazole that is known to cause LFT abnormalities, and rash - toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome have been reported. Griseofulvin may aggravate or precipitate SLE, Flucytosine, which may cause marrow aplasia are other vital side effects. Moreover, application of topical imidazoles can be painful in some instances where there is particularly bad inflammation. It may also cause Terbinafine, which is associated with loss of taste particularly in underweight or elderly patients.
What are the Precautions I need to take?
You have to consider certain factors while buying anti-fungal medicines online. You must avoid taking an anti-fungal medicine if you are allergic to the medicine or any of the ingredients used in it. However, at times physicians, while treating invasive fungal infections, may administer the medicine if they consider the benefits outweigh the risk of an allergic reaction. Be careful with some oral anti-fungal medications if you suffer from heart, liver or kidney ailments. You should tell your doctor about these ailments or be ready to face the consequences. While using a topical anti-fungal medicine, such as a cream, avoid it coming into contact with your eyes, moist linings, or its use inside your nose or mouth unless and until it is a gel that is supposed to be used in your mouth. Anti-fungal medication used for treating fungal infections in and around the private parts can damage latex condoms and diaphragms, rending them ineffective. Thus, you are advised to use a different method of contraception while using the anti-fungal medicine, or avoid having sex. Many anti-fungal medicines are strictly prohibited during pregnancy. So it is advised to check the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine or consult your physician. You have to be careful with the anti-fungal medications when you are breast feeding, as small amounts of medicine may pass into your breast milk and may then be passed on to your baby and can have undesirable effect on the baby's health.
What about Storage of antifungal medications?
Storage is a vital aspect to consider when buying anti-fungal medicines online. Store the drugs at room temperature away from direct sunlight and moisture. To avoid children related accidents, store the drug away from their reach. Dispose of the drug if it is no longer in use or has exceeded the expiry date. You can consult your physician or pharmacist about how to dispose it in a safe manner.
Drug Interactions:
When two or more medicines are taken at the same time, the effects of one of the medicines can be altered by the other. This is known as a drug to drug interaction. Some anti-fungal medicines can interact with other medicines. To avoid severe implications of drug interactions, you have to articulate with your doctor what other medicines you are taking enabling them in deciding whether an anti-fungal medicine is safe for you or not. Medicines that anti-fungal medicines may interact with include but not limited to Benzodiazepines, Cyclosporine Cimetidine, Hydrochlorothiazide, Estrogens, Phenytoin, Progestogens, Rifampicin, Tacrolimus, Theophylline, Tricyclic antidepressants and Zidovudine to name a few.
Fungal infections are a common site among people of all age groups and social standings. However, you have to take certain precautions while taking anti-fungal medication for a safe and speedy recovery. For the patients with severe conditions, fungal infections may prove to be nothing short of a nightmare.
What are the main types of antifungal medications?
Clotrimazole, Econazole Nitrate, Miconazole, Terbinafine, Flucanazole, Ketoconazole and Amphotericin are the most prominent anti-fungal medication prescribed by physicians worldwide to treat different fungal infections. For classification purpose, anti-fungal medication can be divided into four main categories namely Topical Anti-fungal Medication, Oral Anti-fungal Medication, Intravenous Anti-fungal Medication and Anti-fungal Intravaginal Pessaries.
What are the main side effects of antifungal infections?
Many anti-fungals have similar adverse effects like gastrointestinal problems, rashes, headaches etc. In addition, one may have to encounter problems like Amphotericin, which may cause muscle and joint pain, hypokalaemia/hypomagnesaemia, hearing loss, diplopia, convulsions or peripheral neuropathy. Another side effect is Fluconazole that is known to cause LFT abnormalities, and rash - toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome have been reported. Griseofulvin may aggravate or precipitate SLE, Flucytosine, which may cause marrow aplasia are other vital side effects. Moreover, application of topical imidazoles can be painful in some instances where there is particularly bad inflammation. It may also cause Terbinafine, which is associated with loss of taste particularly in underweight or elderly patients.
What are the Precautions I need to take?
You have to consider certain factors while buying anti-fungal medicines online. You must avoid taking an anti-fungal medicine if you are allergic to the medicine or any of the ingredients used in it. However, at times physicians, while treating invasive fungal infections, may administer the medicine if they consider the benefits outweigh the risk of an allergic reaction. Be careful with some oral anti-fungal medications if you suffer from heart, liver or kidney ailments. You should tell your doctor about these ailments or be ready to face the consequences. While using a topical anti-fungal medicine, such as a cream, avoid it coming into contact with your eyes, moist linings, or its use inside your nose or mouth unless and until it is a gel that is supposed to be used in your mouth. Anti-fungal medication used for treating fungal infections in and around the private parts can damage latex condoms and diaphragms, rending them ineffective. Thus, you are advised to use a different method of contraception while using the anti-fungal medicine, or avoid having sex. Many anti-fungal medicines are strictly prohibited during pregnancy. So it is advised to check the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine or consult your physician. You have to be careful with the anti-fungal medications when you are breast feeding, as small amounts of medicine may pass into your breast milk and may then be passed on to your baby and can have undesirable effect on the baby's health.
What about Storage of antifungal medications?
Storage is a vital aspect to consider when buying anti-fungal medicines online. Store the drugs at room temperature away from direct sunlight and moisture. To avoid children related accidents, store the drug away from their reach. Dispose of the drug if it is no longer in use or has exceeded the expiry date. You can consult your physician or pharmacist about how to dispose it in a safe manner.
Drug Interactions:
When two or more medicines are taken at the same time, the effects of one of the medicines can be altered by the other. This is known as a drug to drug interaction. Some anti-fungal medicines can interact with other medicines. To avoid severe implications of drug interactions, you have to articulate with your doctor what other medicines you are taking enabling them in deciding whether an anti-fungal medicine is safe for you or not. Medicines that anti-fungal medicines may interact with include but not limited to Benzodiazepines, Cyclosporine Cimetidine, Hydrochlorothiazide, Estrogens, Phenytoin, Progestogens, Rifampicin, Tacrolimus, Theophylline, Tricyclic antidepressants and Zidovudine to name a few.