Tuesday, August 28, 2007

What are Lamisil Side Effects?

Lamisil side effects are probably the biggest concern for people who are taking this drug, or considering taking it, for fungus nail infections. Fungal infections are difficult to treat, and antifungal drugs are infamous for their toxicity. The liver is the organ that removes toxins from the bloodstream: the liver recognizes many drugs, including Lamisil as toxins, so this is where the drug does its worst damage. No one wants liver damage in exchange for treatment to clear up a fungal nail infection.

The danger of Lamisil side effects is real, but probably not as severe as many people believe. Controlled studies of the drug, and years of experience, indicate that severe complications are rare. When side effects Lamisil may cause are usually mild and temporary. If you are thinking about taking it, learn to recognize the symptoms of liver toxicity: nausea, vomiting, appetite loss, stomach pains, a yellowish hue developing in your skin and eyes, dark urine, pale stools, tiredness. If any of these symptoms occur, you can always stop taking the drug and let your liver recover.

Other side effects Lamisil may cause include rash or itchy skin, diarrhea, and an altered sense of taste, and these symptoms are more common than those experienced with liver toxicity. Rarely, people experience Lamisil side effects such as blistering and peeling skin, fever, chills, aching joints, and sore throat.

The danger of Lamisil increases in certain circumstances. You should not take Lamisil without consulting your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Do not use alcohol while taking it. Alcohol abuse, past or present, as well as liver disease or kidney disease don’t mix well with the drug: patients with these conditions should not take the medication. Finally, if you are taking other medications, be sure to remind your doctor and your pharmacist: some of the side effects Lamisil causes are made worse when the drug is mixed with other drugs in the body.

While it’s important to be careful, remember Lamisil side effects are rare and the danger of Lamisil doing you serious long-lasting harm is quite remote. In fact, the greatest danger of Lamisil could be the damage it will do to your budget if you have to pay for it yourself. Depending on where you buy it, the drug can cost more than eight dollars per pill! At one pill a day for 12 weeks, you would spend about $700.00 clearing up a nail infection, and some nail infections take much longer to resolve. It might be safe to say that, of all the side effects Lamisil can cause, financial stress is both the worst, and the most common.