Generic Name: Voriconazole
Brand Name: Vfend
I only made it 5 months on VFend, before I just couldn't take the side effects any more. It is still causing me issues, 2 months after stopping it. I felt like my body was being destroyed, it was horrible! If my infection comes back, I don't know what I'm going to do, but I will never take this medication again!!
I have been on this medication for a few weeks. Started with acidic feeling in stomach and throat then upper right abdominal pain. Lab work completed and liver/ kidney numbers elevated. Also potassium elevated. Medication placed on hold while waiting for medication trough lab results. In the mean time abdominal discomfort/ fullness, feet/ankle swelling, swelling of peri area, belly button, and rectum. Red face with skin itching. Upper thigh swelling and loose stools. I am not sure what the next step is for me. Just feel uncomfortable. Had to put my medication for a MAC infection on hold while on this medication due to interactions. Hoping my MAC does not worsen or aspergillosis get worse.
After a bout of pneumonia April 2105, I was later diagnosed with Aspergillosis in June but could not start treatment until July as i was awaiting results of previous Atypical Mycobacterium avium may also have returned. I also have Bronchiectasis. By July it was now invasive aspergillosis and I started vfend orally, double dose initially then one table am and pm for 3 1/2mths. I was told to expect to be on vfend for 6-9mths. Initial side effects, blurred vision 5mins after taking lasting half hour, weight loss (52kg to 44kg), nausea 24/7 (similar to bad morning sickness or a big hangover), loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness and sun sensitivity (I did notice a quick redding of my skin in short exposure to sun light even though I am a long term outdoors person with very olive skin). The vision effects subside over time but we're still evident after taking and driving at night. Other symptoms remain same but you learn to handle or get used to them adjusting what works best for your daily routines and diet. I work full time and eased back in slowly to full days and lessened activities around the home and socially. Also due to my breathing difficulties with two blood clots in the lung, Warfarin treated those. Today mid Oct 2015 my ctscan and VQ scan showed all traces of the aspergillosis had gone and I am allowed to stop the vfend !! Should I be unlucky to get again, in my case probably, given my history and lung damage I would do the same.
My biggest problem has been loss of appetite,lost 15 lbs and went back on feeding tube five months after double lung transplant. It zaps all my energy,stomach churns 24/7, get dizzy getting up, but it's working. I'm doing 200mg twice a day.
I started this medication May 2012 after two bouts of pneumonia....when it was discovered that i had Aspergillosis. I read the reviews plus the decription of the the medication and was terrified....to date...after 3.5 months of 400mg per day I have had NO side effects other than sun sensitivity. My lungs are improving and hopefully I will be able to stop the drug in a few more months. I had a body scan on August 8, 2012 and no skin cancer or moles have changed. What I will say is this.....the medication is EXPENSIVE (no generic) and had I not had a drug plan I do not know what I would have done....it is $2600.00 per month....ouch
I was/am colonized with aspergillus and was treated with IV Vfend before and after a double lung transplant. Experienced terrifying hallucinations for days both times, although docs suspected the pain medication was potentiating this effect. Am getting ready to start again, 200mg twice daily oral, and I am not looking forward to it. Horrible drug but sadly there are few options.
This medication needs to be retested by the FDA. It has horrific side affects. I believe permanent, in the case of my husband. It causes hallucinations of great magnituded, liver function test to be extremely high. Swelled peeling legs, fluid retention in the legs..If we had it all to do over, we'd have refused treatment of this sort. It's better to die of fungal disease than to experience this kind of adverse reactions. My husband after being treated with this medication had to undergo an pysch evaluation for the first time in his life. He was cleared after getting off this med within 12 hours. Confused, distorted thoughts. It was hard on the family and it was hard to see someone suffer from a medication. Patients need to be protected from this medication!!!Stay away from this. Please don't take this medication. It set my husband back for month.
I have had systemic chronic candidiasis for over 10 yrs. and this is the first drug I have taken that(tried all the others) really kills it at a deep, deep level, not just control it.
Taking 2 pills a day increases my blurry vision and dizziness. Used with antibioditis increases these side effects even more. After taking it for a couple months I went to 1 pill a day and had minimal side effects. When I went off it, my aspergillosis came back and it took a long time to work again. It takes a couple months to start working and a couple months to get out of your system when you stop taking it.
I have been on Vfend for 3 months to treat an invasive fungal lung infection, aspergillosis. There are many side effects and the most current one was a sudden onslaught of double vision. My doctor has taken me off the Vfend and may order a brain CT Scan to identify the cause of the vision abnormalities. My doctor wants me to try Noxafil Oral instead. The list of side effects for both drugs appear to be similar. My lung infection has improved while using the drug Vfend, but the side effects have become debilitating, forcing me to miss work.
My husband had severe allergic reaction to this drug. Swelling of his arms, legs, feet. Slurred speech, halluzinations, vision problems, cold sweats, vomiting...
i have skin cancer it just keeps getting more squamous cell carcinmas. i have just about every "an cause side affects" on the list.i was put on in 2004 after lung transplant, as lung had aspergelis, as a precaution. i will ask mt trspt doc if i can stop ellen
When I first started this medication, I was nauseated, and had blurry vision for up to an hour after taking it. The side effects are very minimal now. I have been on it for 2 1/2 years, and it has keep me alive without affecting my transplant.
at first this medicine made me feel sour inside along with vomiting.i dreaded taking it 2x a day.but i noticed when i take it WITH food instead of a hr before or after.i feel alot better
I used this after Diflucan for Coccidioidomyhcosis (Valley Fever). Severe vomiting, hallucinations, and woke up in middle of night to searing pain in foot then numbness on that entire side of body. This was after 3 - 200mg doses. No more Vfend, no more nasty side effects. May work great for someone else, unfortunately not for me.
