Terbinafine is used to treat infections caused by fungus that affect the fingernails or toenails.
Terbinafine oral granules are used to treat a fungal infection of scalp hair follicles in children who are at
least 4 years old.
Terbinafine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking terbinafine?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to terbinafine.
If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to
safely use this medication:
liver disease;
kidney disease; or
an autoimmune disorder such as lupus or psoriasis.
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be
harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during
treatment.
Terbinafine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this
medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take terbinafine?
Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take it in larger amounts or
for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take the terbinafine
tablet
with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.
Terbinafine
granules
should be sprinkled into a spoonful of pudding or
mashed potatoes (do not mix with applesauce, fruit juice, or other acidic foods). Swallow this mixture
right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use.
The terbinafine granule mixture should be taken with a meal.
Terbinafine is usually taken for 6 to 12 weeks. Take this medication for the full prescribed
length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared. Terbinafine
will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.
To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested on a
regular basis. Your liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled
appointments.
It may take several months for your nails to return to their normal appearance after your
treatment with terbinafine.
Store terbinafine at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
Keep the terbinafine oral granules in their sealed packet until you are ready to use.
What happens if I miss a dose of terbinafine?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait
until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose.
Do not
take extra medicine
to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about terbinafine?
Your pharmacist has information about terbinafine written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of terbinafine?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Some people taking terbinafine have developed severe liver damage leading to liver transplant
or death. It is not clear whether terbinafine actually caused the liver damage in these patients. In most
cases, the patient had a serious medical condition before taking terbinafine.
Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of liver damage
, such as
nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of
the skin or eyes). These events can occur whether or not you have ever had liver problems before.
Stop taking terbinafine and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
joint pain or swelling, swollen glands, patchy skin color, or a
butterfly-shaped skin rash over your cheeks and nose;
fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
changes in your vision;
weight loss due to taste changes;
scaly, itchy, and flaky skin rash; or
fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering,
peeling, and red skin rash.
Less serious side effects may include:
stomach pain, heartburn, diarrhea;
headache;
tired feeling;
runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cold symptoms;
mild skin rash or itching;
unusual or unpleasant taste in your mouth; or
decreased taste sensation.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your
doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at
1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about terbinafine?
Before using terbinafine, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, or an autoimmune
disorder such as lupus or psoriasis.
Take this medication for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve
before the infection is completely cleared. Terbinafine will not treat a viral infection such as the
common cold or flu.
Some people taking terbinafine have developed severe liver damage leading to liver
transplant or death. It is not clear whether terbinafine actually caused the liver damage in these patients.
In most cases, the patient had a serious medical condition before taking terbinafine.
Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of liver damage
, such as
nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of
the skin or eyes). These events can occur whether or not you have ever had liver problems before.
To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested on a
regular basis. Your liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled
appointments.
It may take several months for your nails to return to their normal appearance after your
treatment with terbinafine.
What should I avoid while taking terbinafine?
Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while
you are using terbinafine.
What other drugs will affect terbinafine?
Before taking terbinafine, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB);
rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane);
another antifungal antibiotic, such as fluconazole
(Diflucan);
a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
a heart rhythm medication such as propafenone (Rythmol)
or flecainide (Tambocor);
an "SSRI" antidepressant such as fluoxetine (Prozac),
fluvoxamine (Luvox), or paroxetine (Paxil);
a tricyclic antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil,
Etrafon), desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), and others;
an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan),
phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine
(Parnate); or
a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic),
bisoprolol (Zebeta, Ziac), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol),
nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), timolol (Blocadren), and others.
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
terbinafine. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins,
minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication
without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of terbinafine?
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share
your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate,
up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum
information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not
warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does
not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist
licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not
a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or
drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any
given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information
Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug
interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse
or pharmacist.
Content provided by Multum - Last Updated 11/10/2009