Nystatin

What is Nystatin?

Nystatin is a daily oral thrush treatment that comes as an ‘oral suspension’ liquid. It’s sometimes available as a cream or ointment. The active ingredient in it, nystatin, is an antifungal. It destroys the fungus responsible for oral thrush, and can be used to treat and prevent infections.^[1]

Oral thrush is often caused by the fungus Candida albicans. Candida, a yeast, usually lives inside your body and on your skin. It’s also found in your throat, on the mucous membranes. This yeast is normally harmless, but it can sometimes multiply and causea fungal infection.

By swirling Nystatin around your mouth and then swallowing it, you can clear the infection and the symptoms it causes, such as loss of taste, soreness, and white patches on your inner cheeks and tongue.

How does Nystatin work?

Nystatin works by making holes in the cell membrane of the fungus causing your infection. This causes the contents to leak out, killing the fungus.^[1] Once the fungus is destroyed, your infection can be treated and your symptoms should clear.

How long the liquid takes to work will be different person-to-person. Fungal infections can sometimes be stubborn, so you should take it for as long as your clinician has recommended. You should carry on using the liquid even if your symptoms clear, because the fungus can come back if it hasn’t been completely destroyed.

What doses of Nystatin are there?

The liquid version of Nystatin is only available in one strength, which is 100000 iu per ml. Each amber bottle contains 30ml of liquid.

The normal dose for adults (and children) is 1ml of the oral suspension, four times a day. It’s sometimes recommended you wait for around three hours between each dose. Your clinician will let you know if they think you need to use Nystatin any more, or less, than this.

How to use Nystatin

You should use Nystatin exactly how your clinician has advised you to. Stopping the medication too early could mean the infection hasn’t cleared properly, so it’s best to stick with your recommended dosage routine.

To apply the liquid:

• shake the bottle before each use;
• remove the lid and measure out the amount you need using the dropper;
• dispense Nystatin into your mouth;
• swill the liquid in your mouth for 30 seconds before swallowing.

You should try to avoid eating or drinking anything for 30 minutes after using the liquid, as it can prevent it from working properly. The longer the liquid has contact with the infection, the better chance it has of destroying the fungus.

How long does Nystatin take to work?

Oral thrush can cause a ‘cottony’ feeling in your mouth. This is a common symptom, along with a white coating on your tongue, and on the inside of your mouth.^[1]It’s not always painful, but it can be.

The liquid can start to work after two days of regular use, but even if your symptoms start to clear, the fungus could still be present in your mouth. It usually takes Nystatin around a week to treat an infection, but it’s recommended you use the liquid for another two days after that to ensure the fungus has been killed.^[2]

What should I do if I make a mistake when using Nystatin?

Because you only absorb a small amount of Nystatin with each application, you shouldn’t experience any unpleasant side effects by taking more than you need. This might happen if you make a mistake with your dosage routine, so it might be worth setting an alarm for each time you’re due to use the liquid throughout the day.

There’s no need to take twice the amount of Nystatin if you miss a dose, as it won’t make the medication work more effectively. Instead, just skip the dose you missed and carry on with your normal schedule.