Terbinafine (Lamisil)

• Antifungal medicine
• Used to treat fungal infections of the skin and nails
• Tablet for oral use
• Always finish the prescribed course

Terbinafine is an antifungal medicine. Terbinafine tablets are used for the treatment of fungal infections of the skin and the nails.

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you.

The tablet should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. The tablet can be taken with or without food.

Your doctor will tell you how long to take your medicine.

• Treatment of general fungal infections of the skin usually takes four weeks.
• Treatment of skin infections of the groin area or other parts of the body usually lasts two to four weeks.
• Treatment of infections of the feet (athlete's foot) can take two to six weeks.
• For nail infections treatment usually lasts between six weeks and three months, although some patients with toenail infections may need to be treated for six months or longer.

Complete healing of the infection may not occur until several weeks after completing the course of treatment.

Dosage

The dosage depends on the type of infection and the severity of the infection. The usual dose is:

• Adults: 250 mg Terbinafine once a day.

Alcohol/driving

This medicine does not interact with alcohol and will normally not affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.

If you use too much/forget to use/stop using Terbinafine

If you (or someone else) swallow a lot of tablets at the same time, or you think a child may have swallowed any, contact your nearest hospital casualty department or tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately. Take the official package leaflet or a few tablets with you, so that the doctor knows which medicine you have swallowed.

If you miss a dose of Terbinafine, you may take it as soon as you remember to, unless it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for the forgotten one.

Do not stop using Terbinafine without consulting a doctor first.

Terbinafine is not suitable for everyone. Do not use this medicine if:

• You are allergic to terbinafine or any other ingredient in this medicine (see section ‘What Terbinafine contains’).
• You have severe kidney problems.
• You have severe liver problems.

When should this medicine be used with caution?

In some cases, special care should be taken when using Terbinafine. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if:

• You have, or have had, any liver problems or have, or have had, any disease that may affect the liver.
• You have, or have had, psoriasis (scaling skin disease).
• You have, or have had, kidney problems.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Consult a doctor before using Terbinafine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Other medicines and Terbinafine

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines that do not require a prescription.

Terbinafine interacts with the following medicines:

• The antibiotic rifampicin as it lowers the concentration of terbinafine in your blood.
• Cimetidine (used to treat stomach ulcers and heartburn) as it increases the concentration of terbinafine in your blood.
• Antidepressants such as clomipramine, lofepramine or paroxetine.
• Certain medicines used to treat Parkinson's disease called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (e.g., selegiline).
• Medicines used to treat high blood pressure or heart problems, such as beta-blockers (e.g., atenolol, carvedilol).
• Oral contraceptives (the pill) as irregular periods and breakthrough bleeding may occur in some female patients.
• Flecainide and propafenone, used to treat heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias).

If you are using any of the above-listed medicines, consult a doctor or pharmacist on the use of Terbinafine to avoid potential interactions.

All medications can cause side effects, although some people may not experience any. The side effects that are known to be associated with Terbinafine include:

Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):

• Pains in the muscles (myalgia) and joints (artralgia) with allergic skin reactions.
• Itchy skin rash, redness of the skin and hives (urticaria). Stop taking the tablets and tell your doctor immediately if the skin rash gets worse.

Common (may affect more than 1 in 100 people but less than 1 in 10 people):

• Headache.
• Loss of appetite.
• Stomach pain, bloating, diarrhoea, indigestion (dyspepsia), nausea (feeling sick).
• Elevated liver enzymes in the blood.

Uncommon (may affect more than 1 in 1,000 people but less than 1 in 100 people):

• Taste loss and taste disturbance. This usually disappears within several weeks after you stop taking the medicine. However, a very small number of people have reported that the taste disturbance lasts for some time and, as a result, they go off their food and lose weight.

Rare (may affect more than 1 in 10,000 people but less than 1 in 1,000 people):

• Allergic reaction (including anaphylactic reaction).
• Tingling, pricking sensation of the skin (paresthesia) or reduced sensitivity (hypesthesia), dizziness.
• Liver function disorders, including inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), and jaundice (yellow discolouration of the skin and/or white of the eye).
• Feeling tired and generally unwell (malaise).

For a full list of uncommon and rare side effects, see the package leaflet.

Consult a doctor if the side effects are severe or if you experience side effects that are not listed in the package leaflet. Get emergency medical help straight away if you notice severe side effects, such as signs of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic reaction) or decreased liver function.

The active substance is terbinafine.

• Each tablet of Terbinafine Pfizer 125 mg contains 125 mg terbinafine (as terbinafine hydrochloride).
• Each tablet of Terbinafine Pfizer 250 mg contains 250 mg terbinafine (as terbinafine hydrochloride).

The other ingredients are: microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate (type A), anhydrous colloidal silica, hypromellose, magnesium stearate.

The manufacturer of Terbinafine Pfizer is:

Pfizer Italia s.r.l. Località Marino Del Tronto
63100 - Ascoli Piceno (AP)
Italy

Read the package leaflet before use.