One capsule treats most thrush. Recurrent thrush needs a different conversation entirely.
Explained by a GMC-registered GP, not a leaflet
Honest about what we can and cannot prescribe remotely
Side effects given the same weight as benefits
Your NHS records in the room, with your consent
Care led personally by Dr Khan
Attentive, unhurried care that listens properly
Five-star Google reviews from the people we have looked after
Registered with the Care Quality Commission
Fluconazole is a triazole antifungal. It blocks an enzyme fungi need to build their cell membranes, so the membrane fails and the fungus cannot survive.
Its great advantage over creams and pessaries is that it is absorbed and distributed throughout the body, so a single capsule treats the infection from the inside rather than requiring several nights of local treatment.
A second dose can be taken after three days for severe symptoms — but if two doses have not worked, the diagnosis needs revisiting rather than a third.
Adding a topical antifungal cream to the external skin helps with soreness that the capsule alone does not settle quickly.
A single dose is usually very well tolerated. Side effects become more relevant with prolonged courses.
In pregnancy, topical treatment is the right answer and works perfectly well — it simply takes a few nights rather than one capsule.
Even a single dose inhibits liver enzymes, so a few interactions matter despite the short exposure.
No monitoring for a single dose. Six-month suppressive courses prompt periodic liver function checks.
Recurrent thrush should prompt an HbA1c — undiagnosed diabetes presents this way more often than people expect.
Yes — though for a single episode of thrush, a pharmacy is quicker and cheaper than a consultation with us. We would rather tell you that than take the fee.
Where a consultation earns its place is recurrent thrush — four or more episodes in a year. That is a different problem, needs a longer suppressive course, and should prompt a check for undiagnosed diabetes.
It also matters because several conditions are mistaken for thrush — bacterial vaginosis, eczema of the vulval skin, lichen sclerosus and, occasionally, something needing examination. Repeatedly self-treating for thrush that is not thrush delays those diagnoses.
A single fluconazole capsule is available over the counter from any pharmacy, and costs a few pounds. That is almost always the fastest and cheapest route for a first episode, and we will say so rather than charge for a consultation.
Branded versions cost several times more than generic ones and contain exactly the same drug.
Six-month suppressive courses require a prescription, and remain inexpensive.
A single dose is complete in itself. Suppressive courses should be finished, as stopping early frequently leads to recurrence.
If two doses have not worked, it is probably not thrush. Consider:
For a first, typical episode, go to the pharmacy — it is quicker and cheaper. Come to us for recurrent thrush, for symptoms that have not responded, or where you are not sure it is thrush at all.
Improvement within one to three days. External soreness can take longer, and a cream applied to the skin helps with that.
Thrush: thick white discharge, itching, soreness. Bacterial vaginosis: thin grey discharge, fishy smell, little itching. If treatment is not working, the label is the first thing to question.
No — use clotrimazole pessaries and cream instead. They are effective and safe.
Four or more episodes a year warrants a proper look. Undiagnosed diabetes, recent antibiotics, and irritation from soaps and washes are common contributors. An HbA1c is worth doing. A six-month suppressive course usually breaks the cycle.
Only if they have symptoms. Thrush is not a sexually transmitted infection, and routine partner treatment is not needed.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Mohammad Zubair Khan, GMC 7563469
Last reviewed
August 30, 2026
On this page
Ongoing
Time to be seen
Appointment length
Your NHS record in the room
Written treatment plan
Told when a test isn’t needed
Cost
Same day, usually
20 minutes
Yes, with your consent
Included
Yes, and told why
£40 for 20 minutes
Varies by practice
Typically 10 minutes
Yes, your full record
Not routinely
Usually
Free
Same day
Often 10 to 15 minutes
Usually not
Sometimes charged
Varies by provider
Often a subscription
Same-day access is usually available, from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week. You choose a time that suits you rather than waiting on hold at 8am.
Yes. Care is led personally by Dr Mohammad Khan, so you are not passed between clinicians. Continuity is the point of a small practice: someone who knows your history and is listening attentively rather than working through a checklist.
Yes, with your consent. We can access your Summary Care Record during the consultation, so your current medications, allergies and significant history are in the room. That means fewer questions you have already answered elsewhere, and safer prescribing.
No. We are not here to replace GPs, only to support them. Your NHS practice remains responsible for your ongoing care, and with your consent we write to them after the consultation. We are useful when you need to be seen sooner, or want more time than a standard appointment allows.
Twenty unhurried minutes and a comprehensive assessment. A written treatment plan is included, along with any prescription, sick note or referral letter arising from the consultation, at no extra charge.
£40 for 20 minutes, self-pay. Membership is optional and never required. Priced for fairness, because we are not here to charge extortionate amounts for access to a doctor.
It means the diagnosis can usually be made from your history and photographs, and that treatment can be arranged safely without examining you. Where a condition is not marked treatable online, it is because examination is the diagnosis — listening to a chest, feeling an abdomen, examining an ear or a joint — or because a procedure or device is needed.
Yes, where there is a genuine bacterial infection — cellulitis, impetigo, bacterial urine infections, confirmed strep throat. We will also frequently tell you that you do not need one. Most sore throats, coughs, colds and earaches are viral, and an antibiotic gives you the side effects with none of the benefit.
If your problem turns out to be genuinely outside what we can do remotely, the doctor will tell you straight away, point you to the right service, and refund your fee in full. We would rather do that than fill twenty minutes to justify the charge.
Call 999 or go to A&E — do not book an online appointment and do not wait for a reply to an email. For urgent problems that are not emergencies, NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, online or by phone, and can direct you to the right service.
Patient reviews