What is fluconazole?

• Fluconazole is an antifungal medication. It is used to treat fungal infections.
• Fluconazole is used to treat yeast infections of the mouth, throat, and esophagus; vaginal yeast infections; fungal urinary tract infections; pneumonia caused by yeast; and fungal infections throughout the whole body and in the blood. Fluconazole is also used to prevent fungal infections from occurring in people with suppressed immune systems such as cancer chemotherapy patients, organ transplant patients, and AIDS patients.
• Fluconazole may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my doctor before taking fluconazole?

• Do not take fluconazole if you are taking cisapride (Propulsid). Combined with cisapride (Propulsid), fluconazole could cause serious, even fatal, heart problems.
• Before taking fluconazole, tell your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, especially kidney disease, or if you take other medicines. You may not be able to take fluconazole, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during your treatment.
• Fluconazole is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take fluconazole without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
• Fluconazole passes into breast milk and may be harmful to a nursing baby. For this reason, fluconazole should not be taken by nursing mothers. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take fluconazole?

• Take fluconazole exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water.
• A single dose of this medication is often used to treat vaginal yeast infections.
• In multiple-dose therapy, a double dose of fluconazole is often taken on the first day of treatment to quickly get the proper amount of medicine into the body. Follow your doctor's directions.
• Shake the suspension well before measuring a dose. To ensure that you get the correct dose, measure the suspension using a dose-measuring spoon, cup, or dropper, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist where you can get one.
• It is important to take fluconazole regularly to get the most benefit.
• Store the tablets at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
• The suspension can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Do not let it freeze. Throw away any unused suspension after 14 days.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the dose you missed and take only the next regularly scheduled dose as directed. Do not take a double dose of this medication unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

What happens if I overdose?

• Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected.
• Symptoms of a fluconazole overdose include confusion, hallucinations, paranoia, decreased movement, decreased breathing, tearing eyes, drooling, urinary incontinence, seizures, and death.

What should I avoid while taking fluconazole?

• Avoid alcohol or use it in moderation while taking fluconazole. Alcohol and fluconazole can both affect the liver.
• Use caution when driving or performing other hazardous activities. Fluconazole may cause dizziness. If you experience dizziness, avoid these activities.

What are the possible side effects of fluconazole?

• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking fluconazole and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:
  • an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
  • liver damage (pale stools, yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, unusual fatigue, or dark urine); or
  • a rash.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. If you experience any of the following side effects, continue taking fluconazole and talk to your doctor:
  • nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain;
  • diarrhea;
  • headache;
  • dizziness;
  • fatigue; or
  • itching.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What drug(s) may interact with ?

• bosentan
• cilostazol
• cisapride
• cyclosporine
• dofetilide
• doxercalciferol
• certain medicines for anxiety or difficulty sleeping
• medicines for diabetes that are taken by mouth
• medicines for high cholesterol such as atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, or simvastatin
• medicines for yeast or fungal infections
• paricalcitol
• phenytoin
• pimozide
• ramelteon
• rifabutin
• rifampin
• tacrolimus
• terfenadine
• warfarin
• water pills

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease.

Replantation: 1. Literally, the act of planting again. 2. In surgery, the restoration of any part of the body to its original site. Also known as reimplantation.

The Chinese surgeon Zhong Wei Chen (1929-2004) was the "father of replantation." Dr. Chen was the first to reattach a severed hand with success which he did in 1963. Dr. Chen also developed many microsurgical procedures including techniques for preserving severed extremities, reattaching amputated fingers and thumbs, reconstructing muscles and repairing nerves and blood vessels.

Rheumatism: Rheumatism is an older term, used to describe any of a number of painful conditions of muscles, tendons, joints, and bones.

Rheumatism conditions have been classified as either localized, regional, or generalized. Localized rheumatism conditions include bursitis and tendinitis. Regional rheumatism conditions include chest wall pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and myofascial pain syndromes. Generalized rheumatism conditions include fibromyalgia.

Another category of rheumatism is psychogenic rheumatism. With this term it is understood that the patient is reporting inconsistent pains of muscles and joints that do not correspond to true anatomy and physiology. The patient is felt to have underlying psychological causes for the symptoms.

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.

There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients with HIV/AIDS and less frequently in other disorders.

T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.

Teleology: The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature.

For example, "what is the true purpose of the nose?" is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological explanation of evolution.

"Teleology" comes from ancient Greek roots but it (and teleological) did not enter English until the 18th century. It is a compound of the Greek "tele-, telos," meaning "end or purpose" + the ending "logos" meaning "the science or study of" = the study of the ends or purposes.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one.

Testosterone is the most potent of the naturally occurring androgens. The androgens cause the development of male sex characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard; they also strengthen muscle tone and bone mass.

High levels of testosterone appear to promote good health in men, for example, lowering the risks of high blood pressure and heart attack. High testosterone levels also correlate with risky behavior, however, including increased aggressiveness and smoking, which may cancel out these health benefits.

Testosterone may be given to treat medical conditions, including female (but not male) breast cancer, hypogonadism (low gonadal function) in the male, cryptorchism (nondescent of the testis into the scrotum), and menorrhagia (irregular periods).