Terbinafine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Lamisil

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For terbinafine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to terbinafine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Terbinafine has not been studied in pregnant women. Before taking any medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - Terbinafine passes into breast milk. Mothers who are taking this medicine and wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of terbinafine in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - 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 or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of terbinafine in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - 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 terbinafine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) (with long-term, high-dose use) or
• Amiodarone (e.g., Cordarone) or
• Anabolic steroids (nandrolone [e.g., Anabolin], oxandrolone [e.g., Anavar], oxymetholone [e.g., Anadrol], stanozolol [e.g., Winstrol]) or
• Androgens (male hormones) or
• Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
• Carmustine (e.g., BiCNU) or
• Chloroquine (e.g., Aralen) or
• Dantrolene (e.g., Dantrium) or
• Daunorubicin (e.g., Cerubidine) or
• Estrogens (female hormones) or
• Etretinate (e.g., Tegison) or
• Gold salts (medicine for arthritis) or
• Hydroxychloroquine (e.g., Plaquenil) or
• Mercaptopurine (e.g., Purinethol) or
• Methotrexate (e.g., Mexate) or
• Methyldopa (e.g., Aldomet) or
• Naltrexone (e.g., Trexan) (with long-term, high-dose use) or
• Other anti-infectives by mouth or by injection (medicine for infection) or
• Phenothiazines (acetophenazine [e.g., Tindal], chlorpromazine [e.g., Thorazine], fluphenazine [e.g., Prolixin], mesoridazine [e.g., Serentil], perphenazine [e.g., Trilafon], prochlorperazine [e.g., Compazine], promazine [e.g., Sparine], promethazine [e.g., Phenergan], thioridazine [e.g., Mellaril], trifluoperazine [e.g., Stelazine], triflupromazine [e.g., Vesprin], trimeprazine [e.g., Temaril]) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) - Use of these medicines with terbinafine may increase the chance of side effects affecting the liver

• Azole antifungals (fluconazole [e.g., Diflucan], itraconazole [e.g., Sporanox], ketoconazole [e.g., Nizoral]) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Cimetidine (e.g., Tagamet) or
• Clarithromycin (e.g., Biaxin) or
• Diltiazem (e.g., Cardizem) or
• Erythromycins (e.g., EES, E-Mycin) or
• Isoniazid (e.g., INH, Nydrazid) or
• Quinine (e.g., Quinamm) or
• Ranitidine (e.g., Zantac) or
• Verapamil (e.g., Calan) - Use of these medicines with terbinafine may increase the chance of side effects of terbinafine

• Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
• Corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicine) or
• Griseofulvin (e.g., Fulvicin, Grisovin) or
• Phenobarbital (e.g., Luminal) or
• Phenylbutazone (e.g., Butazolidin) or
• Primidone (e.g., Mysoline) or
• Rifampin (e.g., Rifadin) - Use of these medicines with terbinafine may prevent terbinafine from working properly

• Disulfiram (e.g., Antabuse) or
• Divalproex (e.g., Depakote) or
• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen or
• Valproic acid (e.g., Depakene) - Use of these medicines with terbinafine may increase the chance of side effects of terbinafine, especially those affecting the liver

• Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) - Use of this medicine with terbinafine may prevent terbinafine from working properly and may increase the chance of side effects affecting the liver

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of terbinafine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Alcohol abuse (or history of) - Problems with alcohol may increase the chance of side effects caused by terbinafine
• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease, active or chronic - Terbinafine is not recommended for patients with liver or kidney problems