Terbinafine for fungal infections

Terbinafine is usually prescribed as a 3 month course for nail infection and a 6 week course for skin infection. It is usually safe and well tolerated however as with any medication there is a risk of side effects. Common side effects include headache, diarrhoea, stomach upset, muscle or joint pains, feeling dizzy and visual disturbance. Severe side effects include allergic reaction, inflammation of the liver or severe skin rash. You should stop taking the medication and seek urgent medical review if you notice yellowing of the skin or eyes, darkening of the urine or lightening of the stool, severe rash, high temperature, abdominal pain or severe muscle pains. You should carefully read the information at the following link before taking the medication: Side effects of terbinafine

If you are female, you should not become pregnant whilst taking this medication. Due to the potential for liver inflammation you should attend for blood tests (FBC, U&E, LFT) before starting treatment and after one month of treatment. These can be arranged at your GP or via my practice management team. If you arrange the blood tests via my practice then please contact my practice manager as soon as you have attended for the tests so that the results can be obtained. Please make contact again if you have not received the results within 1 week of attending for the tests. If you arrange tests via your GP you will need to chase these results with them and send them through to my practice manager so that I can review the results. It is not safe to continue the treatment without the blood tests.