Diflucan - for Vaginal candidiasis (vaginal yeast infections due to Candida)

Diflucan®

Generic Name: fluconazole
Brand Name: Diflucan

This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby

Drug Uses
Diflucan is indicated for the treatment of:

Vaginal candidiasis (vaginal yeast infections due to Candida).

Oropharyngeal and esophageal candidiasis.

Cryptococcal meningitis.

Diflucan is also indicated to decrease the incidence of candidiasis in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation who receive cytotoxic chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

How Taken
Diflucan comes as a tablet and liquid to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Diflucan exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Shake the liquid well before each use to mix the medication evenly. Continue to take Diflucan even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Diflucan without talking to your doctor.

Warnings/Precautions
Do not take Diflucan if you are taking cisapride (Propulsid). Combined with cisapride (Propulsid), Diflucan could cause serious, even fatal, heart problems. Before taking Diflucan, 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 Diflucan, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during your treatment. Diflucan 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 Diflucan without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. Diflucan passes into breast milk and may be harmful to a nursing baby. For this reason, Diflucan 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.

Missed Dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Possible Side Effects
If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking Diflucan 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 Diflucan 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.

Storage
Store tablets below 86°F (30°C). Protect from freezing. Diflucan injections in Viaflex Plus plastic containers are available in both sodium chloride and dextrose diluents. Store between 77°F (25°C) and 41°F (5°C). Brief exposure up to 104°F (40°C) does not adversely affect the product. Protect from freezing.

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

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

Fluconazole is an antifungal antibiotic.

Fluconazole is used to treat infections caused by fungus, which can invade any part of the body including the mouth, throat, esophagus, lungs, bladder, genital area, and the blood.

Fluconazole is also used to prevent fungal infection in people with weak immune systems caused by cancer treatment, bone marrow transplant, or diseases such as AIDS.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to fluconazole, or similar drugs such as clotrimazole (Lotrimin), econazole (Spectazole), ketoconazole (Nizoral), miconazole (Monistat), sertaconazole (Ertaczo), sulconazole (Exelderm), terconazole (Terazol), tioconazole (Vagistat-1), or voriconazole (Vfend). Do not use fluconazole if you are also taking cisapride (Propulsid) or terfenadine (Seldane).

Before taking fluconazole, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, a heart rhythm disorder, or a history of "Long QT syndrome."

Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Fluconazole will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Before taking fluconazole, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

liver disease;
kidney disease;
a heart rhythm disorder; or
a personal or family history of "Long QT syndrome."

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use fluconazole, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Fluconazole can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Your dose will depend on the infection you are treating. Vaginal infections are often treated with only one pill. For other infections, your first dose may be a double dose. Carefully follow your doctor's instructions. Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve.

Take this medicine with a full glass of water. Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before you measure a dose. To be sure you get the correct dose, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one. Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Fluconazole will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu. Store the tablets at room temperature away from moisture and heat. You may store liquid fluconazole in a refrigerator, but do not allow it to freeze.

Throw away any leftover liquid medicine that is more than 2 weeks old.