Efudex, Aldara and Other Skin Cancer Topical Chemo Creams

I just began it last night and am very glad to see your note here.  Thanks and it gives me hope that I won't come out of this horrified.

I went through this nine years ago. The pain is no fun. I used the petroleum jelly even around the opening.  The best way I found to insert the applicator with all the raw flesh is that I put just a little bit of lubricant on the tip  of the applicator, put one foot up on the toilet seat and inserted it as fast as I could. 

After all is said and done, it wasn't fun but I have not had one irregular pap since, and I battled cancer for years, had a hysterectomy, went through interferon injections, laser and I finally got relief after this treatment.

Efudex is a dangerous product with serious complications.  http://www.getoomph.com/pdfs/EfudexPatientBrochure.pdf Read page three of this link and you will see that the company warns against intravaginal use due to vaginal necrosis, ulcerarations, and other local reactions.  I can personally tell you that it does not target bad cells.  It affects and kills every cell that it comes in contact with.  I can see where it is entirely capable of sealing off a vaginal opening.  The best thing you can do is keep vaseline or neosporin on the affected area.  Once all the tissue is killed off, the body's natural healing process will seal together raw tissue.  I personally underwent this treatment without a full understanding of how much damage it would do.  It caused me to suffer from intense pain and swelling due chemical vaginitis.  I also have suffered from chemically induced cystitis according to the cystoscope performed by my Urologist.  EVERYONE should know that this drug is so dangerous that the FDA gave it their Box Warning:High Alert Medication: "The Institute for Safe Medication Practices includes this medication among its list of drugs which have a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm when used in error."  This is copied from the Merck Manual website. This drug is supposed to administered as a last option and only by a physician trained in the safe use of this drug. I began treatment intravaginally in February and I am still suffering greatly.  Never trust a doctor who tells ou that even though the box says specifically NOT FOR INTRAVAGINAL USE, that they know what they are doing and it is perfectly safe.  It is not safe!  That is why all these warnings are posted on the internet.  Click on this link to find out about studies on the success rate of this treatment.  The study shows that folks on placebo had a higher recovery rate than those on Efudex intravaginally.  Why?  Most likely the weakened tissue was more susceptble to dysplasia/virus cells.   http://www.hindawi.com/getarticle.aspx?doi=10.1155/s1064744999000319     

Jimbo61,

Im on 9th day of Carac tonight.  I wanted to get on your site of talk to you here because I tried to get on you skin journey site and it would not let me.  I hope you reply.. I have questions.

Hi Rhonda,

Sorry I took my site down to work on other issues.  I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.  My email is Jfoster1961@msn.com

My best,

Jim 

I began aldara three weeks ago, I have taken breaks during that time when I did not use it, and now I have stopped forever.  I had a tiny cancer on my  chest so small that even the dermatologists really didn't know where it was.  But I really didn't want the surgery, so thought that using aldara was the perfect answer.  Now I am so sorry that I let anyone do anything, my whole upper chest is a mass of open sores, I'm putting neoporesporin on it, I have to cover it during the day, it bleeds and sticks to my shirt, I leave it exposed at night, but it doesn't seem to be healing.  I'm 76 years old, have arthritis, but am otherwise healthy.  Do you have any advice for me?  I see my primary Dr. in a week, and the dermatologist who prescribed this in two weeks.  I'm so sorry that I ever used this ---I was fine before...thanks for your help.