With over 3.5 million prescriptions in the United States per year, there’s a likelihood that your path will eventually cross with Diflucan. Likewise known by the generic name fluconazole, this antifungal medication is routinely utilized to deal with a wide range of fungal infections, from athlete’s foot to thrush.
In this short article, we will cover the most essential details about the drug, so you can have a much better idea of what you are taking. How long does it take for Diflucan to work? What conditions can it help with? What are the negative effects? Continue reading to discover the answers to these and other essential questions.
What Is Diflucan?
Diflucan was first patented by Pfizer in 1981 under the generic name fluconazole, and it first entered into commercial use in the UK in 1988.
It is what is called an azole antifungal. These work by preventing an essential enzyme in the fungus, which in turn stops the production of ergosterol in the fungus’ cells. Ergosterol is the fungal version of cholesterol, crucial to building and keeping cell membranes. Without it, fungal growth is lowered or stopped.
In a lot of dosages, Diflucan is fungistatic, meaning that it prevents fungis from growing. Depending upon the dosage and the type of fungus being treated, it can likewise act as a fungicide, which implies that it actually eliminates the fungus outright. For normal individuals, it’s usually as much as your body immune system to conquer the fungal infection after the growth is stopped.
What Is Diflucan Used to Treat?
Diflucan is recommended to deal with a number of various types of fungal infection. These consist of:
- Fungal meningitis
- Candidiasis
- Histoplasmosis
- Thrush
- Urinary tract infections
- Ringworm
- Yeast infection in the vagina and vulva
- Athlete’s foot
- Yeast fungi infections in the mouth, skin, nails or vagina
It can also be used in a preventive capacity in cases where there is an increased threat of infection, such as in patients who are going through chemotherapy or radiation treatment, and people with AIDS.
How Do You Take Diflucan?
First and foremost, you need to thoroughly follow your physician’s instructions in terms of the dose and frequency.
Diflucan can be found in capsules of 50mg, 100mg, 150mg, and 200mg strengths. It is also available as an oral suspension in 350mg and 1400mg versions, and when dissolved in water each milliliter contains 10mg and 40mg respectively. It likewise comes as an injection in volumes of 100mL and 200mL, with each milliliter including 2mg of the drug.
Dosages differ depending on the type of infection you are attempting to treat. For instance, novice vaginal infections are generally only treated with one tablet, whereas other infections can need a longer period of use. Your doctor may tell you to double up on your first dosage. Does typically range from 50mg to 400mg. Kids should not surpass 600mg in one day.
It is very essential to keep taking the medication for as long as your medical professional instructed, even if your symptoms have enhanced. The initial infection may not actually be gone yet. Plus, you put yourself at risk of reinfection by specific pressures of the fungus that are resistant to medication.
How Long Does It Take for Diflucan to Work?
For most of conditions that Diflucan is used to treat, a course of at least 2 weeks is needed. The drug generally starts to work the same day that you take it, generally within one or two hours.
However, depending on what it is being used to treat, it can take 3 days for your symptoms to start to improve. As mentioned, antifungals are frequently utilized to contain the growth of fungi and your body immune system is expected to do the rest about the infection. It can be at least a week prior to the symptoms disappear, however again, it can be longer depending upon your condition.
Diflucan Side Effects
Diflucan has a range of prospective side effects. The most common ones are:
- Throwing up
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Rashes
- Raised liver enzymes
- Stomach pain
- Queasiness
Less typical side effects include:
- Constipation
- Leukopenia
- Liver failure
- Poisonous epidermal necrolysis
- QT prolongation
- Seizures
- Thrombocytopenia
- Hair loss
- Hypokalemia
- Pale skin
- Allergies
- Taste perversion
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- Torsades de pointes
- Angioedema
- Hepatitis
- Cholestasis
- Difficulty breathing
- Hypertriglyceridemia
- Jaundice
Reasons to Not Take Diflucan
There are a variety of conditions that call for using this medication, unless otherwise directed by your physician. If in any doubt, consult your doctor and mention your pre-existing condition.
Pregnant women must not take Diflucan, as the FDA has specified that taking high doses of the medication during the first trimester has been linked with a particular variety of birth defects. Breastfeeding mothers must also refrain from this medication, as it is secreted in breast milk.
Patients with hypersensitivity and those at risk of issues associated with an extended QT period ought to likewise prevent utilizing the drug.
Freeing Yourself From Fungus
Diflucan is Pfizer’s brand name for the antifungal drug fluconazole. It is routinely prescribed to deal with yeast infections, candida albicans, athlete’s foot, ringworm, and lots of other fungal infections. It is very essential to take it for the complete period as recommended, or else you run the risk of the infection returning and ending up being resistant to medications.
How long does it take for Diflucan to work? The drug gets to work within two hours of taking it, but it can take at least 3 days for your symptoms to start improving. It will normally take at least a week for symptoms to disappear. The antifungal stops the growth of fungus however it’s up to your body to recuperate from the infection.
