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Skin looks and feels as though it has been chemically burnt after taking Terbinafine

Posted , 5 users are following.

Kathy_S
Kathy_S

I was prescribed oral Terbinafine for a fungal toenail and about 4 weeks after starting it I developed a rash, initially on my chest, arms and back. I saw a GP who suggested antihistamines and calamine lotion but didn't connect the rash with the Terbinafine. The rash worsened, my skin started to feel like it was burning and it was incredibly itchy. It also started to spread and I currently have it everywhere including on the soles of my feet, in my hair, on my ears  . . . Where it started the actual rash has gone and the skin is bright red, hot to touch and very dry. I saw another GP a week after the first and she gave me a topical steroid cream and told me to come back in a fortnight if I still had the rash. The Terbinafine wasn't even mentioned. After a horrible fortnight of itchiness, burning and lack of sleep I went back and the GP (a different one again) said to stop the Terbinafine. I've had two days off the drug. I am itchier than ever.  Has anyone had the burned skin thing?  Does it get better?  How long does it take?  I agree with all the posts here - they shouldn't be allowed to prescribe this drug and particulary they should let you know that the side effects can appear quite a few weeks after starting the drug.

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • MrWilliam
    MrWilliam Kathy_S

    Posted

    Hi Kathy, Good grief, isn't this medication appalling! I would say that the moment my skin started burning marked the peak of my symptoms. Thereafter it was a gradual descent to normality, but even now I get small blotches on my back - but never a burning sensation. So maybe you can draw hope from this. Whatever the case, much more should be done to withdraw this noxious drug. I hope you recover soon. WIlliam
    • veronica39959
      veronica39959 MrWilliam

      Posted

      Hi, I've experienced the same reaction to terbinafine and was wondering if you're currently still experiencing any problems it's been a month since I've stopped taking the meds and I'm currently on prednisone, which I hate, and I still wake up with welts and sometimes itchy skin. It's not as bad as it was when it first started but I'm really getting tired of it. Especially when they pop up on my face. I'm just hoping it will end soon. And I currently do not have health insurance, so I can't see a dr. Just yet.  Thank you. 
  • veronica39959
    veronica39959 Kathy_S

    Posted

    Hi Kathy, I see that it's been a month since you've posted about ur experience with terbinafine and was wondering if you're still having problems?? It's been about a month for me and I still break out some days are worse than others. Just looking for an end to this. Thank you. 
  • Kathy_S
    Kathy_S

    Posted

    Hi Veronica

    I'm so sorry to hear you've had a problem wtih this horrible drug too.  As you say, it's just over 4 weeks since I stopped taking it and I'm staring to see light at the end of the tunnel.  My chest, back and face are spot and blemish free. (Thank goodness for foundation - helped me a lot when my face looked worst!) The skin almost looks and feels normal (still a little itchy, leathery and pinker than normal).  My arms are a bit patchy but the skin is flat although still quite itchy.  My legs were the last to start with the spots and the skin is still blotchy with pink, raised patches. But definitely improving.  I've gone through pots and pots of e45 cream but it really seems to help. I find a topical steroid has helped with the crazy itching moments and I'm still taking an antihistamine (loratidine) although only one a day now. My sense of taste is back to normal (yay) and I no longer feel over-weary (also yay).

    I really hope things will improve for you.  This drug is a horrible one and I really don't think it should be prescribed for fungal toenails!

    On the downside, a lot of my lymph nodes are still enlarged. The doctor did a blood test and apparently my white cell count is on the low side.  Also one of the liver function indicators is a little on the high side. More blood tests in 4 weeks time.

    Hope this helps.

     

    • veronica39959
      veronica39959 Kathy_S

      Posted

      Thank you so much for responding. Sorry it took me a while to respond back. My husbands family was visiting, so busy, busy, busy.  Anywho, I have to say the last three days have been really really good. I wake up with no welts anywhere! As the day goes on I do break out, mostly on my arms, with tiny red spots and maybe two will look like ringworm but very faded and light pink. I take my prednisone around 10am and I'm down to 10 mg and by noon all spots and marks are completely gone. I'm only taking one Benadryl a day instead of 6 like I was in the beginning of this nightmare. I have 6 prednisone pills left and I think tomorrow I'm only going to take half and see how that goes. Bc I'm so over prednisone it makes my face puffy and I'm always hot and sweating and I gained a little bit of weight. No fun. I would have loved to see a dr. But I currently have no insurance which means I'll have a wonderful bill to pay from the two ER visits I made. And I've been paying out of pocket for the meds I've been taking. So I really hope I continue progressing like I've been in the past three days. I'm a vegan so I eat pretty well, but I've added more juicing to my diet in the last two weeks. I don't know how much of that made a difference but it didn't hurt to try. 

      Again, thank you so much for responding, it feels good knowing im not going through this alone. Have a great day!

  • john01527
    john01527 Kathy_S

    Posted

    Hi Kathy......you can see from my earlier posts (started in February) that I have been a sufferer from similar side effects to yours. The good news is that they will eventually get better the bad news is..not quickly. I have seen 3 doctors plus a consultant dermatologist to try and and sort out the problems caused by this drug. Anti histamines proved to be a good option as did Dakacort cream which treats fungal infections and also contains a steroid. After several months the symptoms gradually subsided and now after 5 months are almost, but not entirely, gone. I was also prescribed a skin cream (Oilatum) which I use daily. My symptoms were similar to yours and I had to be careful to avoid the skin getting infected when it was breaking down I was prescribed Fucibet cream for this and have found it to be effective for these areas. Hope that these suggestions may be useful to discuss with your doctor. Like you I cannot understand the apparent reluctance of doctors to ascribe these problems to the Terbanifine drug... Maybe they are correct to be careful but there does seem to be a huge amount of evidence mounting, particularly on the Patient UK website which I do know that the doctors refer to. 
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