Post efudex treatment - the dumb way

Always, are you applying the Efudex twice daily?  How are you doing with it now?

Whitey, how are your arms now? 

Whitey,

I have a call in to the doctor - and expect to hear from her tomorrow.  You made an excellent point - this group helps us know that we are not alone, but it does not take the place of competent medical advice!  I do look forward to touching base with you all!

Spanky,

I am on day 11, with 19 days to go.  I have a stinging burn on my chin and last night was the first time I had trouble sleeping. :-(   How is everything going with you?

Always

add on to last message!  Spanky I am using the treatment 2 times a day.  The other spots are not too bad right now - they just look unsightly - they are more in line with what I thought it would be - more lesion like.  similiar to the picture of the arm - I'm sorry, I can't remember whose arm that was!

I am on day 3 of a 14 day (once a day) treatment. So far a little redness. BUT, I know the worst is still to come. 

Brian

Hang in  there Brian!  A lot of good support in this forum.  I knew next to nothing when I joined, and I certainly know more now.  The posts have lots of info - but as I have been importantly reminded, ask your doctor when you are unsure.

Always

Hello everyone!

Well, I finished yesterday 14 days 5% Efudex twice daily.  Today I saw my dermatologist and his reaction was..."I'm so glad you did this".  He was also surprised at how red I was.

He froze several areas and prescribed Triamcinalone (trye-am-SIN-oh-lone) to apply now 3-4 times a day to reduce itching, inflamation and redness.  It feels wonderful!!!  After two applications I can see and feel the difference.  I'm aiming to be ready to "face" the world by Saturday.

My reaction to the Efudex was severe according to the doc.  I cannot imagine going longer than 14 days.  I almost quit on day 12 but managed to get through by giving myself a break that night and going back with it the next morning.

By the way, Aquaphor got me through the last 2 days.  It's lighter than Vaseline and easier to wash off.  I used Cetaphil cleanser, Olay sensitive skin cleansing cloths alternately.  I'm glad I use the cloths at night because it help remove the dry, flaking skin so the Efudex could do it's job on the underlying skin.

Good luck to you both...hang in there.  Everything you hear about nicer skin is true!!  I can see it already 1 day post treatment.

I'm a very happy girl!!

My bad for spelling from memory. 

 I always spelled it properly in all previous posts.

Hello all, 

This is a good thread. I'm glad I found it!  I have a very light completion, blond, 7/8 Norwegian + 1/8 Danish ancestors. On day 14 of my treatment, and I am sooo happy to be at the end. It does scare me that 5-FU is considered Chemo.  I knew that, but reading it here reminds me again how powerful it is, and how careful you need to be not to get it near your eyes, or mouth.  My dermatologist didn't prepare me for how mental this would be. Time has slowed to a crawl.  for the last 5 days the pain is  not bad, at about a 7 out of 10, but sometimes climbing up to a 9/10, but it is constant pain and stinging, which is the mental part.  It is hard for me to sleep (I woke up and couldn't sleep at 2am so that is why the late post).  I can't wait to be not thinking about this.

 Spanky,

 I too also almost quit on day 12, but forced myself to do the treatments yesterday, and today which is day 13. I just procrastinated the last treatment all the way to midnight. Only 2 more applications to go through tomorrow. I think I might have asked you this in another thread, but how are things going for you 20 days after treatment?  I am anxious to know.  

 I am also sure my dermo will be surprised at how red I am.  Amazingly red over most of my cheeks and nose, more than red, I would say deep red or maroon in some spots. My forehead is only 20% as red as my cheeks. That is because I always wore a baseball style hat most of my life when I was outside which covered my forehead (thank goodness for that).  The last 7 years I wore a hat with a wide brim that encirlces that hat and the brim is impervious to light, and I have been religious about applying lots of spf-30  or more sunscreen the last 10 years too. I rarely go without a shirt the last 20 years or more. I guess that was not enough.  Funny how my friends teased me about that wide-brimmed hat over the years (which I laughed with them, but never took it off), but no one has made fun of my red face when I go out the last week or so.

 I am worried I am not peeling at all going
into day 14. I called the dermo last week, and they said I would start peeling after the treatment ends. Right now my cheeks feel very tight, dry, stinging, and ready to crack and fall off.  I guess I will find out Monday if that is normal

Wish me luck.