amber-glass-dropper-bottlePeople often want to know if using prescription antifungals like Amphoericin or Clotrimazole is the best course of action for them or if an over-the-counter (OTC) antifungal would work just as well. These questions often arise in relation to cost and side effect considerations.

The truth is those are really questions best asked of your doctor. But, we would like to give you some things to think about when you are trying to decide what is best for you.

Your first consideration: how advanced is your fungal problem? For people with a large fungal build up in their body the prescription antifungal work faster because they are more powerful. But this also means side effects like yeast infections or the die-off effect are more pronounced as well. (A fungal build up comes from long term exposure to a high mold environment. In most cases mold enters the body when a person breathes it in.)

For those who have a routine issue resulting from a fungal allergy over the counter products work great. They can cause side effects but are less likely to do so.

If you have a more severe condition and can’t get a prescription over the counter products will work, but may take longer to get the same results.

Treatment Tip: One of the side affects of taking antifungals internally is the elimination of good bacteria in the gut. We recommend you take a good probiotic at least one hour after taking the antifungal product to maintain gut health. This does not interfere with prescriptions or OTC solutions.

Managing Your Problem

Since a fungal allergy is a problem that must be managed rather than cured, cost is a big factor in dealing with the issue. OTC antifungals generally cost a fraction of the prescription versions.

From our perspective, it is better to use a product like CitriDrops Nasal Spray and washing twice daily with a nasal wash to prevent the onset of a problem rather than spend the money to see a doctor along with the cost of a prescription. You will save you thousands of dollars in medical costs and you will avoid the adverse symptoms that send you to the doctor in the first place.

The Bottom Line

When choosing the best course, you will have to learn to listen to your body. If using a prescription makes you feel a lot worse or creates unwelcome side effects, you may be better off with an OTC version. With prescription solutions you should know that many people experience the die-off effect during the first week or two of taking an antifungal. You may need to reduce your dosage until your body adjusts and then go back to the full dosage afterwards. However, if the problem persists, you may consider changing to a different prescription or just using an OTC product.

By the same token if the OTC product does not reduce your symptoms, you may want to use a prescription antifungal until you get the problem in check and then use an OTC product for ongoing maintenance.

Finally, remember that antifungals work differently for different people. This is true of all medicines. You can use a type or get a dosage just doesn’t work for you. So you need to be open to tailoring a program with different approaches to find the best solution to managing your chronic sinus problems. To read more about Chronic Sinusitis and its treatment visit us at www.sinusitiswellness.com.

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