Oral Antifungals

Drug Class:	Commonly Known As:	Category:

Oral Antifungals - Side Effects, Precautions, and Contraindications

Common side effects of these medications include:

Do not stop taking your medication without checking with your healthcare professional.
Griseofulvin, Itraconazole and Ketoconazole should be taken with or after food.
Terbinafine and Fluconazole may be taken with or without food.
Nystatin suspension:

You may take this medication with or without food.
Shake the suspension well before measuring a dose.
Use a dose-measuring dropper to measure the specified dose of the suspension.
Swish the suspension around in your mouth. Keep the suspension in the mouth for as long as possible and swallow the medication.

If any of these side effects do not go away or are serious, please see your doctor.

Medication	Side-effect
Griseofulvin	Reduced effectiveness of oral contraceptives and higher risk of unwanted pregnancy Use a different or additional non-hormonal means of birth control while you are taking griseofulvin and for one month after stopping griseofulvin. Griseofulvin may affect sperm quality and production. It is recommended that you avoid planning for a child with your partner during treatment with griseofulvin and for 6 months following therapy. Increased sensitivity to sunlight, and severe burning may result. Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable.
Terbinafine	Taste disturbances or a loss of taste
Itraconazole	Dizziness
Ketoconazole	Dizziness

Rare, but serious side effects include:

Symptoms of a drug allergy:

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.

Inform your healthcare professional if:

You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication.
You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Effective contraception is recommended for any woman who is taking itraconazole or ketoconazole who could potentially become pregnant during treatment and for 2 months following the end of treatment.
You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.
There are potential interactions between itraconazole or ketoconazole with other medications.
The blood concentration of digoxin, midazolam and cyclosporine may be increased when taken with itraconazole or ketoconazole.
There is a risk of muscle weakness if combined with cholesterol lowering drugs such as simvastatin or atorvastatin.
Medications such as phenytoin and rifampicin can decrease the blood level of itraconazole and ketoconazole, making them less effective.

It is important that you check with your doctor immediately if you persistently experience any discomforts of liver disease (e.g., nausea or vomiting, lack or loss of appetite, general feeling of tiredness or weakness, stomach pain, yellow eyes or skin, dark urine, or pale stools).

Alcoholic drinks may also cause stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, or flushing or redness of the face when taken with ketoconazole.
The combination of alcohol and griseofulvin may cause flushing and a fast heart rate.