Use

Fluconazole or Diflucan is used to treat fungal infections - yeast infections, urinary tract infections, peritonitis, pneumonia, AIDS cryptoccal infections.
For vaginal yeast infections one dose of Fluconazole or Diflucan by mouth is effective, however the itchiness associated with the infection may persist.

How It Works

Fluconazole or Diflucan interferes with the way the fungi organisms build their cell walls, effectively killing the infection.

Side Effects

Fluconazole or Diflucan is well tolerated, but nausea, vomiting, headache, skin rashes, abdominal pain, and diarrhea have been reported. Side effects are more common in susceptible individuals, for example AIDS patients.

A rare serious side effect is liver toxicity, and for this reason, liver function tests are required if treatment with Fluconazole or Diflucan is long term.

Exfoliative skin disorders can occur.

Warnings

People with AIDS are more susceptible to side effects.

Because Fluconazole or Diflucan can cause liver toxicity, people with liver problems must be careful.

Drug Interactions

Fluconazole or Diflucan can increase prothrombin time meaning that blood takes longer to clot and care should be taken if it is taken with an anticoagulant or blood thinner.

Fluconazole or Diflucan can produce too low a blood sugar or hypoglycemia in combination with glipizide and tolbutamide. It can increase the blood levels of phenytoin and theophylline.

Because Fluconazole or Diflucan affects the liver, it is able to increase levels of the non sedating antihistamines terfenadine and astemizole. These increase antihistamines levels can lead to heart beat irregularities.