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efudex

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[quote][i]Originally posted by steellassie[/i]
[br]I am so grateful to have found this forum. Like many of you, I've gone thru various treatments up to and including Mohs surgery for squamous cell lesions. I will begin efudex & retin-a 2-Xs daily for 3 weeks at the end of the month. I know sun damage played a role in getting me to this place but I also wonder whether asbestos exposure from 30 yrs ago could have also figured in. I worked for 8yrs. as a blast furnace welder and wore company issued asbestos gloves. We also used asbestos coated welding rods back then. The squamous lesions started on the top of both hands and included the webbing between my fingers and skin up to the 2nd knuckle.  Over time, they progressed up my arms to the elbow area. The large, men sized gloves completely covered my skin to this point. If anyone out there has seen or heard of any skin connection to asbestos exposure I'd appreciate hearing from you. Thank you again for developing this wonderful sharing site where we can all learn and benefit from the encouragement it provides.

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anne	Posted - 07/31/2007 : 00:03:42 i have cancer all over my arms and chest. It is squamous cell and its very bad. I have had 9 surgeries. This is my third week on efudex and i am so sick and miserable. Does anyone know if this is worth it? Will it be gone after 6 weeks? I feel i can not take much more . I am so depressed.
120 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
deruo	Posted - 05/15/2013 : 22:51:16 quote: Originally posted by Snitz Here in the UK, they don't tell you anything about what the treatment is going to be like. You get given a leaflet that shows the stages of the treatment, red skin, peeling etc, but no mention of the pain. This seems to be fairly common in other countries too, Snitz. My Dr. told me I "may experience a little bit of reddening". An understatement if ever I heard one. I didn't even find out it was a topical chemotherapy drug until I got odd looks from the Pharmacist and decided to Google what it was I had just purchased, while in the parking lot sitting in the car. Drs. need to realize that some patients want to know what to expect, especially when we start looking like napalm burn victims and can't get in to see the Dr. We'd like to know as much as we can beforehand.
anivoc	Posted - 05/15/2013 : 21:55:21 Snitz...funny stuff for a not so funny journey... Cool that you can joke about it now.. Glad you healed up and thanks for sharing your experience Tom
Snitz	Posted - 05/14/2013 : 16:24:01 Here in the UK, they don't tell you anything about what the treatment is going to be like. You get given a leaflet that shows the stages of the treatment, red skin, peeling etc, but no mention of the pain. I did the treatment for 4 weeks and after day two, it started to burn. By day 7, I was in agony. I didn't bother with painkillers or cream to try and cool my skin down. I just persevered. I would look at the leaflet, showing the guy on week 3, with a smile and I would think.."Wait till I get hold of you, you lyin barsteward!" After the 4 weeks were up, I looked like an extra out of 'Burning Inferno' Local schools asked me to come do a talk on the 'Dangers of Masturbation'! The local Red Cross group asked if I would come along on a Monday evening so their volunteers could practise on a burn victim! When the the traffic lights up the road blew a fuse, the council asked if I would stand in as a STOP sign! Two weeks later though and the skin sloughed off and I was left with skin that hadn't been that soft since I was in nappies. It didn't get rid of it all though. I still get a few spots back on my nose and head. Would I use it again? Yes, it is still better than having lumps cut out of you..
Sutiro	Posted - 05/07/2013 : 18:52:27 I'd like to do one more post to sum up my experience. It may provide some feedback for those considering the treatment. I completed a 21 day, two applications per day regime on my forehead in February. Fourteen days later a two square inch scab peeled off leaving a smooth pink patch of skin. This patch is still evident three months later. I then commenced another regime on a larger area on the top of my head with the efudix cream I had left. I had enough for two applications per day for ten days and then once per day for three days more, then let it heal. The skin reacted within two days with lots of neon lights appearing. The whole process was completed in three weeks and the result was excellent. Ten sunspots were completely removed, no blemishes and the skin left smooth. I'm of the opinion that for me the 21day, twice a day regime was overkill and it burnt the skin more than was necessary. I am an obvious fan of efudix and am pleased to be able to have control of the condition into the future. I hope this has been of help to someone and thank you to those who provided me with feedback when I needed it. Cheers
JackRussell	Posted - 04/10/2013 : 07:58:20 Danny - I would be highly suspect if no reaction whatsoever was seen after one month. Either the product was defective or it wasn't being applied properly. It has to be applied twice a day to clean dry skin. For an area the size of the face you will use a tube in not much more than 2 weeks. You cannot apply anything to the face for at least 2 hours after applying it. It is vertually impossible not to get a reaction after 30 days. Inevitably, over that amount of time, the Effudex would effect some normal cells. Effudex is carpet bombing and some good cells get called up in the campaigne.
andrewecd	Posted - 04/09/2013 : 17:32:51 Danny, from what I understand that is good as you have no abnormal cells to react?
DannyB	Posted - 04/08/2013 : 17:20:00 I used efudex as prescribed for a month and never got a reaction.
dolfan	Posted - 03/23/2013 : 07:09:57 My chest is completely healed, but does not look any different than before I used it. I'm not sold on efudex as a cure, but more as a wake up call as to what my future holds for me. It is going to take 10 tubes to treat all of my areas. LOL
andrewecd	Posted - 03/22/2013 : 08:21:20 Still summer-ish in Sydney and always seem to have the sun in my face when driving to work and on the way home. I think the sun is playing games with my solar nuked face? If I have to do it again it will be in winter. Itching and soreness is better than yesterday. Still shedding skin and now waiting for cheeks to explode..!! Iam on day 20 now and 3 days off Efudex Anyone else currently Efudexing?
andrewecd	Posted - 03/21/2013 : 16:20:19 Thanks Deruo. Yes, still tightening. Was peeling before i stopped the cream, but more bits still to come I imagine. The tightness and stinging make my eyes water a lot. I would make a great Halloween zombie.
deruo	Posted - 03/21/2013 : 10:04:35 Andrewecd, I suspect you'll have a couple of days of tightening and peeling as the stuff continues to work for a period of time after you've stopped using it. Not to worry, I think a week from now you'll be much less red and the cracking and itching will resolve quite quickly. After a week I had a lovely red glow that was still pretty bad (who's kidding who!) but it was a GREAT deal better. Good advice about pre-booking appointments.
andrewecd	Posted - 03/21/2013 : 02:35:16 I am 49 male and on day 18. I was prescribed 14 days for face and had scabs etc falling off, but had some Efudex left so went for 17 days till tube empty. Must be mad, I know! Tightens up a lot after you stop and now crazy itching, burning etc. Nose and cheeks are cracked and on fire. I couldn't get any appointment as had concerns on day 14. Doctor was "too busy" (nice to hear that as a patient) so eventually spoke to her on the phone. She did say some people need to extend treatment, others considerably less, depends on many factors....Ok, so wouldn't it make sense to schedule another appointment at 10 or 14 days to check on my progress!!! She also said overuse of Efudex can damage our skin that is trying to heal if used too long. The 3 extra days I did would not be a problem, though. My only advice would be to make a few appointments before you start so the Derm can assess your situation/progress etc. They were always too busy once I had started! Wonder what the next week will bring..?
dolfan	Posted - 03/13/2013 : 19:14:04 I cannot imagine doing my face.
dolfan	Posted - 03/03/2013 : 13:43:19 wow! things are cooking now
dolfan	Posted - 03/02/2013 : 06:46:53 I'm on day 12 of Efudex on my chest and it is starting to get active. I like the way it takes so long, because it gets you in a routine of applying the cream, before the reaction starts.
DONAL101	Posted - 02/21/2013 : 02:04:29 Many thanks, i will consult with my dermatologist to wee what options he suggests, in the mean time I will battle on........
blsnbelles	Posted - 02/20/2013 : 17:31:28 My hubby was told by the dermo to do his nose only about 6 months ago so, Donal101 good for you, now what do I tell my hubby to get his nose done finally, although I agree with deruo the whole face is much better at once rather than fooling with it throughout a year. And I actually meant to say "pre cancerous" cells. The efudix won't do anything to parts of the face that haven't any pc cells. At least that is what I found on my face.
deruo	Posted - 02/20/2013 : 16:41:32 Donal101, welcome! Your skin sounds very similar to mine, but I didn't see any nastiness until about week two. When I started my dermo suggested I do my forehead first and then the rest of my face. I did the whole shot at once and I'm glad I did. Yes, it was trying but I was worried that if I did one part of my face, I may never get around to doing the rest. I would advise against stopping the treatment without consulting your Dr. and sticking with it as he/she suggested. I think most people here would suggest sticking it out and going to the max. Just my 2 cents.
blsnbelles	Posted - 02/20/2013 : 15:56:51 No I did my whole face a year a go in April. By June my face was pretty much clear. I must admit I was shocked at the amount of cancerous cells I had on my face and, when I go back to my dermo in April and if I have to do it again I would. I didn't stop going out in public and offered information to people letting them know that I was doing chemo on my face because I'm a Melanoma survivor. I can't tell you how many people knew about the treatment or heard of someone they know that has done it. Some knew what was up with the sores on my face and asked if I was using Fluororacil (Efudix). Otherwise I knew it wasn't forever and if someone didn't like it too bad it wasn't there health that was at risk, it was mine.
DONAL101	Posted - 02/20/2013 : 14:01:26 Hi, my first post here. For the last few years I have had a number of scaly patches across my forehead, temples and nose. I am 41 years of age, Irish and naturally have very fair skin with freckles. I have also had a fair exposure to sun over the years. I went to a Dermatologist who prescribed me Efudix 5%. I applied the Efudix as a spot treatment only as opposed to applying to the whole face. After day 3, about 15 red spots stated to appear, by day 7 these spots are now looking very angry. My Dermatologist advised me that this would happen but nothing can prepare you for the mess it makes of your face ! I am a Police officer and deal with the public every day, I am now very conscious of how I look and am considering how i deal with this. I am only at day 7 and I am thinking of stoping the treatment to the 15 spots and apply to 3 spots at a time. I know this would take the next 9-12 months to treat my whole face but the visual impact would be less alarming. Has anybody tried this ? What happens if you stop the treatment after only 7 days, will the red spots disappear ? ......
