CancerCompass message board discussion started by Emmyshaye on 4/30/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,11707,0.htm Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I have been using Efudex for two weeks now. Everything I have read tells me how painful it is.  I have NOTHING.  Why is this and has anyone else experrienced this. Thanks! Emmyshaye Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/30/2007 Emmyshaye wrote:I have been using Efudex for two weeks now. Everything I have read tells me how painful it is.  I have NOTHING.  Why is this and has anyone else experrienced this. Thanks!I can only figure that you don't have precancerous lesions.  That, or are you applying it on your arms or back?  I have been using Carac on my arms, chest and neck for the past 10 days and while my chest/neck is red, itchy and all lit up with spots, there is nothing much happening on my arms.  I used Solaraze before Carac (I've been told Carac is essentially the same as Efudex) and it did very little compared to what the Carac is doing.  Which also makes me wonder what the potency of your Efudex prescription is...I believe there is a choice of 2% and 5%.  My dermatologist also said that depending upon how tough your skin is, it might take longer to treat.  In the meantime, count yourself lucky you're not miserable!  Have you had precancerous lesions removed in the past, or any basal cells to warrrant treatment?  Or maybe used anything else in the past to reduce the side effects now?    Mzzzmo Thu, 03 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT  On 5/3/2007 Mzzzmo wrote: On 4/30/2007 Emmyshaye wrote:I have been using Efudex for two weeks now. Everything I have read tells me how painful it is.  I have NOTHING.  Why is this and has anyone else experrienced this. Thanks!I can only figure that you don't have precancerous lesions.  That, or are you applying it on your arms or back?  I have been using Carac on my arms, chest and neck for the past 10 days and while my chest/neck is red, itchy and all lit up with spots, there is nothing much happening on my arms.  I used Solaraze before Carac (I've been told Carac is essentially the same as Efudex) and it did very little compared to what the Carac is doing.  Which also makes me wonder what the potency of your Efudex prescription is...I believe there is a choice of 2% and 5%.  My dermatologist also said that depending upon how tough your skin is, it might take longer to treat.  In the meantime, count yourself lucky you're not miserable!  Have you had precancerous lesions removed in the past, or any basal cells to warrrant treatment?  Or maybe used anything else in the past to reduce the side effects now?  Yes, I DO have precancerious leisons - LOTS of them - that is what is so crazy.  Have had PLENTY removed, biopsies and some have been positive. I have used Carac with no results and also Solorze.  Am waiting to see from my next appt. what is up. Am kind of disappointed because I feel like this is just not working. Thanks for you response.  Emmyshaye Fri, 04 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/30/2007 Emmyshaye wrote:I have been using Efudex for two weeks now. Everything I have read tells me how painful it is.  I have NOTHING.  Why is this and has anyone else experrienced this. Thanks! I used Efudex 5% and was told that there would be no reaction on normal skin and I found this to be so. Its really odd that you have had no result at all, or maybe you have by now. I have no answers for you only that maybe you are one of the luckier ones without so much agnoy and pain to suffer as others did myself included. I am now finished and am extremely happy and life has now returned to normal, out and about again after 3 miserable months.Take care. Samra Sat, 05 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/30/2007 Emmyshaye wrote:I have been using Efudex for two weeks now. Everything I have read tells me how painful it is.  I have NOTHING.  Why is this and has anyone else experrienced this. Thanks!Hello,I'm wondering what happened with your course of treatment and if you ever had a result from the Carac.I am on day 8 with a once a day application and have had no effect despite my numerous obvious pre-cancerous spots. My skin is very fair and is usually hyper sensitive to chemicals. Reddy33 Mon, 14 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT Thanks for this great site! I'm on day 8 of generic "flourouricil" 2x daily and now have about 30+ red spots on the area above my eyebrows up to my hairline. So, you can imagine how many I have below. The reddest are on my nose, which is where I first had AK removed years ago. The most tender areas are my nose and under my nose around the nostril. I have to wash my face very gently now! Some places where I suspected AK or BCC have clearly confirmed my suspicions. Some red spots are next to places where I had BCC removed in years past. The spots are various in size and sporadic in placement. I had only suspected about 8 places of trouble, from careful personal examination, but can now see where all the future problems could have come from (possibly hundreds)! WOW! I'm so glad for such a cream -despite the discomfort and temporary horrible appearance. I'll be asking the dermatologist if I can use on hands and arms next.  This treatment is way less uncomfortable than some of my sunburns were. I'm fair skinned and blue eyed and sunburned every year as a child. I'm now 52 and lost a parent to colon cancer.I take way better care of my skin now, and am very grateful for treatments that avoid surgery and scarring. My doctor gave me a brochure with photos of a person's face using the cream for several weeks. It helped prepare me well. I also got a pamphlet describing effects very detailed. I would think if the cream made you flare up extremely bad, perhaps the doctor would let you drop to using once a day or 3x week for a longer period of time - thus minimizing the skins reaction. Worth talking to your dermatologist about.  wanthealth Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT