They are used for:

• Infections of the mouth or vagina causing ‘thrush’
• Skin infections
• Infections affecting other parts of the body

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

Method and route of administration: –

Always take itraconazole capsules straight after a meal as this helps your body to use the medicine. Swallow the capsules whole with some liquid.

There must be enough acid in your stomach to make sure that your body can use the medicine. Medicines for indigestion, stomach ulcers or heartburn can affect the stomach producing acid. For this reason, you should wait two hours after taking itraconazole capsules before taking any of these other medicines. If you do take medicines that stop the production of stomach acid, you should take itraconazole capsules with a drink of cola. 

Frequency and duration of treatment:

Your doctor will tell you how many itraconazole capsules to take and for how long. The recommended dose is:

Yeast infection of the vagina (thrush) – Take 2 capsules in the morning and two capsules 12 hours later for one day only

Yeast infection of the mouth (oral thrush) – Take 1 capsule each day for 15 days

Fungal infections of the skin: The dosage depends on your infection. Your doctor might tell you to take: – 2 capsules each day for 7 days, or – 1 capsule each day for 15 days, or – 1 capsule each day for 30 days

Fungal infections in other parts of the body: Your doctor will tell you how many itraconazole capsules to take and for how long depending on your infection.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines that you buy without a prescription or herbal medicines.

In particular, do not take this medicine and tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following:

• Medicines for hay fever or allergy called terfenadine, astemizole or mizolastine, Medicines to lower cholesterol called atorvastatin, lovastatin or simvastatin, Medicines for an irregular heart-beat called quinidine, disopyramide, dronedarone or dofetilide, Medicines used to treat angina (crushing chest pain) and high blood pressure called bepridil, felodipine, lercanidipine, ivabradine, ranolazine and nisoldipine, Medicines for migraine headaches called dihydroergotamine and ergotamine
• Medicines for the treatment of drug abuse called levacetylmethadol and methadone, Cisapride – for digestive problems, Colchicine (in patients with kidney and liver problems as well) – for gout, Eplerenone – a diuretic
• Ergometrine (ergonovine) and methylergometrine (methylergonovine) – used after giving birth, Halofantrine – for malaria, Irinotecan – for cancer, Dabigatran – a medicine to thin blood,Ticagrelor – a medicine to thin blood, Quetiapine – for conditions affecting thoughts, feelings and behaviour, Aliskiren – for high blood pressure.
• Darifenacin – for urge incontinence and/or increased urinary frequency, Midazolam (by mouth) or triazolam – for anxiety or to help you sleep, Pimozide, lurasidone and sertindole – for conditions affecting thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

Do not start taking itraconazole capsules and tell your doctor if you are taking any of the above. Also, upon completing your course of Itraconazole capsules, do not take any of the medicines listed above for 2 weeks.

Tell your doctor if you are taking, any of the following medicines as they are not recommended with itraconazole capsules unless your doctor feels it necessary.

• Medicines for the treatment of cancer called axitinib, dabrafenib, dasatinib, ibrutinib, lapatinib, nilotinib, sunitinib or trabectedin
• Colchicine – for gout, Ebastine – for allergy, Eletriptan – for migraine headaches, Everolimus – usually given after an organ transplant, Fentanyl – a strong painkiller, Rivaroxaban – a medicine to thin blood, Salmeterol – for asthma and other breathing problems.
• Tamsulosin – for urinary incontinence in men, Vardenafil – for erection problems, Ciclesonide – usually given after an organ transplant, Temsirolimus – usually given after an organ transplant.

Also, upon completing your course of Itraconazole capsules, do not take any of the medicines listed above for 2 weeks.

Do not take any of following medicines 2 weeks before and while you are taking Itraconazole capsules unless your doctor tells you otherwise:

• Medicines for tuberculosis called rifampicin, rifabutin or isoniazid
• Medicines for epilepsy called phenytoin, carbamazepine or phenobarbital
• Medicines to treat viral infections called efavirenz or nevirapine
• St. John’s Wort (a herbal medicine)

Tell your doctor before taking, or if you are already taking any of the above. They may stop itraconazole capsules from working properly.

Your doctor may need to alter the dose of itraconazole capsules or your other medicine:

