Icky Toe : (

Hi L.,
I know you have gotten lots of advice and I may be repeating but...white vinegar. If you Google this issue there are lots of remedies worth trying - Vicks, Tea Tree Oil, etc., but white vinegar is the one that kept coming up over and over with the most positive testimonials. I put some in a shot glass and stuck my toe in it while I watched TV for 15 to 20 minutes a night (most nights) and viola, totally worked. Now, just to hedge my bets, I put Tea Tree Oil on it when I'd think of it - it's a lot easier to do than the vinegar soak - and between the two my toe cleared up. You have to remove the icky part of the toenail which was weird as I had to remove a good portion of it, but this gets rid of the infected part and lets the remedies get in. It does take quite a while for the healthy nail to grow in, but it does eventually. Good luck!

Vicks vapor rub worked for me too...I put it on everyday for about a year until my big toenail had grown out completely.

Years ago I had something similar and my dermatologist gave me a prescription for a nail polish to put over the toenail. Whatever it was cleared up very quickly.

Good luck!

L.-the best things are clove and tea tree oil. But you have to be really careful of the ones you buy. Just make sure they are pure. It wipes out nail fungus pretty quickly! Just put a drop or two right on the infected area once in the morning and at night until gone. The best ones to get you order online or an associate of mine may have some on hand. Other than that you can get it from whole foods or a health food store but they are not as effective.

Let me know if you have more questions!!

Hi L., I had a similar situation once and just like your doctor, I preferred the more natural solutions...I found out that a combination of Vitamin C with garlic is a potent natural antibiotic...if you need a reference for high qualitiy products or brands, feel free to call me or go to my friend's website ( www.totalwellbeing.myshaklee.com) & and compare do some research...I recommend having this at home all the time...also natural probiotics will help with any infection (look up optiflora)

You should try tea tree oil. Just a couple of drops full strenght at least 3 times a day should clear it up.

Hi i would try tea tree oil very good for infections anti bactieral anti inflamatory anti fungal my husband uses it for cold sores .

L.

I picked up a toe nail fungus (onychomycosis) almost 5 years ago. I went to a new nail salon for a pedicure when I was 9 months pregnant. It's my guess that this is where I picked up the infection. My PCP took a culture of the nail and sure enough, it came back as a fungus. After having liver function tests (blood tests), I was placed on anti fungal oral medication (Lamisil) daily for 4 months - one month longer than the usual course of treatment. The medication is very expensive and insurance was abit relunctant to pay for this medication especially since success rates are low. I had to go through a pharmacy review type process for reimbursement for the extended treatment period. Between that and samples from the podiatrist, I was able to obtain the necessary course of treatment. Additionally, I also applied Vicks VapoRub to the infected nail bed like others have suggested. It did help somewhat but I wasn't the most compliant as I would frequently forget (busy mom with young kids). All in all, the treatments did nada, nothing, zilich. Eventually, I had a small portion of toe nail surgicially removed. Thankfully, the infection was completely removed and there has been no reoccurence. My nail now looks normal again. That experience was a huge learning experience to me about taking proper preventative measures....never barefoot in public pools, showers, etc and being very cautious at nail salons to name a few. I don't know if I will ever feel comfortable getting another pedicure again.

My advice to you is 1) go to a podiatrist and 2) do the best you can to get a handle on this now especially if the infection is mild. These things get **nasty** as one ages.

Best of luck,
Michelle

I have heard a lot of success stories with natural remedies. I am all for them, so I must say you're kinda lucky your doctor is against the medications - its difficult to find like that. What you need is a strong antifungal such as Shaklee garlic - its more pure and potent than other brands out there and you're going to need something that actually works if this is going to heal and get better. I recommend their multivitamins to everyone and its generally where you start. Sometimes a great multivitamin can fill in nutritional gaps and heal in ways you would never expect. I rep for Shaklee so just let me know if you'd like more info.

Good luck!
K.

Try Vicks Vaporub. It is supposed to work well.

Try soaking your feet in water mixed with tea tree oil. Then dry your foot using a hair drier. Do this right before going to bed. Dab a little tea tree oil right on the nail area before crawling into bed. Try to sleep with that foot out from under the covers. During the day if you are not wearing flip flops or sandals, dab the toe with more tea tree oil and light wrap with gauze. Try to keep the toe open as much as possible. Hope it works for you.

S.

There is a very expenive medication (antibiotic) but it's not guaranteed to even work. I had the fungus once and the foot dr. removed the toenail so it could grow out new and whole. If you do this you MUST keep the nail bed moist with medicated cream or the nailbed will dry up and not restore the nail. My mother had both her large toenails removed and didn't listen to the dr. and to this day she has no large toenails. It looks crazy when she has a pedicure. Good luck.

I've heard putting Vicks Vapor Rub on it every morning and night works. My dh has a similar toe but refuses to do the Vicks cause he can't stand the smell.

it happens, try alcohol a few times a day opposed to peroxide...purchase the spray of Lotrimin...after the toes dries from the alcohol then use the spray and cover it a night with a sock or bandage to prevent spreading...it should air dry during the day when possible...(avoid moisture).

