What cures Nail Fungus?

[FierceAXboi]

Anyone ever use Lamisil? It's just so expensive for me almost $300.00 a for a bottle of pills. Anyone ever know of anyone who got nail fungus? How did they cure it? There seem to be over the counter things and even creams sold right here online. I am just worried these are not going to work and i will be out $50.00
Thanks

 

[daisyduck123]

I have read many times that Vick's Vapo Rub works...you just have to be patient. Good Luck.

 

[pogopossum]

lamisil helps, but you have to use it for a long time and worry about your kidneys. my foot doctor told me that he would put me on to something better, but i never went back for a second appt, didn't have insurance anymore. maybe you could check with a podiatrist for a solution.

a friend told me to use something the manicurist had told her about at the beauty supply, so i bought a bottle but it takes a long time, it was about $12 for the bottle and lasted for more than a month, sally's had several different remedies to choose from, and i need to go back and pick up some more, this one was called fungus md, and was applied to the area twice a day.

good luck, it takes alot of patience.

 

[poohandwendy]

It is critical that you have a doctor look at the affected nails to diagnose the problem correctly.

OTC remedies often do not work, and can spread the infection. Please talk to your doctor before trying any OTC products.

 

[N.Bailey]

I wish you the best of luck getting rid of it. Two of my former co workers had acrylic nails put on and both of them developed a nail fungus. They'd both fought for years unsuccessfully to get rid of it and they'd both been to the doctors many times.

As Wendy has already said, you really don't want to avoid seeking medical care ASAP.

Good luck!

 

[smilie]

I had a nail fungus after getting acrylic nails as well. My grandmother told me about this and it worked great-

In glass add water and hydrogen peroxide -half and half.
Heat it up until it's as hot as you can take (make sure not to burn yourself)
Soak your nail for as long as you can stand it.
Take out and repeat until water is cooled.

I did this several times a day and it really worked. Her doctor told her about it when she couldn't afford a prescription.

 

[cgcw]

Lamisil is expensive. Our co pay was $80/month.

I took it for 6 weeks, went back to the doctor for blood work to make sure there wasn't any damage to my liver and then took it for another 6 weeks. $240 later/out of pocket (not including what my insurance covered ), I no longer have a problem. It took a long time for the nail to grow out but as it did, I could see that the new nail growing in no longer had any fungus. I had it on one of my toe nails. Treatment for finger nails, because they grow quicker, is 6 weeks, I believe.

If I ever have a problem again, I won't hesitate to go back to the doctor asking for another prescription. But, not all doctors will treat it. The first one I went to told me to paint my toenail and then I wouldn't notice it anymore . To me, that wasn't a solution, it was a mask.

I've heard the Vick's Vapor Rub treatment before. But, when I asked my doctor about it, he said he never heard of that treatment. Just the smell would do me in, so I never tried it.

 

[Mamu]

If it's on your fingernails it will probably take a year to clear up, especially if the nail has lifted. Yes the medication is expensive with risk.

You could also use Betadine daily. Cut the nail down as far as possible, keep it dry and as clean as possible, use betadine a few times a day, plus as the skin hardens file it with disposable files. Bo not cover it with any kind of bandage this keeps it damp. As the nail grows keep cutting it.

If it's on the toes this is more difficult, because the nail is not exposed to air. Most times you will need medication.

 

[Tinijocaro]

tea tree oil works- morning and night, takes a while but it works.

 

[summerrluvv]

tea tree oil works- morning and night, takes a while but it works.

I was going to suggest this too. Nature's Plus is the distributor for Thursday's Plantation anti-fungal tea tree oil nail treatment. It's sold in health food stores. I would stay away from the RX stuff, as it's been reported to cause kidney problems and that's worse than nail fungus IMO. Nail fungus doesn't really hurt you, it just makes your nails look icky.

 

[clutter]

tea tree oil works- morning and night, takes a while but it works.

Worked for my mom. Took a while, but it worked.

 

[Christine]

I will tell you my mom's story.

Way, way back in the 1970s, we were grocery shopping. In her hand she held one of the big cans of Hawaiian Punch (back when they came in cans). She dropped the can and it fell on her big toe. Shortly after that, she developed a fungus on that nail and it was one of the worst cases I've ever seen. Of course, back then there were no drugs to cure this and she went around with it, self-consciously for almost 30 years. She finally got a Lamisil prescription and took it for the 3 month duration. Her nail changed several different colors but the fungus did not go away. Also, at the end of the 3-month period she did not feel well. She had a constant pain in her upper abdomen. She decided to quit taking it.

At about this time, I got a nail fungus. I tried the Lamisil but didn't feel good on it, so I quit. I was doing some alternative med research on it and came across a treatment calling for the application of white vinegar down at the cuticle twice a day. My nail was so bad at this point that it was falling off. I ended up at the podiatrist and he removed the nail. The nail grew back without fungus and I was fine and have been for 3 years.

My mom tried the white vinegar treatment. After 6 months, her fungus went away and has been gone for 3 years. I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself. One thing though--you must be FANATICAL about using it every day, twice a day.

The other "cure" is my way. Have the nail removed. Works like a charm.

 

[vacanut]

tea tree oil works- morning and night, takes a while but it works.

I've looked this up, is it the oil, cream or ointment.
There are a lot of Tea Tree Oil products, soaps, etc.

 

[Dodie]

I was doing some alternative med research on it and came across a treatment calling for the application of white vinegar down at the cuticle twice a day.

When you say "at the cuticle," do you mean at the base of the nail or around the end?

 

[Christine]

When you say "at the cuticle," do you mean at the base of the nail or around the end?

Put it at the base, where the nail grows out from the nailbed. Also, it doesn't hurt to actually put the vinegar on the nail itself, although you will notice a little "bleaching" of the nail if you do this. Don't get excited, it's not the fungus going away--you will say that happen at the base of the nail and work its way up.

I'm sure that tea tree oil and Vick's Vaporub all work in the same way. A highly acidic environment will kill fungus.

 

[Christine]

to the board that discusses this:

http://askwaltstollmd.com/archives/toe.html

 

[TerryKitten]

Have the nail removed. Works like a charm.

Not always. I've battled fungus for many years on my toes. In the beginning I was on lamsil but being a college kid I didn't ALWAYS take the pills. So it didn't clear up very well. I got down to having it on 2 nails so the doctor pulled them. One grew back nice and clear, the other still had fungus. Now, unfortunetly my big toe got, so I have it again in 2 toes. So pulling the nail isn't 100%.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I hate to say this but urine will make it go away. BIL had fungus one is toe nails, the doctor told his to urinate on his toes when in the shower. It cleared up in a month. I KNOW - its totally gross, but it worked for him

 

[DawnCt1]

I have read many times that Vick's Vapo Rub works...you just have to be patient. Good Luck.

Daisy Duck, I have heard that too. In fact, Dr. Gott (a columnist in a local paper) recommends it all of the time and he swears it works. I don't know from personal experience but with no side effects, I would recommend trying that first.

 

[faith]

Know of 2 people that used Vics Vapor Rub successfully. (Both had problems with their big toe). It took time...seems like 3 months??