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Diabetes and fungal nail infection

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Amity Island

Amity Island

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi Everyone,

Has anybody received treatment for fungal nail infection?

At my last consultant appointment he noticed a fungal toenail infection. He said make a G.P appointment and tell them to treat with the liquid applied to the nail only. The reason being, oral tables for fungal nail can have a detrimental impact on the liver, which as a diabetic would be an additional thing to deal with besides the diabetes.

The G.P said she had no idea what the consultant was talking about. So I went online at official guidance and they all confirmed what the consultant had said.

GP said they are no longer allowed to prescribe the toenail treatments and can only offer a oral treatment. I went to boots and they said the fungal toenail varnish treatment is only enough to last about a week at £30 a week. It takes up to a year to treat £1440 total.

What would you do?
 
Amity Island said:
What would you do?
Click to expand...

I think @mikeyB suggested (more or less) cleaning and drying feet, so basic foot hygiene. And with any luck the fungus won't survive.

(That happened with mine, anyway: I lost most of a big toe nail to fungus, bought some expensive treatment and mostly forgot to use it, but took rather better care than I usually do and the nail just got better. I was keeping an eye on the nail to make sure it grew back without breaking into the skin since I've previously (when I was a child) had ingrowing nails and they weren't fun.)
 
Bruce Stephens said:
I think @mikeyB suggested (more or less) cleaning and drying feet, so basic foot hygiene. And with any luck the fungus won't survive.

(That happened with mine, anyway: I lost most of a big toe nail to fungus, bought some expensive treatment and mostly forgot to use it, but took rather better care than I usually do and the nail just got better. I was keeping an eye on the nail to make sure it grew back without breaking into the skin since I've previously (when I was a child) had ingrowing nails and they weren't fun.)
Click to expand...
What doesn't help is having shoes on feet most of the day, feet get very hot and no air. Do you know of any natural remedies I could give a go?
 
I had a stubborn infection for a few years. I had some small success with the over-the-counter treatments, though they never cleared it up entirely only ever held it at bay. The Scholl one was the most effective for me (emery boards and clear liquid)

According to my GP, one of the chemist ones have good data of effectiveness (hence why they won’t prescribe them)

In the end we agreed to try tablets (my liver checks are fine). The first ones brought me out in hives, but the second ones were fine. They would only prescribe for a limited period though.

It completely cleared it up.
 
My podiatrist recommended Emtrix (also available from Amazon, ChemistDirect, eBay etc) which did the trick. It's a topical treatment so no risk to liver function.

It is a long process (a good 6 months) since basically you are waiting for the whole nail to grow out. But one tube lasted the entire time with some left over, so not bad value at around £20 for the tube.
 
I heard tea tree oil is good too if you don't want medication but not sure what doctors think of this. Probably not impressed as it has not been proven.

Chiropodists can help with it. My cousin had it and my chiropodist sorted it for him. He is not diabetic though.
 
I found the ones where you apply a nail varnish type product were expensive and ineffective. My podiatrist recommend Mykored which proved effective. You just apply a drop or two to the affected nail each day. I got mine from my podiatrist but when it ran out (bad forward planning) I had to go to a local independent pharmacy. The large chains do not stock it and one pharmacist denied its existence until I pulled it up on my mobile! What a plonker!
 
I've been using Vicks vapour rub (yes unconventional but cheap) over past 3 months. It's worked well on the nails that were just mildly affected, but one nail hasn't improved with it.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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