If you belong to those who plan to start treatment with Nizoral, spend some time reading this article. It will give you an overall idea of what the drug can deal with and how to use it right.
Drug usage
Ketoconazole (which is the active ingredient here) is thought to be effective for human fungal infections. Therefore, it is prescribed right when a patient faces such a problem. When it is applied to the body, the growth of fungus slows down and stops in the end.
It is not a good idea to use the oral drug if you experience a fungal infection of the nails or skin. This is explained by the fact that in this case, a patient may come across serious side effects that will require immediate medical help. Anyway, it should be the doctor who will be making a final decision regarding the necessity to take this drug in a certain case.
The most common form of Nizoral is represented by 200mg tablets.
How exactly should you take Nizoral for medical purposes?
Certainly, you will get instructions when you obtain the drug in the pharmacy. There, you are free to read all the info that is given.
At the same time, there is no sense in taking Nizoral just the way it is recommended in these instructions. Your medical condition and the case, in general, are individual and it is only the doctor who can decide how to use it right in order to achieve the best results of treatment.
Nonetheless, this is how Nizoral is normally taken by the patients:
- The duration of the therapy may reach up to half a year;
- The starting dose for the adults is one 200 mg tablet a day;
- If such a therapy turns out to be ineffective, the dosage has to be increased up to 400 mg;
- As for children, Nizoral is usually prescribed to those who have already reached the age of 2. In this case, the recommended dosage is from 3.3. to 6.6 mg per 1 kilo of the child’s body weight.
Despite the fact that you have read all the info suggested here, do not forget to consult the doctor for further explanations that will be relevant to your case.
What are the side effects of Nizoral?
This drug is characterized by certain side effects and you should keep them in mind in order to be able to react on time and ask for the help of the doctors if necessary.
The most frequent side effects are nausea and vomiting. If they have a tendency to get worse, you mustn’t postpone calling your doctor and asking for a piece of advice.
What is more, some patients are likely to experience more serious side effects. They include this:
- Vision changes;
- Headaches;
- Depression with suicidal thoughts.
Certainly, this can result in really dangerous consequences. That is why you need to ask for medical help urgently. Do not postpone doing it because your health may suffer a lot.
Among other side effects that belong to the category of serious ones are the following:
- Weight loss;
- Dizziness;
- Diarrhea;
- Enlarged breasts in men.
So, pay attention to the way you feel and all of the possible changes that can take place in your body. The key here is to react on time and be attentive to yourself. By the way, you can also contact a pharmacist in order to receive a consultation.
Be Very Careful: Precaution measures
Scan the list below to learn information that has to be considered before the treatment with the use of Nizoral starts:
- You should take a look at the inactive ingredients that Nizoral contains and check whether you are allergic to them (especially if you are prone to allergies);
- One needs to inform the doctor if they have an allergy to ketoconazole;
- It is really important to tell the doctor who prescribes the treatment about any medical problems you are currently experiencing and mention those that were observed in the past. This includes stuff such as low level of testosterone, trouble with stomach acid production, liver issues, and others;
- Ketoconazole is likely to lead to problems with the heart rhythm. Therefore, you are likely to face inconveniences like fainting and dizziness.
You’d better refuse drinking alcohol when you are undergoing treatment with this medication. Here is the explanation for this: liver problems may start to develop as a result. Besides, the combination of alcohol and ketoconazole can lead to headaches, flushing, and nausea.
There is no such statement that Nizoral cannot be used by pregnant women. Still, it should be the doctor who will evaluate the condition of a woman and make a final decision regarding the necessity of taking the drug.
As for older patients, they may face more severe side effects when taking Nizoral compared to younger people.
Info about the overdose and missed dose
The most dangerous symptoms of the overdose are fainting and problems with breathing. In this case, you should call 911 immediately or someone has to do this for you. Calling a poison control center can also be a nice idea.
If you have missed the dose, you’d better ask your doctor what to do. Nevertheless, in most cases, it is advisable just to have the missed dose as soon as you remember that you did not take one. However, you should not try to double the dose because it is not good for your health.
Should you keep in mind some interactions of Nizoral with other meds?
If you take a look at the instructions sheet of any drug, you will see that there is a whole section devoted to drug interactions. It is really important to read this because some medications should not be taken together. This can lead to plenty of negative consequences for your health.
As for Nizoral, it has to be taken an hour after or two hours before you use antacid. If you are using stomach acid reducers such as Prevacid, Protonix, Nexium, and others, inform your doctor about it. This fact has to be taken into consideration because in this case, the therapy can be altered.
Besides, there are quite a few drugs that can interact with ketoconazole. That is why you should always inform your doctor about what you are currently taking, and they will be making the final decision regarding the necessity of Nizoral in your case.
The cost of Nizoral: What shall you know about it
It is rather hard to suggest the exact figures you will see when planning to purchase Nizoral. However, you need to consider the following: the price will be linked to the manufacturer, whether it is a brand or generic med, and what dosage you are interested in particular. Naturally, it also depends on how long you will have to take Nizoral.
This is what you need to know for sure: it is always a good idea to compare the prices at a few online pharmacies and see what is offered. This is a nice chance to save money.
Well, if you are planning to buy 100 tablets of 200mg Ketoconazole (a generic of Nizoral) manufactured in India, you should expect to pay about $85. The brand product is really hard to find today and it will be more expensive.
We hope that the article was useful and you will succeed in treating your condition with Nizoral if the doctor prescribes it. The main thing you should remember is that you should follow the doctor’s instructions carefully.