Fluconazole (flue-KON-a-zole) is prescribed for the treatment of fungal infections - yeast infections, urinary tract infections, peritonitis, pneumonia, AIDS cryptoccal infections.
Take Fluconazole by mouth with or without food. Fluconazole works best if it is taken at the same time each day.
To clear up your infection completely, take Fluconazole for the full course of treatment. Keep taking it even if you feel better in a few days. Do not miss any doses. Use Fluconazole as directed by your doctor.
Take Fluconazole at least 2 hours before proton pump inhibitors (eg, omeprazole).
Check with your doctor if any of these most common side effects persist or become bothersome: changes in taste; dizziness; headache; nausea; stomach pain.
Fluconazole may cause a rash. If the rash worsens, contact your doctor.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these severe side effects occur:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); diarrhea; scaly, red skin over a large portion of the body; swollen or tender abdomen; vomiting; yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Fluconazole may cause dizziness. This effect may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Fluconazole with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
Fluconazole has been known to cause rare cases of serious liver damage, including death, mainly in patients with serious medical conditions. If you notice any of the following, contact your doctor immediately: swollen or tender abdomen, yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Be sure to use Fluconazole for the full course of treatment. If you do not, the medicine may not clear up your infection completely. The fungus could also become less sensitive to this or other medicines. This could make the infection harder to treat in the future.
Long-term or repeated use of Fluconazole may cause a second infection. Tell your doctor if signs of a second infection occur. Your medicine may need to be changed to treat this.
Hormonal birth control (such as birth control pills) may not work as well while you are using Fluconazole. To prevent pregnancy, use an extra form of birth control (such as condoms).
If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Fluconazole while you are pregnant. Fluconazole is found in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you use Fluconazole, check with your doctor.
Some medical conditions may interact with Fluconazole. Tell your doctor if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
If you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement;
If you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances;
If you have a weakened immune system, kidney or liver disease, or an irregular heartbeat;
If you are allergic to other azole antifungals (eg, itraconazole).
Some medicines may interact with Fluconazole. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:
Aldosterone blockers (eg, eplerenone), amiodarone, astemizole, cisapride, pimozide, serotonin receptor agonists (eg, eletriptan), macrolide antibiotics (eg, erythromycin), quinolines (eg, ciprofloxacin), or terfenadine because the risk of severe irregular heartbeat (eg, QT prolongation) may be increased
Rifabutin because the risk of certain eye problems (eg, uveitis) may be increased
Macrolide immunosuppressants (eg, tacrolimus) because the risk of kidney problems may be increased
Rifampin or proton pump inhibitors (eg, omeprazole) because they may decrease Fluconazole 's effectiveness
Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), benzodiazepines (eg, alprazolam), buspirone, carbamazepine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, ergot alkaloids (eg, ergotamine ), haloperidol, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors or "statins" (eg, simvastatin), hydantoins (eg, phenytoin), methadone, muscarinic antagonists (eg, solifenacin, tolterodine), narcotics (eg, codeine), ramelteon, sulfonylureas (eg, glipizide), theophylline, or tricyclic antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline) because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Fluconazole.
This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Fluconazole may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.
If you miss a dose of Fluconazole, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Store Fluconazole below 86 degrees F (30 degrees C). Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Fluconazole out of the reach of children and away from pets.
