Miconazole CreamMiconazole nitrate

About Miconazole Cream

On the skin, the 2 percent cream, powder, spray and liquid treat athlete’s foot, jock itch, ringworm, tinea versicolor and yeast infections of the skin, applied once or twice a day for two to four weeks; if the infection has not cleared in two weeks (four for athlete’s foot), a doctor should look at it. Vaginal products come as a 2 or 4 percent cream, 100 or 200 mg suppositories and a 1,200 mg insert, sold as 7-day, 3-day and 1-day courses, some packed with a tube of 2 percent cream. All of these are sold over the counter, so no prescription is needed.

Before using a vaginal product, see a doctor if it is your first yeast infection or you are pregnant, and mention fever, belly pain, a foul-smelling discharge, diabetes or HIV. Use the full course, even during a period, with a pad rather than a tampon; miconazole can damage condoms and diaphragms, so they cannot be relied on, and an infection still present after one course needs a doctor. On the skin, stop and call a doctor if it blisters, turns very red or becomes irritated. Anyone taking warfarin should check with the prescriber or pharmacist before using any form, because miconazole can strengthen its effect.

Two forms need a prescription. Oravig is a 50 mg buccal tablet for oral thrush (oropharyngeal candidiasis) in adults, placed on the upper gum once a day for 14 days; it must not be used by anyone allergic to milk protein, and diarrhea, headache and nausea are its common effects. Vusion ointment is used only when diaper rash in a baby 4 weeks or older is complicated by yeast confirmed under the microscope: a thin layer at each diaper change for seven days, never longer and never to prevent rash.

Taking Miconazole Cream

How to take it

Skin: clean and dry the area, then apply as the package directs, once or twice a day for two to four weeks. Vaginal: use the applicator as directed and finish the course. Oravig: in the morning after brushing, press the tablet onto the upper gum above an incisor and hold it with light pressure on the upper lip for 30 seconds, alternating sides; do not chew, crush or swallow it, and avoid chewing gum. Vusion: a thin layer on the cleaned, dried diaper area at each change, not rubbed in.

If you miss a dose

Skin and vaginal products: use the missed dose when you remember unless the next is almost due, and do not double up. Oravig: if it falls off within six hours, reapply it or a new tablet; if it is swallowed within six hours, drink a glass of water and apply one new tablet; after six hours, wait for the next scheduled dose.

Storage

At room temperature, away from heat and moisture, tightly closed and out of reach of children; keep Oravig dry.

Interactions to know about

Bleeding and bruising have been reported when warfarin was combined with miconazole on the skin, in the vagina or by mouth, so the prescriber may check the INR more often. Oravig may also interact with some diabetes tablets, phenytoin and ergot drugs.

This summarizes the official prescribing information. Your prescriber’s and pharmacist’s instructions, and the leaflet that comes with your medicine, take priority.

Why the cash price for Miconazole Cream differs from pharmacy to pharmacy

Most miconazole is bought off the shelf, where there is no dispensing fee and store brands sit beside national brands with the same active ingredient and strength. When a prescriber writes a prescription for an over-the-counter product, the pharmacy may fill it as a prescription with a dispensing fee, so the quote and the shelf price can differ.

Oravig has a single maker and no approved generic, so it is priced as a brand, and a pharmacy that rarely fills it may need to order it in.

Ways to pay less for Miconazole Cream without insurance

• For skin infections, compare a store-brand cream or powder with the national brand, checking that it lists miconazole nitrate at the same strength.
• For a vaginal yeast infection, compare store-brand 7-day, 3-day and 1-day packs with Monistat, checking the active ingredient is miconazole nitrate.
• If a prescription is written for an over-the-counter miconazole product, ask the pharmacy for both the prescription quote and the shelf price.
• For Oravig, ask the maker whether a savings program applies to someone paying cash, and ask the prescriber whether a generic medicine for thrush would suit you.
• Upload the prescription to Script Unlock so licensed pharmacies can quote their cash price. You pay the pharmacy directly.

Questions to ask your pharmacist about Miconazole Cream

1. 1.Is the store-brand product the same medicine and strength as the brand?
2. 2.I take warfarin: can I use miconazole, and should my INR be checked?
3. 3.How do I place my Oravig tablet, and what do I do if it falls off or I swallow it?
4. 4.How long should I use it, and when should I see a doctor if it is not better?

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