Canesten Thrush External 2% w/w Cream 20g - Clotrimazole

Women’s Thrush Doctor's Service

Canesten Thrush External Cream relieves irritation of the vulva (vulvitis) which is caused by vaginal thrush (candidiasis).

Although this cream provides relief from the external irritation caused by vaginal thrush, it cannot treat any internal (vaginal) cause of the infection. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend a treatment for this.

Only use this product if you have been previously diagnosed by your doctor as having vaginal thrush.

Some women suffer from recurrent attacks of thrush. To reduce the frequency of these attacks, the sexual partner’s penis can be treated with this cream to prevent re-infection, even if they have no symptoms of thrush.

The active substance in Canesten Thrush External Cream is clotrimazole. Clotrimazole belongs to a group of medicines called azoles and is an antifungal agent which fights the cause of infections such as vaginal thrush.

How To Avoid Future Recurrences

• Wear cotton knickers and loose clothing.
• Wash daily.
• After going to the toilet, wipe yourself from the front to back as a thrushinfection may be transferred from the bowel.
• Change your sanitary protection regularly.
• Try to avoid wearing tights, nylon knickers and close fitting jeans.
• Try to avoid washing with perfumed soaps or using vaginal deodorants.
• Do not wash or rub yourself hard with sponges or flannels and avoid hotbaths with strong perfumed oils.

You must contact a doctor if your symptoms worsen or do not improve in 7 days.

Further information about vaginal thrush

Vaginal thrush (candidiasis) is a common infection that most women suffer from at some time in their lives and is not caused by lack of personal hygiene.

Thrush is caused by a yeast (fungus) called Candida which lives harmlessly in the vagina and other parts of the body, without you even noticing it.

However, the natural balance that keeps Candida under control can be upset by many factors such as hormonal changes (menstruation, contraceptive pill, pregnancy, menopause), poor health, antibiotics, perfumed soaps, bath additives and tight clothing.

If the natural pH balance is altered, the level of yeast increases and can develop into a thrush infection causing any of the following symptoms:

• persistent burning and/or itching around the vagina and vulva,
• redness, swelling and soreness of the tissues of the vagina and vulva,
• whitish, odourless discharge from the vagina.

Not everybody who has thrush has all these symptoms; you may have only one of them.

Like all medicines, Canesten Thrush External Cream 2% w/w cream Clotrimazole can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. As with all medicines, some people may be allergic to the cream.

If you are allergic, a reaction will occur soon after you have used the medicine.

If you experience an allergic reaction or the redness, burning, pain, itching or swelling get worse, stop using this product and tell your doctor straight away or contact the Accident and Emergency Department of your nearest hospital.

Signs of an allergic reaction may include:

• Rash.
• Swallowing or breathing problems.
• Swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue.
• Weakness, feeling dizzy or faint.
• Nausea.

After you apply the cream you might experience:

• Itching, rash, blisters, burning, discomfort, swelling, redness, irritation orpeeling of skin.

For a full list of side effects, read the Patient Information Leaflet.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, our Rightdose pharmacists or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.

You can help to make medicines safer by reporting any side-effects to the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard.

Before taking any medication, it is important to read the Patient Information Leaflet. You can find information leaflets for your medicines by typing them into the search bar at medicines.org, or by contacting us.

Patient Information Leaflet Canesten Thrush External Cream 2% w/w cream - Clotrimazole

Special precautions

As with other creams, this product may reduce the effectiveness of rubber contraceptives, such as condoms or diaphragms. Consequently, you should use alternative precautions for at least five days after using this product.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying for a baby, tell your doctor or midwife before using Canesten Thrush External Cream. If you have informed your doctor or midwife already, follow his/her instructions carefully.

How to use Canesten Thrush External Cream 2% w/w cream Clotrimazole

If Canesten Thrush External Cream has been prescribed for you by your doctor, follow any instructions he/she may have given you.

If you purchased this product without a prescription, follow these directions closely:

• Before use, pierce the tube seal by inverting the cap over the end of the tube and press.
• To treat the itching and soreness of the vulva (vulvitis), the cream should be thinly and evenly applied to the area around the entrance of the vagina, 2 or 3 times a day and smoothed in gently. A product to treat the internal (vaginal) infection should be used at the same time.
• Treatment should be continued until symptoms of the infections disappear.

Consult your doctor if the symptoms of your infection do not improve within seven days of finishing treatment for the internal infection.

Treating your sexual partner:

If your sexual partner is treated with this cream, the cream should be applied to the end of the penis 2 or 3 times a day for up to two weeks.

Do not use Canesten® External Thrush Cream:

If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to clotrimazole or any of the other ingredients, including cetostearyl alcohol, of Canesten Thrush External Cream.

Before using Canesten® External Thrush Cream, you should see your doctor if:

• You are unsure whether you have thrush or this is the first time you have had these symptoms.
• You have had more than two infections of thrush in the last six months.

Canesten® Thrush External Cream is for external use only.

Do not put the cream in your mouth or swallow it.

• If the cream is swallowed accidentally, tell your doctor straight away or contact the Accident and Emergency Department of your nearest hospital.

Ingredients:

The active substance is clotrimazole at a strength of 2% w/w.

The other ingredients are benzyl alcohol, polysorbate 60, sorbitanstearate, cetyl palmitate, cetostearyl alcohol, octyldodecanol and purified water.

What Canesten® Thrush External Cream looks like and contents of the pack

Canesten Thrush External Cream is available in tubes containing 10g or 20g of white cream. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Important information about some of the ingredients

This product contains cetostearyl alcohol which may cause local skin irritation (e.g. rash, itching or redness).