How long does it take fluconazole to work?
Fluconazole is an antifungal medication used to treat several types of fungal infections. How long it takes to work depends on what you’re taking it for or the type of infection you want to treat.
ABOUT FLUCONAZOLE
Fluconazole is an oral prescription antifungal medicine used to treat and prevent fungal infections such as infections caused by candida and cryptococcus. Any part of your body can be infected by fungus, including your mouth, throat, esophagus, lungs, bladder, genital parts, and blood.
Fluconazole is available in its tablet, suspension, and injectable form. It belongs to a class of medicine known as triazole antifungal. The tablet form is known by its brand name, Diflucan, and it’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs are less costly than their brand version.
USES OF FLUCONAZOLE
Fluconazole is approved to be used in treating the following fungal infections caused by candida, in both adults and children who are at least 6 months old.
- Pneumonia
- Urinary tract infections
- Thrush in the mouth or esophagus
- Vaginal yeast infection (vaginal thrush)
- Blood infection
- Peritonitis
- Liver and spleen infection
It is also approved to be used in treating meningitis, which is caused by Cryptococcus.
Your doctor may prescribe the drug to help prevent a developing fungal infection if you:
- Keep getting vaginal thrush
- Have HIV
- Have a weak immune system
- Have had a bone marrow transplant
- At the risk of getting cryptococcus meningitis
HOW DOES FLUCONAZOLE WORK
Fluconazole works by inhibiting the fungus candida and cryptococcus from reproducing by interfering with the formation of their cell membrane. If you have a fungus infection, this drug helps in getting rid of it, while if you’re at risk of candidiasis, perhaps due to a weak immune system caused by cancer treatment, bone marrow transplant, or disease such as AIDs, it’ll help to prevent the infection.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FLUCONAZOLE TO WORK?
Fungal infections do not usually become obvious immediately as fungi usually have a slow rate of reproduction. Therefore, when it comes to treating fungal infections with Fluconazole, how long it takes to work, depends on how severe the infection is. Very complicated fungal infections will require a longer time before you begin to notice relief from your symptoms, while mild fungal infections may take about 2-3 days to kick in.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FLUCONAZOLE TO WORK FOR THRUSH?
Your doctor may prescribe Fluconazole for treatment of thrush or you could get it at a pharmacy without a prescription. Thrush is a common fungal infection of the mouth and vagina, caused by an overgrowth of a yeast called candida. If you’re taking Fluconazole for oral thrush or vaginal thrush, it may take several days before you begin to feel any relief from your symptoms. Usually, it takes a week or 2, and your symptoms should improve.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FLUCONAZOLE TO WORK FOR RINGWORM
Although ringworm is a fungal infection, there are better alternative medications to Fluconazole for treating ringworm. It usually takes 10 days for it to work. However, get your doctor to diagnose you first because all you may need after all is a topical fungal cream to feel better.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FLUCONAZOLE TO WORK FOR VALLEY FEVER?
Valley fever is a type of fungal infection caused by a fungus called coccidioides. This fungus lives in dust and soil and can be contracted mainly by inhalation. When the spores of coccidioides get into your body through your lungs, it causes you to have cold or flu symptoms such as fever, headache, and cough.
Typically to treat the disease, antifungal medicines are prescribed. Antifungal medicines such as Fluconazole or itraconazole are generally prescribed for all forms of coccidioidomycosis diseases. If your doctor prescribes Fluconazole for valley fever, the treatment usually takes 3-6 months.
HOW TO TAKE FLUCONAZOLE
If you got Fluconazole as an over-the-counter medicine, before you start taking it, read the information leaflet that comes in the pack and use the medicine according to the direction written on it. Otherwise, use as directed by your doctor. Fluconazole comes in different strengths: 50mg, 100mg, 150mg, and 200mg, but usually, a single 150 mg dose is prescribed for infections such as vaginal thrush.
Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you what will be suited for you and how often to take it depending on your condition, its severity, your age, how you react to your first time, and any underlying medical condition you have.
It can be taken at any time of the day, with or without food, and often once a day. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but if it’s almost time for your next dose, don’t make up for the missed one, skip it and continue with your dosing schedule.
However, try as much as you can to always take the drug every day and around the same time for better effectiveness so long as you still have a fungal infection, because, for the drug to work properly, you need to have a certain amount of it in your body at all times. Unless directed by your doctor or pharmacist, use this drug once a day or it may be an overdose of it.
Overdosing Fluconazole could cause symptoms such as:
- Hallucination
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Decreased breathing
- Paranoia
- Blue tint on your skin
When you notice these symptoms or feel you may have overdosed, call your doctor or local poison control center immediately. Even if you feel better while still on your medication, you must finish the drug course. Fluconazole can be used for both short-term and long-term treatment, so don’t stop taking it until you have completed your prescription or your doctor directs you to.
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU TAKE FLUCONAZOLE?
How long you keep using Fluconazole depends on the severity of your condition and how fast it’s improving. Also, your prescription matters. It could be a single dose prescription or could last for as long as weeks, months, or even years. Regardless, continue taking the drug until you’ve completed your prescription.
WHAT HAPPENS IF FLUCONAZOLE DOESN’T WORK?
You should begin to notice your symptoms improve after 7 days of taking Fluconazole, especially if you’re taking it for vaginal thrush, oral thrush, or balanitis. But if you don’t notice any improvement, speak with your doctor, you may be advised to continue taking the drug for a longer period or another antifungal medication may be prescribed to you.
SIDE EFFECTS
Like a lot of medications, there are side effects of taking Fluconazole you should be aware of. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist about potential side effects before you begin using it.
However, here are some common side effects of Fluconazole:
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Rash
- Dizziness
- Change in taste
Although these are mild side effects and should go away on their own after a few days. If they don’t go away or they become severe, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Fluconazole could also cause some serious side effects, although they occur rarely. Serious side effects include:
- Liver problems that caused skin yellowing, severe skin itching, dark coloration of urine, the light coloration of your stool, and vomiting.
- Adrenal gland problems that cause loss of appetite, fatigue, belly pain, and muscle weakness.
- Torsades de pointes. A life-threatening heart rhythm condition characterized by fast irregular heartbeats, palpitation, dizziness, or seizures.
- Severe rash in people with AIDS or cancer.
WARNINGS
- You may feel dizzy after taking Fluconazole. Don’t drive or operate any machinery if you feel this way.
- Let your doctor know if you’re breastfeeding, pregnant, or intending to become pregnant because using Fluconazole may not be suitable for any of the conditions.
- Also, inform your doctor of any current medication you’re taking as some drugs can interfere with the action of Fluconazole. Drugs such as antidepressants, anticoagulants, antibiotics, high blood pressure medications, heart disease medications, and analgesics.
- Fluconazole can cause severe allergic reactions. If you experience any allergies such as shortness of breath, wheezing, swelling, or coughing after taking the drug, call your doctor.
- If you have any underlying medical conditions, inform your doctor about them before you start taking Fluconazole as the drug may worsen the condition or cause severe side effects. Let your doctor know if you have kidney disease, liver problems, high blood sugar levels, abnormal heart rhythm, or a weak immune system.
- If you’re taking any proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole, take Fluconazole first, at least 2 hours before taking them.
- Take the medication as instructed by your doctor, usually once a day, and take it around the same time every day until your prescription is completed to get a better result.
- If you don’t notice any improvement after 7 days of taking Fluconazole, talk to your doctor. Don’t discontinue the drug unless your doctor says so.
- Don’t take any medication without first consulting your doctor.
CONCLUSION
Fluconazole is used in treating fungal infections, depending on how severe or what type of fungal infection you’re treating, you should begin to notice improvement over the symptoms of your infections