Canesten Thrush Duo

Thrush is a yeast infection that can cause discomfort and itching around the vagina in addition to pain or itching during intimacy and urination.

The cream contained in Canesten Duo can affect latex condoms and caps, resulting in them becoming ineffective at stopping pregnancy and/or STIs. Use a secondary form of protection for up to 5 days after using this medication.

There are some very rare but more serious side effects linked to Canesten Duo, which include:

• changes to blood count
• liver issues
• disturbances to the heart’s rhythm
• skin reactions, including severe rashes

Canesten Duo can interact with other medications. If you use ergot medicines, pimozide, terfenadine, cisapride or astemizole, do not take the tablet. Ensure you have a complete list of any other medications you are taking and go through them with your doctor or pharmacist before using this treatment.

You can buy this over-the-counter medication online at Click Pharmacy. There will be a short set of questions to ensure you can take this drug safely, and once approved, you will be sent your treatment in discreet packaging to your chosen address via next-day delivery.

If the doctors at Click Pharmacy do not feel this is the best treatment for you, then you can discuss this via a confidential, online appointment, and they can advise you on an alternative.

Caused by an overgrowth of a yeast called Candida Albicans, thrush is a fungal infection and requires appropriate treatment. The tablet will help your body recover by killing some of the excess yeast, whilst the cream is designed to ease itching and pain as well as support the pill in destroying the fungi.

Using both treatments together means you can quickly and effectively deal with your thrush and bring your body back into balance within 2 days, in many cases, and within a week.

Whilst some forms of thrush treatment come in the form of a pessary or intravaginal cream, these can both cause a discharge as the treatment leaks out, which requires you to wear a liner in your underwear after inserting them. This can be uncomfortable or feel embarrassing for some women, so using a tablet is both convenient and simpler.

The cream supplied in Canesten Duo is not applied inside the vagina and instead only needs to be used on the skin surrounding the entrance. Since you need only apply a thin layer to the affected area to ease the itch or soreness, the cream will not be discharged from the body, and a liner will not be necessary.

The active ingredient in the capsule is fluconazole.

The inactive ingredients are colloidal silicon dioxide, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, maize starch and sodium lauryl sulphate.

The capsule shell contains brilliant blue FCF, titanium dioxide and gelatine.

The printing ink containsshellac, black iron oxide and propylene glycol.

The active ingredient in the cream is clotrimazole.

The inactive ingredients are benzyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, sorbitan stearate, cetylpalmitate,cetostearyl alcohol,octyldodecanol and purified water.

Both the active ingredients, clotrimazole and fluconazole, will kill the fungi Candida Albicans which is overgrowing and causing thrush. They do this by creating holes in the fungi’s cell membranes which are crucial to their survival and ability to replicate and grow. The membrane stops undesirable substances from getting into the cells as well as keeping the cell’s contents inside. When the two ingredients create holes in this membrane, it destroys the cells, stopping the overgrowth of yeast and enabling the body to recover its balance.

You take only one dose of Canesten via the tablet. This should be effective enough to clear up the infection within a week though if it does not help, then book a free, confidential appointment online with a Click Pharmacy doctor or your GP to discuss other options.

The cream only needs to be used whilst the infection is flaring up. once the symptoms have eased, you can stop using it.

You should speak to your doctor about using Canesten Duo when breastfeeding. It may be recommended that you use a pessary or intervaginal cream instead of the oral tablet because the ingredient in the pill, Fluconazole, passes into the milk of a breastfeeding woman.

Whether pregnant or breastfeeding, discuss using this medication before taking it.

Medications will affect each patient differently, with some experiencing no issues and other experiencing one or more side effects. Usually, side effects are mild and short-lived and therefore do not stop women from using the medication. If you experience a severe problem after taking Canesten Duo, seek medical help right away.

The most common, mild side effects include:

• nausea
• diarrhoea
• vomiting
• headache
• a rash from the cream, so stop using it if you experience this.

If you are prescribed Canesten Duo, then follow the doctor’s advice on how and when to take your medication. If you bought it over the counter, then ensure you read the instructions before use.

To treat the thrush, swallow the tablet with water, either with or without food.

If you suffer from itching or soreness around the vagina and vulva, the cream will treat this.

• Wash your hands before beginning.
• Remove the cap and pierce the seal of the tube by inverting the cap, placing it over the opening and pressing it down.
• The cream can then be applied in a thin layer over the entrance to the vagina.
• Do this around 2 or 3 times a day to soothe the symptoms.
• Once the infection and/or symptoms have cleared, you can stop using the cream.

If you have any signs and symptoms of thrush, you might need Canesten Duo. These include:

• Itching around the vagina
• A white discharge
• Soreness during sex

If you are uncertain whether you have thrush or bacterial vaginosis, a test available at your local or online pharmacy can help you check. We recommend getting it checked by a GP if you are experiencing symptoms of vaginal thrush for the first time. Thrush can be confused with a few STIs because of similar symptoms. Online test kits for STIs are an excellent solution for such concerns.

Canesten Combi contains a pessary to be inserted inside the vagina with the help of an applicator and a cream you can apply externally on the affected area. Both the external cream and the internal treatment contain the active ingredient clotrimazole. The pessary eradicates the infection internally from the source, whereas the cream relieves symptoms such as burning, itching and soreness. 

Canesten Duo, on the other hand, contains an oral capsule and an external cream. The capsule contains the active ingredient fluconazole and targets thrush's root cause, whereas the cream contains clotrimazole for symptomatic relief. 

Both Canesten Duo and Canesten Combi are equally effective in relieving symptoms such as itching and soreness and treating thrush.

Do not use Canesten Thrush Duo if you:

• Are allergic to fluconazole, clotrimazole, other azole antifungals, or other ingredients in the formulation
• Have porphyrias
• Are breastfeeding, pregnant or trying to get pregnant

Ask your GP before using Canesten Thrush Duo if you:

• Are under 16 years or over 60 years
• Are taking medication other than an oral contraceptive

Store your Canesten Thrush Duo in a cool and dry place where the temperature does not exceed 25°C. Keep the medication away from children. 

There are a number of equally effective alternatives to Canesten Duo. These include:

• Canesten Thrush Combi Internal and External Creams
• Canesten Thrush Combi Soft Gel Pessary and External Cream
• Canesten Thrush Combi Pessary and External Cream
• Canesten Thrush Internal Cream