Do NOT use Nizoral if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Nizoral
• you have a fungal infection in the brain membranes (fungal meningitis)
• you are taking an aldosterone blocker (eg, eplerenone), astemizole, cisapride, conivaptan, dofetilide, an ergot alkaloid (eg, ergotamine), erythromycin, midazolam, nevirapine, pimozide, a quinazoline (eg, alfuzosin), quinidine, rifabutin, rifampin, terfenadine, triazolam, or a 5-HT receptor agonist (eg, eletriptan).

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Some medical conditions may interact with Nizoral. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you are allergic to other azole antifungals (eg, itraconazole)
• if you have low stomach acid (eg, hypochlorhydria)
• if you have a history of liver disease, regular alcohol use, alcohol abuse or dependence, or blood problems (eg, prophyria).

Some medicines may interact with Nizoral. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Many prescription and nonprescription medicines (eg, used for infections, HIV, seizures, anxiety, sleep, heartburn, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart problems, high blood pressure, allergies, irregular heartbeat, pain, blood thinning, asthma, migraines, mood or mental problems, cancer, prostate problems, immune system suppression, erectile dysfunction, urinary problems, or contraception [birth control]), multivitamin products, and herbal or dietary supplements may interact with Nizoral, increasing the risk of serious side effects
• Nevirapine, rifabutin, or rifampin because they may decrease Nizoral's effectiveness
• Astemizole, cisapride, dofetilide, erythromycin, pimozide,quinidine, or terfenadine because the risk of severe heart effects may be increased
• Midazolam or triazolam because their actions and the risk of their side effects may be increased by Nizoral, resulting in increased risk of sedation and breathing difficulties
• Aldosterone blockers (eg, eplerenone), conivaptan, ergot alkaloids (eg, ergotamine), quinazolines (eg, alfuzosin) or 5-HT receptor agonists (eg, eletriptan) because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Nizoral.

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Nizoral may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.

Important safety information:

• Nizoral may cause dizziness or drowsiness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Nizoral with caution. Do not drive or perform other possible unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
• Rarely, Nizoral may cause a severe allergic reaction right after you take the first dose. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the eyelids, face, or lips; or rash or hives. If this happens, seek medical care at once.
• Use of alcohol with Nizoral has rarely caused symptoms such as flushing, rash, swelling of the hands and feet, nausea, and headache. Talk with your doctor before drinking alcohol while taking Nizoral.
• Do NOT take more than the recommended dose or use for longer than prescribed without checking with your doctor.
• Nizoral only works against fungi; it does not treat viral infections (eg, the common cold) or bacterial infections.
• Be sure to use Nizoral for the full course of treatment. If you do not, the medicine may not clear up your infection completely. The infection could also become less sensitive to this or other medicines. This could make the infection harder to treat in the future.
• Diabetes patients - Nizoral may increase the risk of low blood sugar from your diabetes medicine. Check blood sugar levels closely. Ask your doctor before you change the dose of your diabetes medicine.
• Hormonal birth control (eg, birth control pills) may not work as well while you are using Nizoral. To prevent pregnancy, use an extra form of birth control (eg, condoms).
• Lab tests, including liver function tests, may be performed while you use Nizoral. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Nizoral should be used with extreme caution in children; safety and effectiveness in children have not been confirmed.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Nizoral while you are pregnant. Nizoral is found in breast milk. Do not breastfeed while using Nizoral.

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects.

Check with your doctor if any of these most common side effects persist or become bothersome:

Nausea; stomach pain or upset.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these severe side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloating; dark urine; decreased sexual ability; depression; irregular heartbeat; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; loss of appetite; numbness or tingling of the hands or feet; pale stools; severe or persistent nausea or stomach pain; swollen or tender abdomen; thoughts of suicide; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual tiredness or fatigue; vision changes; vomiting; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider.