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Sporanox |
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What is Sporanox and why is it prescribed? Sporanox capsules are used to treat four types of serious fungal infection: blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, aspergillosis, and onychomycosis. Sporanox is also used against fungal infections in people with weak immune systems, such as AIDS patients. Sporanox oral solution is used to treat candidiasis of the mouth, throat, and gullet, and for other fungal infections in people with weakened immunity and fever. Be sure to take Sporanox for as long as your doctor prescribes. It will take 3 months or more to cure some infections completely. If you stop taking Sporanox too soon, the infection may return. How should you take Sporanox? Follow your doctors directions for taking Sporanox. To make sure the capsules are properly absorbed, you should take them after a full meal. The oral solution should be taken without food. A cola drink can help some people absorb the capsules better. Continue taking Sporanox until all the medication is gone. Do not take antacids within 1 hour before or 2 hours after taking Sporanox. Swish the oral solution, 10 milliliters at a time, in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing it. Mouth and throat candidiasis should clear up in several days. The oral solution and capsules cannot be used interchangeably. If you miss a dose take the forgotten dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the one you missed and go back to your regular schedule. Never try to "catch up" by doubling the dose. Store Sporanox at room temperature. Protect the capsules from light and moisture. Do not freeze the oral solution. Are there any Sporanox side effects? Sporanox side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. More common Sporanox side effects may include anxiety, bursitis, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, gas, headache, high blood pressure, indigestion, injury, muscle pain, nasal and sinus inflammation, nausea, pain, rash, respiratory infection, swelling due to water retention, urinary infection, and vomiting. Less common Sporanox side effects may include abdominal pain, abnormal dreams, allergic reaction, decreased sexual drive, dizziness, extreme sleepiness, feeling of general discomfort, gum inflammation, hives, increased appetite, inflamed stomach and intestines, itching, loss of appetite, reproductive disorders such as male impotence, sleepiness, sore throat, tremor, and weakness. Rare Sporanox side effects may include blood abnormalities, congestive heart failure, constipation, depression, fluid in the lungs, hair loss, hepatitis, high triglyceride levels, liver failure, male breast development, male breast pain, menstrual disorders, nerve disorders, ringing in the ears, severe allergic reaction, skin peeling, and sleeplessness. Additional Sporanox side effects that may be seen with the oral solution are back pain, blood in the urine, breathing difficulty, chest pain, cough, dehydration, difficulty swallowing, hemorrhoids, hot flushes, impaired speech, inflamed mouth, insomnia, pneumonia, shivering, sweating, vision problems, and weight loss. People being treated for onychomycosis may experience stomach and intestinal disorders or rash, or, less commonly, headache, light-headedness upon standing up, low blood pressure, muscle pain, a sick feeling, or vertigo. What are the possible food and drug interactions when taking Sporanox? If Sporanox is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. Be sure to inform your doctor of all the prescription and over the counter medications you are taking. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Sporanox with Acid-blocking drugs (such as Tagamet, Pepcid, and Zantac), Alprazolam (Xanax), Atorvastatin (Lipitor), Blood-thinning drugs (such as Coumadin), Buspirone (BuSpar), Busulfan (Myleran), Calcium channel blockers (such as Cardene, Norvasc, and Procardia), Carbamazepine (Tegretol), Clarithromycin (Biaxin), Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral), Diazepam (Valium), Dofetilide (Tikosyn) Digoxin (Lanoxin), Docetaxel (Taxotere), Erythromycin (E-Mycin, Ery-Tab, and others), Indinavir (Crixivan), Isoniazid, Lovastatin (Mevacor), Methylprednisolone (Medrol), Midazolam (Versed), Nevirapine (Viramune), Oral diabetes medications (such as DiaBeta, Diabinese, Glucotrol, Micronase, Orinase, and Tolinase), Phenobarbital, Phenytoin (Dilantin), Pimozide (Orap), Quinidine (Quinidex), Rifabutin (Mycobutin), Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), Ritonavir (Norvir), Saquinavir (Invirase), Simvastatin (Zocor), Sirolimus (Rapamune), Tacrolimus (Prograf), Triazolam (Halcion), Trimetrexate (Neutrexin), or Vinblastine (Velban). Are there any special warnings about Sporanox? In rare cases, Sporanox has been known to cause liver failure and even death. If you have liver disease, or if you take Sporanox continuously for more than a month, your doctor should monitor your liver function periodically. If you develop such symptoms of liver disease as unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, dark urine, or pale stool, stop taking Sporanox and contact your doctor immediately. People with cardiac problems such as congestive heart failure should avoid Sporanox unless the benefit clearly outweighs the danger. In fact, anyone who is even at risk of heart failure should use Sporanox with caution. Risk factors include heart and lung disorders and kidney failure. If you experience swelling, especially in the feet and ankles, or difficulty breathing while taking Sporanox, stop taking this medication and contact your doctor immediately. If you develop any nerve disorders while taking Sporanox, see your doctor. Sporanox treatment will probably need to be discontinued. |
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Information on this website is provided for educational purposes and should not replace discussions with your doctor. |
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