Sutiro	Posted - 02/10/2013 : 19:48:06 I'm now on day 4 of the recovery period. I stopped the Efudix treatment after 21 days, not because of pain or discomfort, (apart from pus running down my face at night) but because I felt it had done its job. I've had no trouble showering. It was actually quite soothing. Redness appeared mainly around the heavy ulceration and didn't spread further. I used lots of vaseline on these areas. It is one of the best moisturizers and costs very little. The wound is healing very quickly now but it is still heavily scabbed. I think now that everyone reacts differently to the treatment. I am keeping a photographic record of it all and will find a forum to post it on to help someone else considering the treatment.
JackRussell	Posted - 02/08/2013 : 12:39:03 Hi Dolfan - Sorry for the late response. If you cannot avoid the sun then you will have to put on 50 spf and cover up as much as possible. Up until now, many of us have gotten use to doing very little for protection from the sun. Protecting ourselves seems a big inconvenience but it is just what we have to live with going forward. I have actually changed some of what I do outside so that I am in the direct sun less often.
dolfan	Posted - 01/29/2013 : 18:34:30 So should someone who cannot avoid the sun, not do Efudex?
Sutiro	Posted - 01/28/2013 : 23:51:03 Thanks Jack I'll do it for as long as I can stand it. Day 13 and so far it's a doddle???l (I'll regret saying that) No pain but things are slowly starting to happen. My wife cleaned off the caked on cream on my forehead with a cotton bud. At least 10 raw sunspots can be seen. I'll have to postpone my modelling career:)
JackRussell	Posted - 01/28/2013 : 14:51:21 Hi Sutiro - Something you mentioned in your post caught my eye. You mention surgery, usually that is performed on basal cell. If that is in fact what you are treating then 2 weeks is inadequate. Really, 2 weeks is inadequate for pretty much all actenic and basal, but Dr's have resigned themselves to prescribibg the 2-week therapy because such a high proportion of the people who do this cannot tolerate the discomfort. Since 2 weeks will kill, say, 60% of what needs to be killed, Dr's figure let just do the 2 and be thankful and then in a another year or two do another two weeks.. and so on. With Basal cell, you must treat it aggressively, which usually means 6 weeks minimum. My girlfriend had basal cell surgically removed and required two follow up cosmetic surgeries to fix the scar. The next time she needed basal cell removed I talked her into Efudex. She braved through 8 weeks. Three 3 months after treatment she looked great. (She should be here touting the benefits of Effudex. She is so glad she went that route, pain and all.) P.S. Stay out of the sun. Efudex makes you overly suseptable to photo damage. And going forward after treatment you will be suseptable even more than before treatment.
deruo	Posted - 01/26/2013 : 21:42:55 Hi Sutiro, Okay, I think some of our confusion may be over what you're using. I notice that in Australia it's called Efudix vs Efudex in other parts of the world. Essentially the same 5% Fluorouracil. I also see that Efudix comes in an ointment form and yours could have been manufactured by ICN. Efudex (made by Valeant out of Quebec, Canada, and possibly others) comes in cream form or at least thats what I used and am familiar with. Obviously, the ointment would be water resistant and I can see where it may clump. Actually, I think that may be a better way to go as my face was so dry and tight (and painful) that I used Aquaphor (an ointment) to get relief. I would still try to wash as much of the old product off before you apply a fresh batch. It's interesting you mentioned the tingling when you bent over. My face usually started tingling at night. Like a million mosquito bites all at once. It was fine during the day... just happened at night - usually around midnight. So much so that I couldn't sleep without some heavy duty help. In any event, I'm not surprised at how busy your Dr is. Most of my Australian friends have had or know someone who's gone through this, and even my Dr here in Canada does little else but treating AKs and sun-damaged skin. Hang in there!
Sutiro	Posted - 01/26/2013 : 21:16:55 deruo & jack russell thanks for your quick responses. The cream is marketed as Efudix in Australia but it seems to be the real deal - Fluorouracil 5% w/w. The instructions that come with it basically say to do everything in accordance with what the doctor says. All my doctor said was to use it one spot at a time with a new spot every two weeks and not to come back complaining of the pain if I use more than that. His skin clinic is a surgery and is always booked out. I've had 8 BCCs cut out so far at $300 a go, so I understand why they are reluctant to promote Efudix. It empowers the patient and reduces the demand for surgeries. I won't be going back to that doctor so I am self medicating at the moment while travelling in SE Asia. The cream is water resistant and so far I have had no nasty side effects. The ulceration is commencing under the cream and I'm getting a tingling feeling particularly when I bend down. I am a male, so no cosmetics or anything else are being used. It might be a new generation of the cream that I am using? On the packet it lists all the side effects but it also says that I may not experience any of these, fingers crossed. Anyway I'll try removing the old cream before applying the new. Thanks again for your help.
deruo	Posted - 01/26/2013 : 17:17:05 Sutiro, like JackRussell, I have to say that the cream itself shouldn't be caking up, unless you aren't removing it or using far too much, or applying it on top of makeup or something. My first tube was thicker in consistency than the second, but it never caked. Or did you mean it's caking up because you're applying it over scabby, peeling skin? I found this rather tricky to do and uncomfortable (and later on in treatment... a bit of a relief getting some moisture on my skin, even if it was Efudex) but it never caked per se. Either way, I agree with Jack... wash your face prior to each application (with a mild cleanser if your skin is very tender) and then apply a thin layer to your skin. Do not apply anything at all prior to application of Efudex, just in the off chance you are doing so.
JackRussell	Posted - 01/26/2013 : 09:13:34 Caking up? That does not sound like Efudex. Efudex has a sllightly grease-like feel. You apply it to clean skin cleared of all make up, lotions, everything, in a very very thin coat. Wash your face with water before every application. It is best not to apply any lotions, make up or anything over it during the course of tratment. Within a very short time there is really no redidue. If you apply twice a day, once in the morning and then aging 12 hours later, then by day seven your face will begin to turn reddish in those places where there is sun damage. If there is no sun damage then there will be no red. Either it is not Efudex or you are applying it over or under something else like make up, etc.
Sutiro	Posted - 01/25/2013 : 19:37:43 I am at day 10 of applying efudix twice daily and not a lot is happening yet. The cream does not absorb and has been sitting on the skin caking up with each application. Is this normal or should I clean it off before each application?
dolfan	Posted - 01/24/2013 : 16:28:11 thanks for posting ghostcat. I was talking to a buddy about fu today and he said that one week is all that is needed. he also gets nose bleeds real bad so I will warn him.
ghostcat	Posted - 01/24/2013 : 14:35:23 I just finished using 5% fluorouracil on my entire face. I was prescribed a 3 week treatment twice a day but decided to quit at day 20 due to a severe bloody nose. Granted, I have chronic nosebleeds but this one was really bad and one of the possible serious side-effects of 5FU is thrombocytopenia, which is difficulty clotting, which can cause bleeding into the brain. This bleed did not respond to the nose spray as usual, so since I had had a pretty good response to the FU, I chose to stop 2 days short. I notice that some posters here recommend an extended course but I would hope that everyone will check with their doctor on that. I'm still doing the backs of my hands as prescribed by my trusty dermatologist. Her reasoning for the 3-weeks to the face and 4-weeks to the hands is that the skin turnover for the face is 3 weeks whereas for the hands, 4 weeks. So unless your doc states you should go further, I really wouldn't do it. FU is certainly a very miserable treatment, but I would rather do an additional one in the future, if it is necessary, than prolong the misery unnecessarily and risk some dangerous side-effects. Best wishes to everyone.
MsDubbs	Posted - 11/21/2012 : 22:29:56 I haven't had to repeat yet, but see the doc. Nov. 29th and hope he says I don't have to. I did the efudex for 6 weeks though. There's pics and links in some of the older posts if you want an idea of what to expect. Betty
Dianne57	Posted - 11/18/2012 : 18:28:30 OK, I am doing my face with Efudex in sections. My doctor has me doing 2 weeks and wanted me to do my face all at once. I am curious if anyone knows if you repeat it again in 90 days do you have the same reaction or is it much less.
MsDubbs	Posted - 10/25/2012 : 11:48:51 Hi Samrad! I don't have an answer for you, but someone will come along that knows more about it than me. Good luck with the treatment!
samrad	Posted - 10/24/2012 : 10:28:50 I am on my second time around with efudex. The first time was 5 yrs ago when I did my face, chest and neck.I had an excellent reaction according to my Dermatologist, I applied the cream 2x day for 21 days. I am now doing my neck and chest again, holding off on my face as I do not want to take time off work as I did before, as I stayed in and hibernated for 3 months, too embarrassed to go out in public. As soon as I applied the Efudex this time within 2 days I had nasty red areas everywhere. I cannot really understand as to WHY this has happened again as I have never exposed myself to the sun especially the chest, the neck is exposed just naturally, but I have always used a high % sunscreen. It makes me wonder if all this pain and inconvenience is worth going through if it is not clearing up. This time the areas are larger as compared to the pictures I took before and is seems much more tight and painful and itchy. I am doing 5 weeks 2x day.
MsDubbs	Posted - 10/23/2012 : 23:38:51 I've been finished with Efudex for 3 weeks and my hair is still falling out. Anyone else had this problem?
anivoc	Posted - 10/14/2012 : 09:03:31 5FUGrad Thanks for the detailed report...Wow! Congratulations! Sounds like you really had a lot of skin damage. This new protocol with 5FU is a lot different than what was prescribed 15-20 years ago. My sister used it but just for a week or so. It is interesting to me in regards to the extent of damaged skin we all actually have. The rub it everywhere and see where it reacts is a sure way to find all sun damaged skin, I just wonder if all of it would necessarily evolve into skin cancer. There are so many people here using a myriad of alternative treatment I just don't know if I would go the 5FU route but for those that do, If you do the 5 week protocol it sounds like it is sure you are going to remove all damaged areas for a long while.
5FU Bootcamp Grad	Posted - 10/14/2012 : 01:14:30 I completed seven weeks of 5% fluorouracil to my face and neck, once every other day for the first week, once a day for the second week, and twice a day during weeks three to seven. Before starting the treatment, I read everything that I could find on the Internet about what worked for other people. I want to share some things that I learned from my personal experience. Removing dead tissue: Both my doctor and I was surprised at the extent of sun damage on my face and neck. About 25% of the skin on my face and 50% of the skin on my neck reacted to fluorocuracil and became necrotic. My husband joked that I looked like a burnt hotdog or marshmallow that had been held in the campfire too long. I initially decided not to actively debride any of the necrotic tissue present, but was forced to do so around week four because the surrounding tissue was starting to become red, warm and inflamed from the large amount of dead tissue present. I found that the easiest and most painless way to remove the dead tissue was in the shower. I found that if I allowed the steam and hot water to soften the dead tissue, it would easily come off with gentle rubbing using my fingers. To prevent infection, I washed my face, neck, hands, and fingernails thoroughly with chlorhexidine soap before and after. I debrided at my own pace, stopping whenever the pain was more than I was willing to tolerate and resuming when the pain was back at zero. Pain control: I discovered that my face and neck would hurt only if I allowed my wounds to become exposed to air and dry out. I purchased and tried a lot of different products over the counter: Bacitracin (which I used while there was a large amount of necrotic tissue present and I was at high risk of developing a skin infection), petroleum jelly, organic castor oil, organic hydrogenated soybean oil, petroleum impregnated gauze, occlusive dressing, non-adherent dressing, etc. What worked for me and allowed me to remain almost pain free during the entire treatment was to liberally apply organic hydrogenated soybean oil (e.g., organic shortening) to the affected areas on my face and neck every four hours using a cotton swab (my Dermatologist really stressed the importance of using something organic because whatever was used would be absorbed into the body). After applying the organic hydrogenated soybean oil to my face and neck, I also covered my neck with non-adherent dressing, and to keep the non-adherent dressing from absorbing the oil and drying out, I covered the non-adherent dressing with a small piece of Saran wrap and held everything in place with a scarf. Because I didn't allow my wounds dry out and scab over, my wounds started to re-epithelialize right away and my wounds were completed healed in 3 weeks. Hyperpigmentation following fluorouracil treatment: My understanding is that most people do not experience hyperpigmentation following treatment with fluorouracil. I recall only one person mentioning that it happened to her, and she said that her scars faded in 2-3 months. It was a concern of mine, and my dermatologist told me that I wouldn't scar from the treatment and was surprised when I did scar. I am now almost two months post treatment, and the scars on my face has almost completely faded. The scars on my neck will take a bit longer (2-3 years?) to completely fade. I wear sunscreen and a hat and avoid the sun, if I can, to prevent the scars on my face and neck from darkening.
Longdrop	Posted - 10/13/2012 : 03:57:19 Hey guys. I was prescribed 21 days Efudex twice a day by a dermatologist two years ago. He showed me pictures of people who had done enough and who had done too little. It was unpleasant and after 19 days I went back to my general practitioner to check as I had started to bleed into my pillow. He said I had done enough and to stop. I agreed. I suggest people bear in mind 1) Efudex doesn't appear to cure melanoma ever, at all. Forget it. Actinic keratoses yes, BCC's yes, SCC's and Bowen's maybe if they are babies. The big M, no. It is open to question whether it will light them up, but I suspect it might. Won't kill them though. 2) there is some research which suggests a small amount of sun exposure during treatment potentiates the treatment (I didn't do this as it is too scary and inadequately researched) 3) My face is now fine and I have used the cream a couple of times to clear up stuff I missed (eg in the inside top of one ear for heaven's sake but it worked a treat in two weeks) 4) I pay these guys lots of money to tell me what to do. They have lots of experience of it. I don't, so I do what they say. 5) I strongly suspect the the treatment regime prescribed depends on the dermatologist's view of the extent and nature of the damage. Just do what they say. If it doesn't work you can try again, or something else. Love to all.
shaecakes	Posted - 10/12/2012 : 14:47:07 Thanx everyone, I am only on a 14 day treatment, 2xs a day. If I don't show anything by the time I am done, should I contact the doc? After everything I have read, it almost seems like 14 days is very little time.
JackRussell	Posted - 10/12/2012 : 12:47:15 MrsG - What was it that the Dr saw that caused the Dr to discontinue?
JackRussell	Posted - 10/12/2012 : 12:40:55 Hi Shaecakes - After washing the area to be treated you must rub a dab of cream onto/into that area. Apply when the skin is dry. Do not wash this area until it is time for the next application. In my situation, I did not put any creams or other products on this area during the time of treatment. In all cases with which I am familiar, during the first week (7 days) of treatment you are in the "getting pink" stage. After this period is when the more pronounced effects begin. At day ten, if you have sun damage then you should have more than a few red spots. You should be at a point where you are starting to see and feel the effects which have brought many people to this website. You should pretty much be at a point where you are becoming anxious and counting the days to when you can stop treatment. Hope this helps.
pamos	Posted - 10/12/2012 : 12:38:17 I was on it for over 3 weeks before I started to see any reaction. Trust me it will come! You are covering a lot of areas so don't get discouraged.
shaecakes	Posted - 10/11/2012 : 14:54:37 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, newbie here. I found this site and have read it from the beginning. I am on day 10 of 2x a day and nothing yet other than a little fatigue and occational spot burning. I wonder, is this stuff just not working, or do I just not have any sun damage? I am doing the treatment because the derm did a biopsy on one of the little red raised spots on my shoulder and came back positive. I have a lot more of them and am putting this on my face, chest, shoulders and arms. My chest has the most. I just don't get why I have had no reaction. Anyone have any clues?
MrsG	Posted - 10/10/2012 : 13:04:26 Hi All - thanks Jack for your info . . . well, I made it to 35 1/2 days - had an already schedule with my primary and she was not pleased with the stage of my face, so we all decided time to quit . . . now comes the aftermath . . . stay strong all:):)
JackRussell	Posted - 10/07/2012 : 19:00:59 [Hi MrsG - I asked my brother and girlfriend if they recall at what point they started to peel but they were unable. In my case it wasn't untill I stopped the treatment, which makes sense since I would think your skin cells would need to start regenerating for that to happen and that will not happen as long as you are on EF5. My GF had basil cell which was being treated. My brother was taking it without a DR's guidance to treat what he (in his non-expert opinion) thought was pearl cell. Last I read EF5 was OK'd by the FDA only for AK & basil. I had melanoma on my neck which lit up when hit with EF5 (I later had this surgically removed). So it obviousely reacts to many non-normal cells. My brother went 90 days and we thought he had permanently scarred himself but after several months he was looking great. I'm glad you are more than half way there - I'm really psyched for you. Come the end of November you are going to be amazed by how healthy your skin is. You have come this far and I know you can go the distance.
MrsG	Posted - 10/06/2012 : 13:48:42 Thanks JackRussell - I started Labor Day in the evening and do two applications a day on my whole face . . . when I saw my derm two weeks later, she said to do two months - admittedly, I'm not sure if that is two months total, or two more months - regardless, I'm still trying to figure out what state I'll be in in the first week of November. If I remember correctly, you mentioned your gf at the time did 60 days, and your brother did three months . . . do you recall when they started major peeling - I've had some peeling, but does not sound like those I've read on blogs, so not sure if my system needs a few days of no FU before doing it's 'after' job . . . oh well, it is what it is - I'll start shopping for a veil:):) Welcome pamos and good luck . . . Happy Fall all - the colors are beautiful here - well, what I can see from the windows:):) Maybe I'll go for a ride tomorrow to check out the area - we live in the most beautiful area of America for Fall colors!!!!
JackRussell	Posted - 10/06/2012 : 09:05:55 Hi MrsG, I reviewed your posts and was unable to determine the frequency of your applications. For me, I had applied Efudex twice a day to my face, ears and neck for 5 weeks. If you are on the same regime as I and you are about 33 days into it then you will soon pass my 35 days. I recall it taking me two weeks after ending treatment to finish with most the peeling, and taking me about a month to fully return to normal. Actually, the first week after ending treatment you will make tremendous progress. If you are applying it thru October and attending a wedding in early November, in say in the first week of November, then maybe think about the veil � and also consider it for the second week of November. By the third week at least you'll be feeling better about yourself even though its noticeable, but at least much of the peeling is over. I will tell you though, just making it to the last day, that last application and knowing that, that is it. That is such a great feeling. You�ll be anxious to get the healing over with and get back to normal, but just that feeling that you have put the treatment behind you is so good.
pamos	Posted - 10/06/2012 : 01:47:46 I am just about done with week 5 of Efudex. I finally called my derm today since I have been using it once a day and wanted to find out if I should use it until I stop getting a reaction to it or just stop after a specified amount of time. Of course I was only able to speak to a tech, and it seemed like I knew more about it then she did. In any case, the derm said to use it for 3 weeks. From this forum, that does not seem long enough, so I went to 5 weeks. I have had scabbing over for the last week and half. Just wondering if because I was only applying it once a day if I should go longer? I have been applying it to each cheek. Its been pretty sore and painful, today I resorted to putting ice packs on my face at work - thats always attractive. I just do not want to have to re-do the treatment.
MrsG	Posted - 10/04/2012 : 10:04:25 Hi All - hope you are progressing OK . . . @Jack Russell - you seem to be experienced in 30 day and 60 day treatments - I'm on day 30 of my 60 day cycle - curious, will I experience the sloughing at the same time the 28 day peeps, or will I have to wait until the 60 day period . . . just trying to prepare for a wedding I would love to attend at the beginning of November and wondering if I'll need a "fascinator with a veil":) MsDubbs - hope you are doing well . . . thanks for the encouragement:)
MsDubbs	Posted - 10/01/2012 : 16:52:32 Thanks for the reply! I'm just a little to anxious I guess. I've lost a lot of hair also, but that will grow back. I've learned alot from everyone on this board!
deruo	Posted - 10/01/2012 : 12:45:40 Everyone is probably a little different. The worst for me was the week after I finished. Healing progressed very quickly from then. I was various shades of red through dark pinks for about a month after. Then just pink patches that "flushed" after exercise, washing my face or applying sunscreen for about another 2 months.
MsDubbs	Posted - 10/01/2012 : 12:01:25 My last day of efudex was Sunday I just wonder how long it takes to heal up? Anyone know? MrsG, hang in there!
deruo	Posted - 10/01/2012 : 11:08:42 Hang in there MrsG!
MrsG	Posted - 10/01/2012 : 10:16:23 Well, how is everyone doing????? . . . it's been a tough week for me, but I'm pulling through - did put a call in today for some pain relief:( . . . sometimes the old saying "silence is golden" is not the case - my silence was due to no energy to share - I know this will be over in time, but it is difficult, but, better than the possible other choice . . . use sunblock all!!!!
MrsG	Posted - 09/25/2012 : 15:05:54 Cannot quite believe the change just since Sunday - woke up Monday morning all swollen, then again this morning - looks like I have a bad case of the mumps - do have a call into my derm, but she has not called:( . . . no swelling anywhere else other than my face, so not sure if it is an allergic reaction or not . . . well, maybe I'll go get some cheese for my 'whine' . . . thanks for this place . . . :) . . . well, she just called - use cold compresses - normal reaction to the damage done earlier in my tanning days . . . use sunblock!!!! She did say I could cut back or stop for a few days, but I'll try to tough it out and see what happens . . . later all:)
MrsG	Posted - 09/23/2012 : 12:41:14 Happy Sunday all . . . at least it seems we're all moving along . . . must say I really do miss my bike riding and golf, but have been shopping to keep the exercise going - well, I think I'm pretty much 'housebound' now - it's not pretty:):) . . . too difficult to get makeup on - I'd go out if I really needed to though:):) - quickly!!! Have some house projects that I've been avoiding that I'll start working on . . . stay well all!!!!
MsDubbs	Posted - 09/23/2012 : 01:42:19 Thanks for the chuckle!! I have until the last day of Sept.
John Howell	Posted - 09/22/2012 : 17:34:02 Well, fans, I am at day 18 or 19. The blisters have all turned scabby. I am sitting on my patio with a half-dozen sparrows chirping around my feet, peeling off scabs, tossing them. The sparrows love them. I thought you might all appreciate a little Marine Corps humor in the midst of your misery. Sometimes laughter was all that we had. Semper Fi
MsDubbs	Posted - 09/21/2012 : 10:06:53 Thanks JackRussell!!
JackRussell	Posted - 09/21/2012 : 08:31:26 I love the spirit I see coming from MsDubbs, MrsG and John Howell. You all seem to be intent on going the needed distance [with this drug] to get the job done right. I have been begging people on this forum to bite the bullet and go the requuired amount of time to get the required outcome. When this is all done and you are 1,2,3,4 years out make sure you return to this forum as I have to report how you are doing. It's been about 6 years for me and still my skin is great. I'm paler but my complexion and skin tone are great. The time I did with effudex was well worth it - and I have no idea the problems from which it may have saved me. Keep the pressure on!
MsDubbs	Posted - 09/21/2012 : 00:12:51 MrsG, good luck to you! I have 11 more days.
MrsG	Posted - 09/20/2012 : 08:35:33 Day 16 for me - had my two week appointment with the derm Tuesday . . . all on schedule, was instructed to continue for two months - yes two months, not weeks - OK with me - want to get it all out and move on . . .sunblock will now be my friend. Experiencing many red blotches, some drying and itching, but bearable - Aquaphor is helpful:):) Gool luck all!!!
dolfan	Posted - 09/18/2012 : 18:48:19 nice post John, my Dad was veteran of WW2 and Korea and died from cancer that they said was from the fallout of being near the atomic bomb in Nagasaki. I don't know if that is true, but I feel lucky to have escaped the horror of war.
John Howell	Posted - 09/18/2012 : 18:08:36 I am day twelve into it, more or less. I will keep going until the tube runs out. On a scale of 1-10 I would put it all at about a 1.7. The burn has become an itch. Last night I could not sleep and had to go away from my bride of 52 years and head to the couch. I am a Marine with two hitches, one in Twentynine Palms where the desert sun was brutal. We had no full covers there or in Vietnam nor sunblock. And even if they had them I don't think the Marine Corps cared enough about us to give us the junk. So Leathernecks became Cancernecks. Everywhere that the sun don't shine I have had the squalmos and basal and all the rest. I now look like a leper but what the hell, life is the sum total of all experience. I have absorbed a lot of sunshine. To you who are heading into the treatment: Stick it out. Life can and will deal you worse. To the gals who have put your pics up with your burn marks: You are all beautiful. Semper Fi
MsDubbs	Posted - 09/17/2012 : 13:33:29 I don't have the metallic taste anymore, but nothing tastes quite right.
John Howell	Posted - 09/17/2012 : 13:14:58 I am ten days into Efudex for my hands and arms. I am the usual mess as described above. Maybe I am a screwball but I have and unusual experience with taste that may be a side effect. Particularly, some things have taken a bitter aftertaste and my old afternoon glass of wine- my usual brand- doesn't taste so good. Has anyone experienced this? This symptom onset about the time I started on Efudex.
MsDubbs	Posted - 09/14/2012 : 22:40:18 I've been on Efudex for 4 weeks and still have two to go. I have both basel cell and squamous cell cancer on my scalp. My scalp is really tender right now and I've lost a good bit of hair. The side effects I've had were nausea and metallic taste to begin with and itching headaches, and hair loss now. I've included pics and it's pretty nasty looking. Image Insert: 59.66�KB
dolfan	Posted - 09/14/2012 : 08:43:42 I have a friend here in Miami who does it the same way as prescribed by his derm. He said it was no big deal and I told him what I read about (five weeks) and he said that was not necessary. Anything is better than nothing and I think you guys in cold climates should open up a halfway house for recovering efudex addicts to recover (LOL)
ecobabe	Posted - 09/14/2012 : 00:57:33 Thanks Guys, how to scare a newbie off. My dermatologist is one of Australia's leading skin cancer specialists. I have been under his care for the past 6 years. I will follow the regime as he has prescribed because he has a great deal of clinical and professional experience. His preference for 1 week of twice daily applications, monthly, for 4 months is based on patient compliance and outcomes. I did the first application this morning.
deruo	Posted - 09/13/2012 : 15:07:34 Ah I get what you mean. Nothing wrong with being honest. Ideally, I think it would be best to do it at a time of year when the sun and heat isn't at its peak, wherever you live. Especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors during daylight hours or can't make changes to your lifestyle for any period of time. My new dermo has said that Efudex wouldn't have been her first choice for the reasons we've all heard about pain etc. She seems to prefer Aldara. I have a follow up with her in November so we'll see!
dolfan	Posted - 09/13/2012 : 14:55:34 The problem with effudex is the heat and the sun exposure. I would love to be over and done with it in one shot, witch is what efudex sells in it's ad. My problem is my lifestyle and the fact that the pain and suffering from that cream would make me want to quit after the going got tough....just being honest.
anivoc	Posted - 09/13/2012 : 12:44:45 There's a lot of talk in this thread about dying from skin cancer. To be clear very few people die from non-melanoma skin cancers and melanoma is melanoma not actenic keratosis, squamous or basal cell. As I understand it these non melanoma cancer don't "turn into" melanoma. Melanoma is a different animal and when Dan set this site up he made it clear this is for treating non melanoma skin cancers..Basically though there are a lot of people here who claim they have beaten melanoma alternatively..The proof of the pudding has yet to be shown clearly or properly documented. That said.. Efudex was a early method of treatment of non melanoma skin cancers. It was not developed for them but as a chemotherapy drug. As ocologist treated patients , those with non melanoma skin cancers started breaking out with sores all over their sun damaged bodies. The medical world connected the dots and big pharma developed a diluted down version to treat skin cancers.. I remember my sister first using it @ 20+ years ago..and me buying some from online and using it on some small Ak's I had.. A few years later when I was speaking to one well known derm here in California he said he had quit prescribing it because he felt there were better faster treatments now and that because effudex is so hard to deal with a lot of people quit before they should leaving bad cells hidden below to fester and grow unnoticed... Great! Anyway to those of you using it follow through.. IMO there are a lot of equal or better alternative options here on this site that are faster and will provide equally good results with less time and pain. Just my opinion and observation and to clarify...I am just a lay person taking stabs in the dark like the rest of us here.
deruo	Posted - 09/13/2012 : 10:30:14 Why's that dolfan? Politics aside, south Florida isn't so bad.... or is it?
dolfan	Posted - 09/13/2012 : 10:04:16 I need to move to Canada
deruo	Posted - 09/13/2012 : 09:38:50 JackRussel, to clarify I believe she meant that her derm said to apply it FOR a week a month for 4 months, Not to apply it once a week. Thats the way I read it anyway. Either way, I agree that this is not enough. My face only started rocking after a week of twice daily applications. I see no reason to put down other members here as being poorly informed. Whose fault is that? We are here to help others. We are not Drs. Nor presumably, are you. I wasn't thrilled with my Dr. but as we've seen there are wildly varying lengths of treatment and some Drs. can't seem to agree on what is "standard". Everyone is different. My face was not "back to normal" after a month. I finished on November 23rd and was still patchy dark pink in January into February. Not as bad as it was, but still. Certainly not "normal". Now ecobabe, all this being said - I do agree with JackRussell on several points. First, based on what you've described about your medical history, I would not think that this treatment is going to do that much for you. Unless your Dr is trying to get you started during your summer and then do a heavier treatment afterwards. If you have a choice, I would not do the twice daily treatment during the summer as your skin becomes extremely sensitive to the sun and heat. I asked my derm if I could wait until the fall (for several reasons) and he said no problem. Finally, no one "wants" to do this, but is death from skin cancer/melanoma a better alternative? Permanent disfiguring scars from surgery make you feel better? Of course not. Suck it up and get it done. If you are like most Aussies I've met, you probably spent a lot of time outdoors in the sun, and based on what you've experienced already, it sounds like you'll have what the Drs. call "a good reaction" to Efudex. Most of us care a great deal about our appearance and for those of us working with the public it makes it even rockier, but seriously.... this has to be done. You've already got a history of melanoma and BCC, and now something to be excised! For what it's worth ecobabe, my Dr. told me to do it for 30 days. He suggested I do it in sections. Forehead first and then rest of face. I decided that if it was bad, I might not want to do the rest of my face after the first section was done, so I did it all at once. I'm glad I did. No it wasn't pleasant. Yes, I took time off work towards the end, yes I got some stares but thats their issue, not mine. On the plus side, I know I killed a lot, if not most of the pre-cancerous cells there AND got rid of a great deal of wrinkles at the same time ;-)
JackRussell	Posted - 09/13/2012 : 08:53:35 Hi Ecobabe - With all due respect the treatment regime prescribed you is idiotic. It makes absolutely ZERO sense! Efudex is a drug which interferes with the replication of cells. It interferes with the RNA in such a way that delays its ability to replicate and the cell eventually can last no longer and dies. Cancer and "pre cancer" type cells (such as the type of cells to which you refer in your post) replicate, as a rule, at a faster rate (have quicker lives) than normal, healthy cells. To apply Efudex once a week makes no sense. In doing so it would only for a moment (less than 24 hours) disrupt the replication. Once that period passed the cell would then replicate. Few to no cancer/precancer cells would die. The prescribed application of Efudex is once every 12 hours. I applied it for about 5 weeks. Some apply it for only 3 weeks. My results are long term and permanently killed the bad cells as opposed to what the 3 weeks regime did which was leave bad cells deep under the surface. I have less pigment now but it is worth it. All blotches, freckling and fine lines are gone. It has been over six years now. I would not recommend doing it before the summer. Your skin will be fragile after treatment and must be protected from the sun. And for the rest of your life you must protect it because it will continue to be fragile. People on this forum are poorly informed. Many Dr's appear poorly informed as well. I live in Boston, Mass. I went to the best Dr's on the planet at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. They told me the right thing to do. I bit the bullet and did my five weeks. You have to bite the bullet, take the discomfort and suck up the vanity. Do you want to die of skin cancer? How about being sliced and diced and scared having these things removed? And when applying it, if a spot continues to be getting red at 5 weeks do not stop applying it to the spot. Do not stop until it scabs over. A month after you finish treatment you will be back to normal - except for any deep spots which you chased beyond the 5 weeks. When you start treatment it takes about a week to start getting red. Once you finish treatment it takes about 3 weeks to look like your old self. So do it right and do 5 weeks!!! Sure it's uncomfortable but I thought Ausie chicks were tough.
ecobabe	Posted - 09/13/2012 : 01:15:32 Today my Derm very casually prescribed Efudix with a treatment program of 1 week a month for 4 months. I'm 42 and have had a melanoma removed from my leg and numerous solar keratosis burned off my face and 3 BCCs removed from my shoulders, and we've just discovered a BOwen's on my chest that needs to be excised... I've spent this afternoon Googling about Efudix/ex and I'm very scared to start the treatment. I am very conscious of my appearance and spend a lot of time outside of the home working which involves standing up in front of a lot of people. Also approaching summer and Christmas it's a very busy social time of the year. OMG I sound so vain, I guess I am! Has anyone had experience of the 1 week a month for 4 months treatment regime? I would like to have an idea of what to expect in terms of redness over the treatment week and also the recovery time from a week's treatment. My Derm recommended doing the treatment this way as he said it would be unlikely that I would be able to handle 28 days straight. I need to treat my whole face, hairline and sections of my lips. Thanks for this Forum and to the people who've already shared their experiences
JackRussell	Posted - 09/09/2012 : 16:39:33 Hi MrsG - I didn't hide when I did the treatment. I was open and out there. Since that time a few people have come to me telling me they will be doing and asking what to expect. Aside from the discomfort and rash, I emphasized that they must do at least 5 weeks. Though they can clearly see how well I turned out, and they are envious of my complexion and skin, they still do not take the advice and do only 21 days. For a few now a couple years have passed and guess what? They are getting blotches and freckling and fine wrinkles. Me on the other hand, 5 or 6 years have passed and my skin is great. I'm 54 with the complexion of someone 20 years younger. I lost some pigment, and that I have to live with, but I much rather the peace of mind of wiping out any cancer in training and clearing out the blotches on their way to being some kind of liver spot freckles. Find a Dr who knows what they are doing and will help you do 5 weeks. BTW, I put it not only on my face, but my lips, neck all the way around, ears and upper chest. I admit I had more than a few bottles of wine during those 5 weeks to help me though it. I always found the discomfort to be more of a perceived discomfort than anything. Apply it once in the AM & once in the PM. Follow my advice and you'll be thankful you did. The upside of doing it right versus the downside is infinite.
MrsG	Posted - 09/09/2012 : 12:55:22 Hi All - new to forum . . . first of all thank you all so much for sharing your FU5 experiences - I'm on Day 6 of application to my whole face (minus lips), and must report that the only change I have is in my lower lip - almost as if it is chapped - I'm being more careful with the application. I'm not sure how long I will be using as I see my derm on Day 14 - I'm sure she'll tell me then my continued approach. I too experienced a lack of information from my derm - this site has truly enlightened me, but also has prepared me for any outcome. I seem to run out and buy a new itch remedy everyday:):) . . . I'll keep you all posted . . . and, again thanks for all your comments - you too Jack Russell - I believe you!! Oh, and all the blogs are helpful too - have them 'bookmarked' to check when things get rough!!
dwoodpt	Posted - 09/04/2012 : 16:02:42 Just went through the 2 week efudex treatment with a 2 week steroid follow up. I've originally had mohs surgery on my lip and it turned out to be a 4 hr. nightmare. I was cancer free for about a year but it returned on the left side of my lower lip. I requested a consultation with my surgeon so we could go over some questions I had about the first surgery. We discussed the option of efudex. I would have tried anything not to go through the mohs. I did not receive much information from the derm. or the surgeon other than it would be a little unpleasant. I'm glad I called and asked if I should do the entire lip or just the left portion. After about 4 or 5 days it really kicked in and a series of scabs and raw area continued for the rest of the 2 weeks. It would have been extremely difficult if I had done the whole bottom lip. However the whole treatment was basically painless for me. It looked bad and I used a straw a lot , but to look at in the mirror made me smile because I knew it was working. Besides the cancer I had a lot of lip damage that would not heal, that is all gone now. I thank God there are sights like this where people can share there experience it has really helped me. In closing the efudex worked for me. I've also learned with cancer this is just one chapter you really don't know how it will end untill you read the whole book. One observation I've made reading these posts about waiting or starting a treatment, absolutely nothing good can happen waiting !
JackRussell	Posted - 08/24/2012 : 17:16:05 Hi Mike - read my posts. 3 weeks is not enough. You kill surface cells leaving the deeper damaged cells to fester unnoticed. You think all is OK and then one day you discover you have melanoma and its too late. Do it right and do 5 to 6 weeks. I did and I am glad. Sure it's hell but other people have been thru a lot more for a lot less. Dying of skin cancer is a hell of a lot worse, and all because you could not stick this out for 5 weeks.
AussieMike	Posted - 08/24/2012 : 14:20:46 Being of Irish genetic composition, but having grown up - not in the mist, drizzle and gloom of County Cork - but on the highveld of South Africa and the beaches of Australia, I was destined to skin cancer challenges at some stage of my life. So here I am on day 17 of a 21 day treatment of Effudex, and I have to say that I was very badly prepared for this journey. At my wife's insistence I go for annual skin checks. But when the dermatologist one day almost casually suggested I undergo the Effudex thing, I even more casually, agreed. At no stage did he tell me to prepare myself mentally for a tough experience.� And he certainly never once used the "chemotherapy" word which I subsequently learned is what this treatment really is. I suspect the word is somewhat stigmatized and if a medical specialist declares the need for chemotherapy, that would unnecessailry scare many patients. Still, while it isn't a barrel of laughs (as a case in point, it's 3:15am in the morning as I type this and I'm unable to sleep because of the pain and burning), I take heart from the positive experiences shared by others on this site.� Judging from what others have shared, it would seem that this current period, I.e., the latter stages of the treatment, are the most challenging. Reading about the Love-Hate relationship others have had with Effudex (Love, afterwards, but sheer Hate during treatment!) has also helped to put the tough, lonely times into perspective.� I particularly liked someone's comment along the lines of how such a harmless looking cream is able to cause �such carnage and trauma.� As an Effudix "victim" it's easy to feel sorry for oneself, but I suppose if there's a cancer type to be prone to, its skin cancer. At least the enemy is visible and observable. While right now I make Oscar the Grouch seem like the life of the party by comparison, I'm lookin forward in a few weeks time to be able to post word of encouragement similar to others who have survived the Effudex Enduro. Best� Crusty Mike
JackRussell	Posted - 08/23/2012 : 22:28:36 [/quote] What about on the lips? Isn't the duration less when applying to the lips? Odd thing about the lips is that I applied it to them and they seemed to react more quickly than any other area.. but.. they seemed to max out quicker too and almost stop responding. Nonetheless, I continued for 6 weeks. My brother went nuts with Efudex and applied it to a single area for almost 12 weeks. The area reacted as expected, but then 4 weekes into it a bump that he had under that area started to reacted. He fearlessly applied for 3 months. Another brother called him crazy. That brother said that he would be scared for life. Well, it took a long to to heal but whatever that bump was deep under his skin, that he had had for years, is now gone. Keep in mind that you are dealing with cancer here. Come on! A little discomfort and being ugly for a moth or two is nothing compared to the grusome death caused by skin cancer. Skin cancer takes no prisoners.
Kite girl	Posted - 08/23/2012 : 07:48:39 quote: Originally posted by JackRussell TO JenT. Actually, this is a response to everyone. Efudex is no party. JenT, I guess that your earlier attempt with Efudex failed because you probably did it for only 21 days of less. There was a question earlier on this post about the varying durations in treatment. The varying duration I think is largely due to three reasons: 1) People can't take it and so the Dr cuts it short,2) Different treatment times for different cancer types, skin types and ages, and 3) I think many Dr's don't know what they are doing. Prior to doing Efudex I poured over all the studies on it. Minimum you need to go 28 days (face), two apply twice per day. If you are going after basil cell on the face then you must go 60 days. I know it's tough medicine but you are talking about pentance for years of damaging your skin. 60 days is nothing compared tot he 40 or mosr years of damage. My girlfriend's Dr was going to remove basil cell from he cheek. A significant area would be cut and she would be scared. I got he a different Dr who thru my encouragement did Curac (eurafloricil - same stuff as Efudex). She applid it to the area for 60 days. It was a mess but you know what? She looks great today. If you don't go long enough then It will come back some day. Get tough and just get it done. And don't forget your 50 block. What about on the lips? Isn't the duration less when applying to the lips?
Kite girl	Posted - 08/23/2012 : 07:29:50 Hi There. Doc has prescribed efudex for two weeks on my lips For two weeks, once a day at night. Lots of sun history growing up and live in the Caribbean. A few big lesions and lots of burns. I was told to treat a year ago but did not. Oops. I chose Efudex over Aldara after reading the side effects of Aldara, and the doc said it is faster acting than Aldara, which is important because I am in reeal estate and can not afford a lot of down-time The question is does any one know if using hydrocortisone cream 1% or natural Cocoa Oil reduce the effectiveness of efudex, when used In the day 8 hours after applying efudex? I am on day 9 of two weeks and it seems like the intense burning is done just lots of ugly weeping and scrabbling and bleeding. Now it is just hard to talk and eat. When the burning and swelling was was so intense a few days ago, I used cocoa oil then later on a different day hydrocortisone 1% . neither of which my doc recommended. Why I ask is because the major lesion on my lip that brought me to the doc has not been affected at all. Around it and other areas have been affected but not this one ????? Thanks
alanmowle	Posted - 08/20/2012 : 09:10:04 I am in the UK where medicines are free if over the age of 65. I started my Efudix over 4 weeks ago with a 40gram tube, this costs the Pharmacist to buy into the Pharmacy �36.80 the Dispensing costs have then to be added and the 'buying in' costs, generally the UK is considered a low cost area for medicines, the Mexico price at $40 for 40grams seems too cheap to be true? I am lucky in that most of my needs are on the top of my bald head,however my right ear is completely scabbed up and very vascular and bleeds easily, so I do not sleep on that side, I made a mistake and applied some cream to my left ear and 3 small spots have come up there and bleed, on hindsight I would leave one ear alone, I am a former RN but never seen Efudix (That is the MEDO trade name in the UK) in action. quote: Originally posted by deruo bobw - My first 40g tube lasted me about 3 weeks. I'm putting it on my scalp, forehead, rest of face, and a small spot on my shoulder, twice a day. I think thats quite a bit of skin! I'm not sure if we're allowed to direct to other websites here but here goes: efudexed.blogspot.com . It's a blog I started, like others, in hopes of helping patients get an idea of what to expect. You can see my mug in all its' glory there. If the link gets removed, PM me and I'll send it to you that way. It takes a couple of days to get the hang of it, the consistency in my first tube was much thicker than my second (which has a longer expiration date). I'm doing it to give everything a very thin layer. I didn't think my first tube was going to last until day 15 but I managed to squeeze enough out until day 21 or so. My second tube expiration date is January 2013 and the consistency of the product is almost like a lotion. Goes on very easily. Those prices in Mexico, although cheaper than the US, seem more expensive than Canada. My 40g tube at Costco here in Canada was just under 40.00 Canadian. There are a number of online pharmacies where you can buy "Canadian" drugs cheaper, and have them delivered to you in the US. You need a prescription but certainly cheaper than buying through US based pharmacies. For example, I found 1 online site where a 40g tube of Efudex was $79.00. Charging $300.00 a tube for this stuff is criminal.
Jackie	Posted - 08/02/2012 : 22:43:24 I have just completed 14 days x2 daily on my nose and cheeks. I will have to do my forehead and chin area another time (when the fresh memories are gone ) I wish I could have done the whole face at once but have been advised only to do small sections. Even doing 14 days was extremely difficult. People must react differently to the medication. I think I reacted quickly and the results were what someone else may have experienced after 3 weeks. In the end I was putting cream on top of layers of scabby skin. The only area that didn't react to the cream was a small section either side of my ears. I ended up with about 15 great big sores as well as red raw skin across the rest of my face. I did my nose first before a week later deciding to go acrooss the whole middle section of my face so my nose has had a week of healing. I am fortunate I decided to do that at the end of week 1 because at the end of week 2 I would have taken a break and not treated any other area for a while. I will wait to see how long I take to get back to normal before I schedule my next section. My nose, after one week, has lost all its scabs and layers of dead skin. It is shiny and red but smooth. I can see where the deep sores were as they are now a darker shade of red. I may end up having an uneven skin tone but I had freckles before and beginning to get a few brown spots (age spots my doc said). I don't think I will have any freckles left on the skin I have treated. They were quite pale anyway from years of wearing suncream. The problem is the years of not and the severe sun burns throughtout my life. I was amazed by how many I had that I did not know. I knew of one on the end of my nose and one on my cheek and one on ear (my GP said to use efudix on it like a spot treatment - lucky I read that it is better to do a section or I would have missed the ones that were waiting to show themselves!!) My cheeks are the sorest. It has only been two days since I stopped using the cream. The skin on top is a colour that is difficult to describe. It was an orange colour from the fluid that came out of the sores after applying the cream but now it is like a grey colour I suppose and under it is broken bleeding skin in places. I am using an antibiotic cream that I had already in the cupboard. I am using it on the areas that are bleeding. I am no longer using it once the skin closes over like on my nose. I am paranoid about getting an infection in the open skin. Then I am using paw paw ointment as a moisturiser simply because it is what I have in the cupboard. If the red disappears quickly then I will do my forehead as soon as it does. My chin can wait until next winter and I may actually take some time off to do that area. I think it will be worse than the middle of my face. I wish I had done my whole face at once cause now I have to go through this again!! I am so proud of myself. I think this process is tiring both physically and emotionally. I have had to draw on my sense of self worth and put aside the stares and even laughs and pointing from teenage boys (let's face it they are experiencing their own emotional torment at the moment so I forgive them). Though my tolerance has reached its end. I have worked every day during this experience and dropped kids off to school and shopped and the list goes on. Right now I don't want to see a single person every again until I am all healed (but I will). I have a little cry, pick myself up and continue on. I have learnt that I place significant importance on the way I look (like others I guess or they wouldn't stare). It has been a humbling experience and even though I knew I was strong what I have learnt is that it is my own attachment to looks that caused me the greatest pain. I have a girlfriend who lives daily with a birth defect that affects her face and people stare. She is strong and positive and outgoing and she is my hero. If I can't suck up a month or so of looking like this then I do not deserve to walk next to her in the street.
Nodge	Posted - 07/24/2012 : 23:18:51 I have my tube of Efudex. Now just need to work up the courage to get started! Scary posts on this forum. You may be interested to know the cost of it here in New Zealand. $3 for the 20g tube! (Must be highly subsidized by the government.)
deruo	Posted - 06/24/2012 : 17:15:01 Floridagirl, ask your Dermo if he or she has ever done the treatment themselves. If they act like it's no big deal, I suspect the answer is no, they haven't. If you are putting it off until cooler weather, I'd suggest November. That way, the pain and itching are likely to be less during the xmas holiday period. I did 1 month and weeks 3 and 4 were the worst (and a few days of week 5). I also had tylenol 3's on hand that didn't help too much. I would have killed for a prescription for something to help me sleep as the itching really kicked in around midnight on most nights later on in the treatment.
Floridagirl	Posted - 06/24/2012 : 15:57:10 Thanks! Live in Atlanta now, so I have decided to wait until December to go ahead with the treatment. Less hot/humid then so I'm thinking it will be easier in the cold. Have to admit scared to do this, and not looking forward to it one bit even though I know I really don't have a choice. Thanks for the advice on painkillers. They did not give me one so I will ask for that. The derm sort of acted like its no big deal. I do wonder if it's worse the more damage there is?
deruo	Posted - 06/18/2012 : 15:33:26 Floridagirl, this is just my 2 cents, but consult your Dr. to see if you can put it off until the heat of summer is over. Or if you can do a modified schedule of twice a day for 2 or 3 days a week for several months instead of the usual 2 times a day everyday for 3 weeks to a month. Or perhaps another treatment? If not, bite the bullet, do it and stay out of the heat as much as possible. For me, the last week was the worst. As far as how much to do, I would suggest doing your face first, and then your chest. You're right, you may start and not finish if you break your face into sections. If you've had AK, BCC and SCC already you know the score. I work with the public too, but to heck with them if it makes them feel uncomfortable - this is your life we're talking about. Look at it as an opportunity to educate others. I printed out things like "go ahead - ask.. I know you want to", and "still think suntans look healthy?" on mailing labels and wore them on my shirt/jacket. Whatever you do, make sure your Doc gives you something for pain and to help you sleep.
FlaLadyB	Posted - 06/17/2012 : 20:30:12 Well hello another person from Florida. I haven't done my time with the efudex yet.. but I know I have to. I was told not to do it when its hot out - and since we are going in to the summer I would say wait till later this year. The heat apparently makes you suffer more plus the sun is stronger. What part of Florida are you in? Im in Port St Lucie just above West Palm Beach.
Floridagirl	Posted - 06/17/2012 : 19:55:57 I have just been told I have to do efudex treatment on my face and chest. Trying to decide whether to my face in sections or go the whole hog and do it all at once. I'm afraid I'll start and then not finish. I work with the public so I'm concerned that burn victim chic not the greatest look. I know I have to, AK, BCC,SCC already, and I want avoid mohs. Any advice on how I should do it? Thanks!
noni	Posted - 05/13/2012 : 03:51:49 Hello there. New to the forum. I did Efudex three years ago and hated it. But of course survived it and though the results were so much better than liq nitrogen. Partial face and chest. Became a supporter of this treatment encouraging others to go for it. The results are always worth the discomfort, social and physical. Just finished another 21 days on my lower lip. Four days later I am having problems with scabs. The scabs break and bleed so easily with eating, teeth cleaning, even talking! etc etc. Plus, I always have been a picker, a toucher - hate loose skin and scabs on my lips. So, this time I was looking to see if there was anything I could buy in my area of the world (France) to put on the lips. I'll head for lanolin oil, as a pharma friend advised. Just got to keep those scabs on the lips! It is not too bad. Enclosing a photo. This was taken before the cracking and bleeding. Also found that eating out of a dessert spoon (at home) was easier as less wet food touches the lip and you don't have to open so wide. All a bit basic but as this forum is about help, I'm putting in my cents-worth. If in doubt about this treatment, "Just do it!" Image Insert: 42.47 KB
blsnbelles	Posted - 05/01/2012 : 20:55:26 Hi, 6 year melanoma survivor. Dr prescribed Fluorouracil for 2x's a day for 2 wks on my face. Same story everytime I went to the Dermo constant freezing off "bad" areas it was just getting to be too much and not always getting the whole area. So my new Dr said to do this. I'm on day 15, my first day w/o the cream. So far either I have a high tolerance for pain or I'm a very mild case but I haven't experienced real pain or sleepless nights. I'm uncomfortable and it's a pain in the rear but that is about it. What I have felt is, since the first application, a tingle then I gradually started to feel a sunburn type pain that today is feeling it's worst and starting to burn like a bad sunburn. I also started to feel a mild itch, which sometimes feels like a hair on my face and sometimes like ants crawling under my skin. I never touched my face with the cream on and used a soft dry washcloth to tap my face and stop the itch. For me it isn't a scratch itch but touching it seems to stop it. The first week my face pretty much stayed the same but you can't wear make up so it's strange walking around plain. I did get a sore on my right eyebrow that we knew was a bad area because that is where I didn't want a "white spot" on my eyebrow. Started to get a few little other sores but not many. The sores seem to be under my skin. And my face is puffy/swollen but not much. The second week I was showing more signs of redness, sores, tiny under the skin red sores. By days 12-14 I was showing more hot areas manly at the sides of my nostrils, between my eyes and chin. My checks seem to be OK at the moment. I went out in public today wearing a hat because life makes me.I'm amazed at how many people out there know about this treatment and understand it. I feel proud that I can at 55 get rid of the damage I did as a kid in the 60's and 70's and seeing how dark a tan I could get... the darker the better. Baby Oil, iodine, Hershey's Cocoa Butter, Coppertone Tanning Lotion, and more. If you can take care of the problem, you should. I haven't heard one bad remark from anything I've read and I've read just about everything I could Google. Precautionary, no matter how your treatment goes, is always better than the end result. Why not fix something we knew nothing about years ago. I'm so glad I am. I'll let you know how it goes in the days to come! Kick Cancer One Cell at a Time!!! If you can see the pic (tried to load) this was after the last application on my 14th day. Great forum for info ~ Thanks Image Insert: 28.39 KB
tmilliner	Posted - 03/13/2012 : 11:18:06 The Aquaphor has helped a great deal. The doctor's office said I should try CeraVe, but I found it to not relieve the pain or tightness and the itching became unbearable. I had to wash it off immediately. I'm on my 3rd day of healing after two weeks of treatment. The worst patches of dried skin have sloughed off in the shower. Just thin layers of dried skin are still peeling and flaking. I have some itching, but not too bad. I really feel for you and others having to go beyond two weeks. I got the cream too close to my eyes and although I've never had botox, I felt the soreness and pain and they became so stiff. Take care. I will be watching for your updates. quote: Originally posted by 3coolcats tmilliner - I'm on Day 21. That happened to me too. In fact, that is the hardest hit area on my face. Whether male or female, it's not particularly attractive. Definitely use the Aquaphor because it allows you to move your mouth without so much cracking. Right now I'm battling a spot that got too close to my eye. I have to be more careful about not touching my face after I've applied the cream. Seems to me that everything itches more after the cream has been on for about an hour and I start scratching and touching my face. I don't want to start this process close to my eye.
gebgeroboys	Posted - 03/13/2012 : 03:18:52 quote: Originally posted by deruo I'm on day 19 today. I don't know if I can take another week of applying this stuff twice a day. My skin is raw and the pain in my forehead is unbelievable. Aquaphor helps, but you have to endure 2 hours of not having it on before you can apply it. I finally found some Aquaphor here in Toronto (at Shoppers Drug Mart and apparently London Drugs in Canada also carries it. My dermo told me to do 30 days on my forehead. But he also said that when I get blistering that I should quit - not necessarily wait until day 30. I've been doing Aquaphor and Tylenol but it's just not helping that much. I'm miserable and want to quit. Getting an appointment with a dermatologist is almost impossible here. You either get one that tries to sell Botox or other treatments, or someone who is never available (like my guy) He only said he wanted to see me about 2 months after I finished treatment (Feb) Any suggestions or hints on how to get through the next week to ten days?
tmilliner	Posted - 03/09/2012 : 11:41:33 Thanks. I'll try the Aquaphor. I've tried vaseline and CeraVe and still having a hard time talking and eating because the skin keeps hardening again. quote: Originally posted by 3coolcats tmilliner - I'm on Day 21. That happened to me too. In fact, that is the hardest hit area on my face. Whether male or female, it's not particularly attractive. Definitely use the Aquaphor because it allows you to move your mouth without so much cracking. Right now I'm battling a spot that got too close to my eye. I have to be more careful about not touching my face after I've applied the cream. Seems to me that everything itches more after the cream has been on for about an hour and I start scratching and touching my face. I don't want to start this process close to my eye.
3coolcats	Posted - 03/08/2012 : 11:10:24 Does anyone know how long the skin is photo sensitive after cream application course ends? A week? I mean, I WILL wear my sunscreen, but wondering when it's safe to go out into daylight? Thanks!
3coolcats	Posted - 03/08/2012 : 09:14:45 tmilliner - I'm on Day 21. That happened to me too. In fact, that is the hardest hit area on my face. Whether male or female, it's not particularly attractive. Definitely use the Aquaphor because it allows you to move your mouth without so much cracking. Right now I'm battling a spot that got too close to my eye. I have to be more careful about not touching my face after I've applied the cream. Seems to me that everything itches more after the cream has been on for about an hour and I start scratching and touching my face. I don't want to start this process close to my eye.
deruo	Posted - 03/07/2012 : 17:34:16 tmilliner, that is, unfortunately, normal. Please check with your Doctor because the severe red skin is evidence that the efudex is "killing" off bad cells. I would not stop treatment without a Doctors okay. If you skip a day, you'll probably have to add it on at the end. It's not particularly attractive on either sex, but if its red, it means theres a need for the cream to be put there. If you haven't already, please look into getting some Aquaphor (by Eucerin). It's greasy, but it really helps with the pain of cracked skin and loosens things up.
tmilliner	Posted - 03/07/2012 : 17:21:19 PLEASE - can anyone tell me about experience with severe red skin around the mouth. I feel like I've burned a permanent fu manchu around my mouth (not attractive since I'm a female). I have quit putting the Efudex in this area, but it is so sore and cracking. I hope I haven't permanently done damage. Thanks for any info.
tmilliner	Posted - 03/07/2012 : 17:18:19 Hi. I'm into my 11th day using Efudex and seeing more spots appear every day. I'm taking pictures and documenting my process daily so I can see results. PLEASE - can anyone tell me about experience with severe red skin around the mouth. I feel like I've burned a permanent fu manchu around my mouth (not attractive since I'm a female). I have quit putting the Efudex in this area, but it is so sore and cracking. I hope I haven't permanently done damage. Thanks for any info.
tmilliner	Posted - 03/07/2012 : 17:16:06 Hi. I'm into my 11th day using Efudex and seeing more spots appear every day. I'm taking pictures and documenting my process daily so I can see results. PLEASE - can anyone tell me about experience with severe red skin around the mouth. I feel like I've burned a permanent fu manchu around my mouth (not attractive since I'm a female). I have quit putting the Efudex in this area, but it is so sore and cracking. I hope I haven't permanently done damage. Thanks for any info.
tmilliner	Posted - 03/07/2012 : 16:31:26 quote: Originally posted by JennT I am scheduled for the Mohs procedure on my face in a couple weeks to remove SCC on my face. I have treated it twice with efudex and it has come back each time, worse than it was before. Any advice on having the Mohs procedure? I suggest having a plastic surgeon lined up to perform any corrective surgery needed. I had mohs performed by dermatologist in the morning. When I returned to the plastic surgeon that afternoon, I was shocked to see a crater on my cheekbone area the size of a quarter. I had no idea the derm would have to take so much. The plastic surgeon filled in with surrounding tissue. The incision was cut to blend into my laugh lines so not to have that "nicked" out look. He did a wonderful job. It's been 11 years ago and you can barely see any scar even without makeup. Good luck to you!
deruo	Posted - 03/07/2012 : 13:21:32 3coolcats, sorry I wasn't clear. I never had that much hair covering the moustache area because I never really liked them. That area was clear. But my scalp, which I figured would be really bad as I haven't had hair there for years either was also clear. Re your neighbor. Go ahead and do it. I doubt it would make much of an impact. A friend of mine who is blond and fair saw first hand what I went through, and even with that and all the lecturing I've been doing on sunscreens and THAT racket, she still sits out in the sun baking herself with minimal protection. You can lead a horse to water....
3coolcats	Posted - 03/07/2012 : 13:03:21 Sorry for the double post before. The site was giving me trouble and I though it was b/c I was over the text limit. I've now made it to 3 weeks. Aiming to complete the entire 4 weeks. Unless you are not bothered by people's stares, I don't now how anyone can go out in public looking like this. I dropped my daughter off at the post office to do an errand for me and just sitting in the car brought me stares. Also, I had a friend who told me that I was over-reacting about my face and told me it was probably not as bad as I think. So, I sent her a picture. Her reply was, "OMG". Nice, huh? I'm really hoping that once I stop this medicine next Wednesday, that there will be a remarkable recovery. My husband sent me flowers so that was really sweet. This is definitely not an easy road. It hasn't interfered with my sleeping too much (and I'm a light sleeper), but it has affected it somewhat. I wake up b/c my face is either burning or laying on the scabbing just hurts, but I change position and it seems to help. It's very hard not to pick at the scabs. I picked a tiny piece off b/c I could see it and it was driving me crazy. I'm sorry I did b/c it stings now. Everytime I see my teenage neighbor lying in the sunshine wanting to tan, I want to run over to her and show her my zombie face. She might not lay there anymore. She's more fair than I am. Deruo - Regarding your moustache, I think it's interesting that the hair protected your skin so well too. I have worn my forehead covered by hair my whole life and it doesn't have one speck of red! Hair helps! LOL And, I do agree on the Aquaphor. It's provides instant relief.
deruo	Posted - 03/07/2012 : 10:41:13 Hello 3coolcats, sorry for the late reply... your situation sounds much like mine. Another fair-skinned person here. My chin was the worst area on my face and I didn't think it would be affected at all. The tops of my ears, which I figured would be horrific, had no reaction aside from a very small spot on one. I've rarely sported a moustache during my lifetime, but the outline of where it would be was virtually unaffected, but my chin and jawline?... ouch! Have you tried putting Aquaphor on the cracked skin around the corners of your mouth? It really makes a world of difference in pain levels when you're trying to eat. I thought I'd add an update as I had my first followup yesterday since I did my treatment last fall. The Dr. said I hit "a home run" as he can't see any spots that need further attention at this time, so it would appear that all the pain, sleepless nights and isolation are worth it. I know its hard to think this way when you're going through it! I now follow up with him in 4 months. I also offered the intern that saw me first yesterday the following: "if you ever prescribe this stuff to a patient, PLEASE offer them something stronger than Tylenol, and prescribe them something to help them sleep. Until you go through it yourself, you can't imagine the discomfort" I showed him some photos and all he said was "wow". Wow indeed.
Jamesone	Posted - 03/04/2012 : 16:20:09 Hi 3coolcats, seems you are putting yourself through hell. It seems that those of us with fair complexions have trouble with using efudex. My own experience was that when I got to the same situation as you describe I stopped using efudex until my face looked normal again. About 6 months later I started again but only in one small spot at a time applying efudex once a day every second day for two weeks . Then I would apply to another small area for the same period. Hope this is of some help.
3coolcats	Posted - 03/04/2012 : 00:45:48 I'm 43, white, blonde hair, fair skin. Went to the doc about a spot on my nose that kept bleeding. She very casually prescribed Efudex. I'm now on Day 15 and I'm pretty scary looking. I'm using the 5% and told to use it once a day for 2-4 weeks. The doc didn't say when to stop. My doc didn't even suggest a follow up visit. I am doing my whole face even though my nose was the issue. Interesting enough, my nose isn't all that red/scabby. It's my chin and cheek bone area that is terrible. And, my chin area is my hardest hit wrinkle area so I'm wondering if it's a coincidence that that is the part that Efudex is hitting the hardest. It's pretty sore especially to eat b/c of the cracking around my mouth. While I don't like the pain, the isolation is the hardest for me. I won't go out looking like this, but I'm so lonely. Glad my husband and kids are great, but I miss being able to go out and about. My doc never said I had any cancers of any kind so I think I voluntarily put myself into this position.
3coolcats	Posted - 03/04/2012 : 00:42:09 So glad to have found this site. I was feeling very alone until now. I'm 43, white, blonde hair, fair skin. Went to the doc about a spot on my nose that kept bleeding. She very casually prescribed Efudex. She said she has used it herself and she was much fairer than me. I'm now on Day 15 and I'm pretty scary looking. I'm using the 5% and told to use it once a day for 2-4 weeks. The doc didn't say when to stop. I figure I'll go as long as I can stand it by what you are all saying on here. My doc didn't even suggest a follow up visit. I am doing my whole face even though my nose was the issue. Interesting enough, my nose isn't all that red/scabby. It's my chin and cheek bone area that is terrible. And, my chin area is my hardest hit wrinkle area so I'm wondering if it's a coincidence that that is the part that Efudex is hitting the hardest. I wore sunscreen my whole life, but I guess I didn't do a great job covering up or something. It's pretty sore especially to eat b/c of the cracking around my mouth. While I don't like the pain, the isolation is the hardest for me. I won't go out looking like this, but I'm so lonely. Glad my husband and kids are great, but I miss being able to go out and about. My doc never said I had any cancers of any kind so I think I voluntarily put myself into this position. I'm hoping for a face cancerous free in the future and I'm hoping for fewer wrinkles. I appreciate everyone's comments b/c this is a big, scary deal, in my opinion.
Longdrop	Posted - 01/27/2012 : 01:08:58 Hi Hawksworth. Glad to hear the swelling is subsiding. The best bit is that after a month or so from stopping Efudex you'll look ten years younger as your wrinkles will be hugely reduced (although mine are slowly returning!) Cheers
Cheeno	Posted - 01/26/2012 : 23:44:14 Just noticed your question. I completed my second treatment of twice a day, two days a week for approximately 8 - 9 weeks and am pretty happy with the results. My doctor is very happy! I do need to repeat the treatment on the bridge of my nose - scaly area that hasnt cleared and another patch that is a new area - but will wait until my Winter time as I find I became very sensitive to sun and heat. I certainly did not have any negative side affects but at times wonder whether it would be better to just get it over and done with in a 3 week session - not sure on that though as the descriptions here from others sound pretty awful.Good luck. I'll be interested inhearing how you go quote: Originally posted by cmurf Hello Cheeno, I hope you still view this thread. I was just prescribed Efudex today (Jan 19) by my Derm. He recommended a similar treatment plan to the one your physician had prescribed you (mine is 2 days/week for a total of 9 weeks). I am curious if your treatment has had sustained successful results of elimnating the AK's. If seems most people are taking this daily for shorter periods (2 - 6 weeks). I am hopeful that the longer term/more infrequent application has the same positive results without the negative side-effects. Thanks in advance for your, and anyone else's, experience following a similar treatment plan to the one I outlined. quote: Originally posted by Cheeno I am currently using Efudex and am very happy with the results BUT my doctor has a different approach. I am using it twice a day but for only two days a week and will continue for several weeks. I have finished a 7 week session, had a 2 week break to see how it's gone and am now back on another 7 - 8 week session. I certainly have a reaction and the areas become red but have had no major, severe reaction so have been able to continue going out etc. Perhaps my initial problem wasn't as severe as others but I have been having various other treatments for several years with good results but the problem areas kept returning after a few years.My doctor has said he doesn't need to subject me to the intense severe treatment - he believes he'll get the same results by treating over a longer period. He is highly respected in his field. Like all forum posts this is my personal experience that is working for me and may not be appropriate for others but I have posted this to show that there is another way to use this treatment. I am very happy with the results but who knows what will be happening next year!
Cheeno	Posted - 01/26/2012 : 23:11:24 quote: Originally posted by cmurf Hello Cheeno, I hope you still view this thread. I was just prescribed Efudex today (Jan 19) by my Derm. He recommended a similar treatment plan to the one your physician had prescribed you (mine is 2 days/week for a total of 9 weeks). I am curious if your treatment has had sustained successful results of elimnating the AK's. If seems most people are taking this daily for shorter periods (2 - 6 weeks). I am hopeful that the longer term/more infrequent application has the same positive results without the negative side-effects. Thanks in advance for your, and anyone else's, experience following a similar treatment plan to the one I outlined. quote: Originally posted by Cheeno I am currently using Efudex and am very happy with the results BUT my doctor has a different approach. I am using it twice a day but for only two days a week and will continue for several weeks. I have finished a 7 week session, had a 2 week break to see how it's gone and am now back on another 7 - 8 week session. I certainly have a reaction and the areas become red but have had no major, severe reaction so have been able to continue going out etc. Perhaps my initial problem wasn't as severe as others but I have been having various other treatments for several years with good results but the problem areas kept returning after a few years.My doctor has said he doesn't need to subject me to the intense severe treatment - he believes he'll get the same results by treating over a longer period. He is highly respected in his field. Like all forum posts this is my personal experience that is working for me and may not be appropriate for others but I have posted this to show that there is another way to use this treatment. I am very happy with the results but who knows what will be happening next year! Just noticed your question. I have been back to my doctor and I am to repeat the procedure for another 8 weeks - twice a day, two days a week - to a couple of areas. I'm happy with most of the results but there are a couple of patches that need more treatment. When he looked at my face he was very happy with what he could see. Because I am going to Greece for 2 months in May and June I will not start the treatment until after that - in my Winter months. He is happy to leave it til then. I have no problems repeating - certainly did not find it too uncomfortable or unattractive
sldavid	Posted - 01/26/2012 : 20:04:48 A few weeks ago I went to my dermatologist and he gave me a clean bill of health on my face which is the only area I have used Efudex. It has taken a long time (a few years applying it to several different areas) but so worth the end result. I don't expect to ever have the need to re-order the product again.
Longdrop	Posted - 01/26/2012 : 19:15:43 Keep at it Ken, sounds like you have a bad case but remember the alternative is likely to have been worse (eg regular ineffective freezes and lots of expensive surgery). I found shaving in the shower was tolerable with a triple blade and before I put the Efudex on but I have a light beard. In some of my research I noted that the treatment is exacerbated by sun exposure but that there is some evidence to suggest that sun exposure also makes Efudex more effective. I kept out of the sun though!
deruo	Posted - 01/26/2012 : 16:51:01 Hi Ken and thank you very much for your reply. I found following the experiences of others with photos to be very helpful when I went through it, thus the reason for my blog. I am a huge advocate of Aquaphor for itching and tightness/pain relief. Well, you still get the itching, but it's not as bad. A moist itching, if you will. It really helps so I wouldn't wait before using it. Just make sure you wait several hours after the Efudex application before using it. If you're like me, you'll wonder why you waited so long to use it! ;-) And if you have access to a Dr and or Staff, don't be afraid to use them! Thats what they're there for. I got a referral to a new dermo and that appointment isn't until May! The Canadian "free" health care system at work. Hang in there. We know it's very tough, but its got to be done and much better than doing nothing. We're here if you need us!
deruo	Posted - 01/26/2012 : 01:08:39 Hawksworth, is your Doctor easy to see? I'd call or see him to see if he can tell you if you are having an allergic reaction or not. Given that it's just your face that is swollen, I suspect its not. My ears had very little reaction. Just one spot on one of them. My chin swelled up and was VERY painful. I also had oozing, but it took two weeks for that to happen to me. Everyone is a little different. Believe me, I know how much it hurts - it's still fresh in my mind and you wonder how you'll make it another day - let alone two weeks. Remember that for each application you miss, the Docs generally want to see another DAY as "make-up". Have you tried applying Aquaphor to "loosen" up the tightness? It really helps! I shaved all through my treatment. You may prefer an electric shaver. I used a triple blade disposable. I wouldn't have used anything less. I made sure my beard was VERY wet and used a gel. Noxema, which I usually use, was out of the question as it stung too much. It took a while and my chin was very slow going as it was inflamed and sore. But it had the added benefit of sloughing off dead skin as well. My beard is quite thick and it would have been difficult to get the cream down to the skin in a few days, and I would have had to use a LOT more of it. Pics, in case you're interested at: efudexed.blogspot.com - Edited to answer questions about shaving.

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