I am a man in my mid-50s. I have been a daily drinker my entire adult life. I just started terbinafine and am giving up drinking while on it. I have no doubts that while I am on this pill I will not drink alcohol. My concern is not interaction with the drug, but potential for substantial liver damage.
However, my wife and I are going for a warm weather vacation, while I am about 6 weeks into the treatment. I am thinking about taking maybe 10 days off from terbinafine while on vacation so I can have some libations on vacation, then stopping drinking and going back on the pill again for the final 6 weeks.
Does anyone some any experience they can share with me about this? I'm less interested in opinions, although feel free I guess. But if anyone can share any real insights, I'd appreciate those. Thanks.
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
5 Answers
JE
Jendagirl
24 Nov 2019
I just need to say this because I freaked out while taking Lamisil thinking that my liver was going to get damaged. So if there’s anyone else out there in the same boat I just got to say that I took Lamisil for 3 months as a 26 year old female and drank alcohol quite heavily the entire time and my liver is perfectly fine.
Votes: +0
SU
Suebee805
16 Nov 2020
I just found over te weekend that one of my toe nails has fungus. I made a doctors appointment to get this exact medication. I drink 1 cup of coffee in the mornings, and enjoy a alcoholic drink every Friday and Saturday. Should I cut back entirely from drinking?(bc with work and every day stress you gotta have at least one drink a week..) or just cut back on the amount of alcohol while on this medication?
CH
chasfh
16 Nov 2020
How do you know for sure your liver is perfectly fine? Do you mean due to absence of pain or apparent disease? Or did a doctor confirm this somehow?
JE
Jendagirl
18 Nov 2020
This was a few years ago I’ve had my liver checked a few times since then. My doctor didn’t even warn me about the liver thing because it is so rare. The medication itself is hard on the liver which is why it may lead to liver problems if you already have a bad liver or if you don’t follow the right doses. I’m no doctor but I was drinking around 12 drinks a week at the time and was fine so I think one drink a week would be just fine!
I have no answer as of today..I just picked up the same meds Today..I'll start them on Monday..I'm not a drinker but from time to time I may have a glass of wine. As far as going off meds then going back I suggest you (flush your system) a week after wards drinking again (with water )only don't go right back into taking the meds...
Votes: +0
CH
chasfh
11 Feb 2016
Well, thank god for the Internet, because I was able to drop my doctor a note and ask him basically this exact question:
"I am going on vacation to sunny climes in late Feb/early March for a week. I've not had any alcohol since going on the Lamisil, but I would like to indulge while on vacation. So I would like to take a "break" from Lamisil during this time: I would quit it a couple days before vacation, and then go back on a couple days after, so the plan is, I would be off Lamisil for maybe 10 or 11 days.
"I understand that progress would be halted temporarily (not that I have seen much yet, anyway), but I personally would be OK with pushing back the final cure (if that's the result) by 10-11 days if I can get a nice vacation out of it.
"My question is: medically, would this be OK? I understand the benefit would be delayed by a couple weeks, but would there be any real *danger* in doing this? Since my direct bilirubin reading (0.7) was well within normal range, my hope is that there would not be any real danger involved."
And here was his answer:
"I don't see any issues with this plan. The medication does still stay in your system for a period even while you stop but I don't think its a significant enough time period to affect results or your liver function. Enjoy the trip. Thanks."
So ... there you go.
Votes: +0
BR
Briannaastarr
10 May 2016
So, what Happened when you drank and stopped taking the pill.
CH
chasfh
10 May 2016
Everything went fine, and I'm still making progress on the nail. The terbinafine prescription has lapsed, and I'm now using Vicks Vaporub on the nail (which, by the way, seems to be working for my wife's minor case absent terbinafine for her). I am hopeful that the fungus will be gone for good by 4th of July.
BR
Briannaastarr
10 May 2016
Glad to hear that! Because I just started taking mine last week but I will be found to Vegas next month and I wanna drink. But I am just nervous because it's stays in your system for sometime.
SW
SwaggyT1389
11 June 2016
I'm almost done with mine 7 days to go but I got a question how many days you think should I got without drinking after I'm done or is it ok to drink after one day???
JS
Jsk210
18 June 2016
From what my dermatologist and things I've read on the Internet terbinafine HCL 250 mg has a half life of 36 hours, and I was told its out of your system after 7 days but I've seen 5 and 8 days as well. I'm not a dermatologist I'm just going off of what I've been told and read. Also don't drink a day after taking this wait it out. Which I think it's 7 days to be out of ur system
Hi, sorry i am late seeing your question. You can do this, have a break in treatment and have a short period of drinking alcohol, it shouldn't effect anything other than the efficacy of the medication by missing those 10 days. Just keep in mind that the Terbinafine may not treat your 'illness' as successfully. Enjoy your holiday
Votes: +0
CH
chasfh
7 Feb 2016
I just now got the email notice on your answer. This is more what I was looking for. I'm a little confused though, are you saying that Terbinafine might not treat the fungus infection as effectively if I take this break? If so, is this true even though I still am taking the full dose, just with the end of it delayed by ten or so days? Is that what you meant?
CH
chasfh
7 Feb 2016
By the way, thanks for the input, I do appreciate it.
DE
Delila
8 Feb 2016
Yes, that is what i am saying. A non interrupted treatment regime will fight any infections more effectively. The break may not affect the healing, but it is a possibility...
To give up drinking you have to really really want it. As a former alcoholic of 28 years I can tell now that your efforts are doomed if you are making plans to drink in the future (maybe as a reward for being sober for x weeks).
Sorry, that is not an opinion but falls more into a firm belief from me.
Votes: +0
CH
chasfh
2 Feb 2016
Thanks for your input, although you didn't even come close to addressing my question.
