CancerCompass message board discussion started by charmedone on 8/5/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,15005,0.htm Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ How do you keep from rubbing your skin?  I apply the cream at night and try to get some sleep.  It is almost impossible.  I sleep about 2 hours each night.  The itch is almost unbearable.  I feel like I am going insane.  I would stop the treatment now except I read somewhere on the Internet from a Dr that if you being treatment with efudex and then do not complete the treatment the cancer will absorb back into the body and affect other areas in your body and not just your skin and that it is more dangerous to begin and then stop treatment than to just never begin treatment.  I wish my Dr had given me a chemical peel instead.  It may be just as painful and just as red in the end but I can barely take the first week and I have two weeks remaining to apply this cream.  I rub my chest with my finger tips and then it begins oozing and I rub it with a paper towel with an ice cube in it and I am afraid it takes the cream off and will take longer to complete the treatment.  I try not to touch it but it is impossible.  I try to keep busy during the day with a fan blowing on my chest at work but in the afternoons and this first weekend I am continuously itching profusely.  My sister cried because she can't stand to see me like this.  I just hope I can complete the treatment.  I will be so proud of myself. I am glad I found this message board and I hope everyone will continue to write about how they are doing so I can see there is someone else going through this misery as well as myself.  I am only on day 7 and my chest is completely covered with red spots and bumps.  The ones that came up first have already eroded and are turning dark and feel better.  The bright red spots and bumps are amazingly itchy.  Good luck to everyone having to endure this treatment. charmedone Sun, 05 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT I took two 200 mg Ibuprofen prior to going to bed and one Benadryl tablet.  The pain and itching were knocked way back and the Benadryl had the added effect of making me drowsy.  I don't know if this will work for you.  I am just finishing up 5 weeks on my chest after 3 on my face.  I'm done Thursday.  I cannot wait! Tracybird01 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT Have you asked your doctor if you can use a cream like Aquaphor? I certainly would have been lost without it. It takes away the burning and makes the treatment bearable. Pickbet Wed, 08 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT Thank you for the information.  I am now on day 13.  I have taken Benedryl and Ibuprophen at night and have been able to get a little sleep.  Yesterday, day 12 was awful.  The itching, burning and pain became unbareable around 4:00 pm and I left work early and began crying in the car on my way home.  I came straight in and took a bath and refused to put any more of the Efudex on.  My daughter, 11 begged me to continue using the cream because she doesn't want me to have any more surgery.  I  had one BCC removed by Mohs surgery on my forehead in May.  I took some Benedryl and  Ibuprophen and relaxed a few hours without any Efudex and then decided to put it back on around 9:00 pm.  I woke up many times during the night uncomfortable with my shoulders and chest sticking to my t-shirt.  I am taking next week off work.  I am going to take a few hours at a time and continue this treatment.  I have just read about 200 messages from this message board and that has helped me tremendously.  Can you purchase Aquaphor over the counter or is this a prescription? Thanks to everyone that has written anything about their expenience with this treatment.  I do realize this could be much worse but it is definately a physical and mental accomplishment. charmedone Sat, 11 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT Blessedly the Aquaphor can be purchased over the counter.  I made plans to stay home from work too, but I was afraid I'd dwell on the itching more if I didn't have something to occupy me. It is a terrible itch isn't it?  I hope you will be done soon. Tracybird01 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT