Have been using this cream for about four years...my doctor just kept refilling my script and never told me...?!
Question: Have been using this cream for about four years...my doctor just kept refilling my script and never told me....?
So, I have been using Clotrimazole and Betamethasone Dipropionate for about four years for chronic athletes foot (yes, I know it's gross, but nothing I can do about it!!) and just randomly decided to search the drug on Web Md. Apparently, it says that you shouldn't use it for more than four weeks in a row because the steroids can cause Cushing's...I mean, I only apply a small amount of it twice a day to the top of my toes, but I have been using this for years now so it kind of worries me a bit. Can a topical steroid really cause Cushing's disease and should I go to my doctor with these concerns or would it make me look like a hypochondriac.?.?Health Question & Answer
Answers:
It certainly isnt ideal to be using (pretty strong) steroid cream on the long term. Cushings would be an extreme case with topical steroids, but there are a host of other potential problems that arise from using steroid meds long term - not the least of which is significantly increased risk of osteoporosis.
**I would encourage you to have a chat with your doc about your concerns.**
And I'd also point out that athlete's foot is fungal in nature. The steroid will help manage the symptoms of the fungal infection, but won't do anything to treat the infection itself. Now... there are meds you can use to treat a fungal infection. Most of them are pretty hard on the liver (fungal infections are harder to treat pharmaceutically than bacterial infections, because fungi are much more advanced organisms. They have more in common with human cells.)
(SORRY... THIS GETS WORDY)
To treat and prevent athlete's foot:
1) Change your socks a few times through the day. Keeping your feet dry will be half the battle. To this end, you can get foot powders (medicated and otherwise) that will help. Do NOT use cornstarch. Cornstarch would be food for the fungus.
2) Go sock-less at home. Again, this is about keeping your feet dry. Letting them "air-out" as much as possible is the
3) Use a light (10%) bleach solution to "sterilize" the flip-flops you wear at the gym - just give 'em a little soak and a scrub. Do this every week or so. And ALWAYS wear flip-flops in the showers at the gym/pool to prevent re-infection.
4) Wash and thoroughly dry your feet at the end of every day.
By means of treatment -
You can try rubbing some tea tree OR eucalyptus OR lavender essential oil into the affected areas twice daily. That will work with a relatively mild fungal infection.
Better still - Pick up some boric acid at any old-school drug store. Find a bucket big enough to submerge one or both feet into. Add 2-4 tablespoons of boric acid in and fill with warm water. Soak your feet for about 15 minutes in the boric acid solution. Do this every night until the fungal infection is resolved. (Could be a week or two, depending on the severity of the infection.)
Note: You can use the above two treatments in combination for fastest effects, or do either as a stand-alone.
If these options don't resolve the infection, consider talking to your doc about the meds OR finding a qualified ND near you to address the problem with an herbal preparation. - - Due to the potential for toxicities when dealing with anti-fungal herbs, I prefer not to give details for that here.
Good luck!!Health Question & Answer
**I would encourage you to have a chat with your doc about your concerns.**
And I'd also point out that athlete's foot is fungal in nature. The steroid will help manage the symptoms of the fungal infection, but won't do anything to treat the infection itself. Now... there are meds you can use to treat a fungal infection. Most of them are pretty hard on the liver (fungal infections are harder to treat pharmaceutically than bacterial infections, because fungi are much more advanced organisms. They have more in common with human cells.)
(SORRY... THIS GETS WORDY)
To treat and prevent athlete's foot:
1) Change your socks a few times through the day. Keeping your feet dry will be half the battle. To this end, you can get foot powders (medicated and otherwise) that will help. Do NOT use cornstarch. Cornstarch would be food for the fungus.
2) Go sock-less at home. Again, this is about keeping your feet dry. Letting them "air-out" as much as possible is the
3) Use a light (10%) bleach solution to "sterilize" the flip-flops you wear at the gym - just give 'em a little soak and a scrub. Do this every week or so. And ALWAYS wear flip-flops in the showers at the gym/pool to prevent re-infection.
4) Wash and thoroughly dry your feet at the end of every day.
By means of treatment -
You can try rubbing some tea tree OR eucalyptus OR lavender essential oil into the affected areas twice daily. That will work with a relatively mild fungal infection.
Better still - Pick up some boric acid at any old-school drug store. Find a bucket big enough to submerge one or both feet into. Add 2-4 tablespoons of boric acid in and fill with warm water. Soak your feet for about 15 minutes in the boric acid solution. Do this every night until the fungal infection is resolved. (Could be a week or two, depending on the severity of the infection.)
Note: You can use the above two treatments in combination for fastest effects, or do either as a stand-alone.
If these options don't resolve the infection, consider talking to your doc about the meds OR finding a qualified ND near you to address the problem with an herbal preparation. - - Due to the potential for toxicities when dealing with anti-fungal herbs, I prefer not to give details for that here.
Good luck!!Health Question & Answer
Naturopathic DoctorHealth Question & Answer
You should talk to your doctor about it. My brother has eczema and the doctor prescribes cortisone for him but said that he should use it for more then a couple months because of the steroids that are in it and told use to alternate useing it with regular lotion (the cortisone helps him with the itching, he is only 2). There might be other medicines out there that you can alternate with the cream to help the athletes foot. I don't think that you should be using it every day for years, but I am not entirely sure about the cream and I don't know how much steroids are in it. Maybe it is safe for you because you only use a little bit, but talk to your doctor. You will feel better when you know for sure.Health Question & Answer