Hi,

This may sound weird, but Vicks Vapor Rub worked for me. Put it on in the morning and at night and then put socks on. You should notice a difference in appearance in about a week, but it will take months before the fungus is gone. I think it took me about a total of four months before my nail was clear.

I had tried other things including medication (which besides the liver issues, gave me stomach trouble), and was surprised that something so easy worked.

Good luck.

P.

you could try soaking it in lysterien or smothering it with Vaseline. if you google natural nail fungus remedies you get all kinds of good advice.

HI,

I would get in to see a foot doctor. My foot doctor has mentioned to me about a new laser equipment to treat fungus infection, however the cost is about $250 not covered by insurance yet. I do not know your locality, however she is located on Buffalo Grove Rd south of Dundee Rd (route 68) in Buffalo Grove. Dr. Catherine Halinski. ###-###-####. Inquire about others. I understand this is suppose to outdo any over the counter treatment which doesn't always clear out thd infections.

I hope this helps!

Bubsntroub

Hi L.,
If I;m not mistaken my parents were told to put mouthwash on the nail. My dad had fungus on a fingernail and was advised to soak it in mouthwash. It worked.

Mira

Hi L.! I too have the same problem and was given a medication to put on the nail or to have the nail removed. I chose the medication which it seemed to make the fungus spread over the entire nail. I was also told the best way to get rid of it was to take the oral medication or just have the nail removed. I have yet to do either but I am wiling to try the Vicks everybody keeps suggesting. Good luck!

Yes, my podiatrist and doctor say that using Vicks Vaporub on it over a period of time does as much good as the medications. The reason the oral medications don't work is that they have to reach all the way down to your toes and seldom do, and they are notoriously hard on the liver.

My cousin who was and RN, told my Sister-in-law to use Vicks Vapo rub. I thought she was crazy, but it worked for her!!! I see that someone else gave you that advice so maybe she's not that crazy!!!! Try it....it can't hurt anything!!

It does take time to grow out, but try Vick's vapor rub- rub it on a couple times a day. I had got something from a pedicure, someone suggested and it worked for me.

L., You can use vicks vapo rub. put some on it at night and cover with a sock. the next morning wash it off and file off what will file off It may take a while. but it works and a jar of vicks is about $6. give it a try.
S.

Hello, I work for a podiatrist and what he tells patients is after cleaning and drying it to put Vicks vapor rub on it daily and that should clear it up if not go see a podiatrist. I hope this helps. Let me know it should take a week or two depending on how bad the nail is. Remember if it doesn't clear up go see a podiatrist and he/she will assist you from there. And lastly I believe when the podiatrist prescibes Lamisil they will have you to take a liver function test and once results are back they will put you on this med this could be what your doctor is talking about.

I had the toe fungus for 5 years! It was terrible! It got to the point that I didn't even have a nail anymore and I hated it. I always wore close-toed shoes in the summer.

You need to see a podiatrist. I started with a topical medication that you brush on just like nail polish. It supposedly worked and my doc said the fungus was gone after several months of using it, but my nail was still not growing out correctly. Finally I was prescribed Lamisil - the oral pill. It worked! The typical dose is 3 months but my doc gave it to me for 4 months and I finally have a normal toenail.

If you are bothered by it, go to a podiatrist and ask for Lamisil. They will make you take a liver test (simple blood test) to make sure your liver can handle it. If your liver is fine it should be able to process the drug with no problems or long term damage.

I've heard soaking in Listerine does wonders...

Tea tree oil, also called Melaluca. it is a natural oil with anti-fungal properties. I have purchased it at Walgreens and at healthfood stores. There is also a company which sells all natural cleaning and health products called Melaluca where you can purchase it.

Try soaking it in Listerine 2x day.

Try Vick's Vaper rub. I got the information from a Nail Technician and it worked.

Hi L.. :) I too have this on my second toe and had it on my little toe. Another thing to try is before soaking your toes, is to trim the nail as far down as you can and to use an emery board to file it down all over. It is almost like getting rid of the nail without actually removing it...then soak it. YOu will have to do this a few times but it works. Just make sure to throw out any used emery boards/tools and not to use them on other toes to prevent spreading. Good luck! K.

Hi L.! You sound a lot like me - 2 full-time working parents and a son starting kindergarten. It goes by way too fast, doesn't it.

Any way...I had the same toenail fungus. I tried several over the counter meds and then finally went to the doctor about it. He said that once it has gotten to that stage it has entered into your blood steam and topicals won't do a darn thing. I considered the medication that your doctor mentioned but avoided it for the same reasons - plus you have to be on it for 2-3 months and during that time get blood tests to monitor liver function (scary) and refrain from drinking any alcohol at all (even scarier - ha, ha). The interesting thing is that while pregnant with our second child I got ringworm - not as bad as it sounds, it's actually a fungus too. Much to my dismay they recommended the same medication for two weeks. I was in a panic about taking it while pregnant but my doctor, ob/gyn, and pharmacist all agreed that it was safe to take. After only two weeks not only did the ringworm go away but my toenail got better!

Long story but happy ending. Don't know if this helps at all but I had no problems with liver issues as all. Just one angle to consider during your decision making process.