I didn't think the infection was THAT bad.

July 16, 2012 5:20 PM

Did my doctor just prescribe waaaay too much medicine?

I asked for a diflucan prescription for a yeast infection. I just picked up the medicine from the pharmacy and got 30 tablets of fluconazole (150 mg) with directions to take one every day. My past experience has been that this is a one-dose medication. Am I missing something here or did someone make a mistake?

posted by lemoncello to Health & Fitness (9 answers total)

Wow....I've only gotten one.......not sure of the mg dosage but I'd call and be sure.... and if it's a crazy mistake, I'd change pharmacies of they didn't catch that.
posted by pearlybob at 5:24 PM on July 16, 2012

My wife, a nurse, says this is not an unusual dose.
posted by Sternmeyer at 5:28 PM on July 16, 2012

Best answer: I am a pharmacist.

Call your pharmacist and doctor's office to double check this dose before you take the medication for 30 days!!

The usual prescription for a run-of-the-mill yeast infection is 150 mg of fluconazole once. If you have a resistant infection or symptoms are very bad, that might warrant 30 days worth.

Please call your doctor!!
posted by watch out for turtles at 5:33 PM on July 16, 2012 [8 favorites]

Response by poster: Ok, that's what I thought. I'll call the doc in the morning. Thanks!
posted by lemoncello at 6:10 PM on July 16, 2012

As I noted in this recent thread, I have some experience taking long courses of fluconazole, but the longest I was ever prescribed was only 18 days. I would take the first dose, so you can start getting better, then call the doc tomorrow as planned.
posted by limeonaire at 7:17 PM on July 16, 2012

I've been prescribed ten days at once before, with refills, but I have a suppressed immune system and the fungal infections I get are persistent.

For an otherwise healthy person with a normal infection this is a lot. Are you sure it's fluconazole and not antifungal lozenges?

The only vague reason you should care is that it can be somewhat hard on your liver. Not usually an issue if your liver is otherwise fine though.
posted by thelastcamel at 7:19 PM on July 16, 2012

Response by poster: This is pretty much a run-of-the-mill infection and it's definitely fluconazole -- I checked packaging, labels and everything else. I heard the doc tell someone else in the hall to write the scrip and I wonder if they misunderstood him.
posted by lemoncello at 7:28 PM on July 16, 2012

I had one recently and my doctor prescribed me TWO pills of generic Diflucan 150MG, one pill to be taken right away and then the second two days later. I thought two pills seemed like a lot and called the office to check. (It was, indeed, what she intended and worked a treat!) Thirty pills seems crazy a lot and DEFINITELY call to check that shit. Good for you for catching that! (I'd totally change pharmacies like pearlybob says. They should have asked you about it. Mine asked me about the two pills.)
posted by Aquifer at 7:34 PM on July 16, 2012

Response by poster: Update: I called the doctor's office and it was supposed to be for three pills. I guess I won't have to worry about treating a yeast infection again for a while, but I think my insurance company's going to shit a brick.
posted by lemoncello at 7:18 AM on July 17, 2012 [2 favorites]