Terbinafine (Topical)

Brand Names : Lamisil

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using 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. However, terbinafine has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding - Oral terbinafine passes into breast milk. It is not known whether topical terbinafine passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are using this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor. Nursing mothers should not apply topical terbinafine to the breasts.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of terbinafine in children under the age of 12 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. Although there is no specific information comparing use of terbinafine in the elderly with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

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. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other topical prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine that is to be applied to the same area of the skin.

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:

• Fungus infection of the nails - condition may decrease the effect of terbinafine when this medicine is used to treat a type of ringworm of the foot (plantar tinea pedis)