• Strong painkillers called alfentanil, buprenorphine (by injection or under your tongue) and oxycodone, Medicines for indigestion, stomach ulcers or heartburn can affect the stomach producing acid. There must be enough acid in your stomach to make sure that your body can use the medicine. For this reason you should wait two hours after taking itraconazole capsules before taking any of these other medicines. If you take medicines that stop the production of stomach acid, you should take itraconazole capsules with a drink of cola (not diet cola)
• Medicines used for anxiety or to help you sleep (tranquillisers), such as buspirone, alprazolam or brotizolam, Medicines used in the treatment of cancer such as bortezomib, busulphan, docetaxel, erlotinib, ixabepilone, trimetrexate and a group of medicines known as ‘vinca alkaloids’
• Medicines for conditions affecting thoughts, feelings and behaviour called aripiprazole, haloperidol, perospirone, ramelteon and risperidone, Medicines to thin the blood (anticoagulants) such as warfarin, Medicines for HIV infection such as ritonavir, darunavir, indinavir, fosamprenavir and saquinivir. (They are called ‘antiviral protease inhibitors’). Also maraviroc.
• Medicines for bacterial infections called ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin or erythromycin, Medicines that act on the heart and blood vessels called nadolol, digoxin and cilostazol or ‘calcium channel-blockers’ such as dihydropyridines and verapamil, Medicines for inflammation, asthma or allergies (given by mouth or injection) called methylprednisolone, fluticasone, budesonide or dexamethasone, Medicines that are usually given after an organ transplant called ciclosporin, tacrolimus or rapamycin (also known as sirolimus), Medicines to treat and overactive bladder – fesoterodine, imidafenacin, solifenacin or tolterodine
• Alitretioin (by mouth) – for eczema, Aprepitant and domperidone – to stop you feeling and being sick, Atorvastatin – to lower cholesterol
• Cinacalcet – for an over active parathyroid gland, Mozavaptan or tolvaptan – for low sodium blood levels, Praziquantel – for treatment of worms, Reboxetine – for depression, Repaglinide or saxagliptin – for diabetes
• Meloxicam – to reduce inflammation and pain, Midazolam – to help you relax or sleep when given into a vein, Sildenafil and tadalafil – for erection problems

Tell your doctor before taking, or if you are already taking any of the above. They may need to alter the dose of itraconazole capsules or your other medicine.

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Stop using itraconazole capsules and tell your doctor straight away if you notice or suspect any of the following. You may need urgent medical treatment.

• Sudden signs of allergy such as rash, hives (also known as nettle rash or urticaria), severe irritation of your skin, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body. These may be signs of a severe allergic reaction. This only happens in a small number of people
• Severe skin disorders with peeling and/ or rashes with small pustules (with a fever) or blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals, with fever, chills, aching muscles and generally feeling unwell.
• A tingling sensation, numbness or weakness in your limbs
• Severe lack of appetite, feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting), unusual tiredness, stomach pain, muscle weakness, yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes (jaundice), unusually dark urine, pale stools or hair loss. These may be signs of a liver problem
• Shortness of breath, unexpected weight gain, swelling of your legs or abdomen, feeling unusually tired or waking up short of breath at night. These may be signs of heart failure. Shortness of breath can also be a sign of fluid on the lungs (this occurs rarely)

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following side effects:

Common: Stomach ache, feeling sick (nausea), Headache

Uncommon: Problems with periods, Sinusitis, runny nose, coughs and colds, Constipation, diarrhoea, wind, being sick (vomiting), indigestion

Rare side effects:

• Increases in liver function tests (shown by blood tests), Unexpected passing of urine or need to urinate (pass water) more often
• Problems with sight including blurred vision and double vision
• Change in taste, Certain blood disorders which may increase the risk of infections, Ringing in your ears, Hearing loss (may be permanent), Severe upper stomach pain, often with nausea and vomiting (inflammation of the pancreas), Swelling due to fluid under the skin
• Unusual hair loss or thinning (alopecia), Red, itchy, flaking or peeling skin, High levels of triglycerides in the blood (shown by blood tests), Sensitivity of the skin to light, Erection difficulties.

Talk to your doctor before taking itraconazole:

• if you have ever had kidney problems. Your dose of itraconazole capsules may have to be changed
• if you have ever had liver problems such as yellow skin (jaundice). Your dose of itraconazole capsules may have to be changed. If after taking this medicine you have a severe lack of appetite, feel sick (nausea), are sick (vomiting), feel unusually tired, get stomach pain, muscle weakness, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, unusually dark urine, pale stools or hair loss, stop taking itraconazole capsules and tell your doctor straight away
• if you have ever had a heart problem including heart failure (also called congestive heart failure or CHF). Itraconazole capsules could make it worse. If after taking this medicine you get any of the following:
  • shortness of breath, unexpected weight gain
  • swelling of your legs or tummy, feel unusually tired
  • wake up short of breath at night

Stop taking itraconazole capsules and tell your doctor straight away. These may be signs of heart failure

• if you have Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or your immune system is not working as well as it should
• if you have had an allergic reaction to another antifungal product in the past
• Itraconazole capsules are not normally given to the elderly. However, your doctor may prescribe them in special cases.

Children and adolescents: Itraconazole capsules are not normally given to children under the age of 12. However, your doctor may prescribe them in special cases.

Blood tests: If your itraconazole capsules course is for more than one month, your doctor may want to check your liver by testing your blood.

Itraconazole capsules with food and drink: Always take itraconazole capsules straight after a meal as this helps your body to use the medicine.

Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility:

• Do not take itraconazole capsules if you are pregnant unless your doctor has told you to. You should use contraception to make sure that you do not become pregnant when taking this medicine
• The medicine in itraconazole capsules stays in your body for some time after you have stopped taking them. After your treatment has finished, you must use contraception up until your next period (menstrual bleed). Ask your doctor for advice on what type of contraception to use
• If you become pregnant after starting a course of itraconazole capsules, stop taking them and tell your doctor straight away
• Do not breast-feed if you are taking Itraconazole capsules, as small amounts of the medicine could pass into your milk.

Ask your doctor for advice. Ask your doctor for or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine if you are pregnant or breast-feeding

Driving and using machines: Itraconazole capsules can sometimes cause dizziness, blurred/double vision or hearing loss. If you have these symptoms do not drive or use machines.