aldara

[aldara user]

Has any body experienced adverse reactions to this?

[rob white]

I have been using aldara cream for 2 weeks ( 5 days a week ) and am experiencing considerable redness in facial areas where I had actinic keratoses. looking at pictures on the net of mild, moderate and severe reactions to aldara, I would appear to be in the upper mild category. I don't consider this redness to be an adverse reactions as I understand that it simply means that the medication is working. I have had no other reaction.

[Don Fuller]

aldara user wrote:

Has any body experienced adverse reactions to this?

Yes ... very irritated (burning) skin after initial trial. Washed it off and do not plan to try it again.

[David Charles]

I am bald and have had to have small spots of actinic Keratoses frozen off my scalp for about eight years. They increased in number this past year and my Dermo put me on aldara. My scalp became iritated after about a week with red spots, like pimples. I had some scabs and weeping. This was uncomfortable and I experienced a stinging sensation. I looked pretty bad and after three weeks stopped the process and about a week later my skin was back to normal. About a week after that my scalp was as smooth as it had been in years. The results were superior to freezing. Freezing often left the area lighter in skin color for about a year. I tried it again for three weeks. Again the stinging sensation and irritated areas were uncomfortable and looked very bad but I felt it was worthwhile due to my earlier results.

[roxanne]

rob white wrote:

I have been using aldara cream for 2 weeks ( 5 days a week ) and am experiencing considerable redness in facial areas where I had actinic keratoses. looking at pictures on the net of mild, moderate and severe reactions to aldara, I would appear to be in the upper mild category. I don't consider this redness to be an adverse reactions as I understand that it simply means that the medication is working. I have had no other reaction.

rob, how does your skin look now after some time has passed? i am getting ready to start using aldara on my face and am nervous. i have very fair skin and do not want to scar!

[drewkobi]

It was precribed for my 3 year old to treat molluscum contagiosum warts that he has on his back and arm. I am cancerned because the package insert says it is not for kids under 12. Any advice as to whether you think this cream will be harmful to my young child?

[Anne]

aldara user wrote:

Has any body experienced adverse reactions to this?

The pain and swe;;ing is horrible I feel like giving up but it might be all worth it I hope

[Jo - Australia]

I used aldara on a sBCC on my nose... it also made my eyes sore and weeping... I stopped at doctor's orders after 2 & half weeks...by then I began to have really bad discomfort in the roof of my mouth, could not wear a partial denture which had not given me any trouble for 11 years! became most painful, after four weeks my doctor diagnosed gingivitis, but then recalled she had another patient with an unresolved gingivitis, when she checked her records that patient had also been prescribed Aldara! the doctor immediately put out an Adverse Reaction Report...My chemist tells me Aldara is a cytotoxin, which supposedly only affects cells which are increasing unevenly or in a certain way differently from normal cells (i.e. cancerous cells)... but all mucous membrane cells are also naturally doing this and some reports indicate some people have had serious problems all through their systems after using Aldara... Some reports even suggest that if it gets into the blood stream, i.e. being used on an open sore or lesion (as is recommended!) then it can be like having an injection of cytotoxin that can affect the immune system and make for serious ill-health. One report here is at www.doctorsaredangerous.com.au which claims Aldara is a cancer cure that causes cancer.

[Amy]

I had been using Aldara on my chest for 30 days (3x week) for Actinic Keratoses and had a severe reaction. My Dr. is now having me take 30 days off, and then I will resume treatment for another 30 days. He did say that the reaction would lessen with each treatment, as there would be less for the medication to react to. So...I'm hopeful! It's been a week since I stopped using Aldara and my chest is healing.

[Linda Ward]

I used aldara for a skin cancer on my nose & chest. I had a severe reaction. Beside the skin irritaion, I had a low grade fever & flu like symptoms. At the end of the six week treatment, I noticed my hair falling out and within 4 weeks, I had major hair loss. The doctor had told me that few people react like I did but that it is your body fighting the cancer cells. When I told him about the hair loss, he said that he had never heard about that. Well, I have had tyroid & all other tests and that is the only answer I can come up with. I am not sure I would ever use it again. Hopefully my hair will grow back but it has been very scary.

[diane]

I am 47 ...happily married mother of two ....and after my family DR misdiagnosed me ...for a year ....I found I have/had a small BBC on my shoulder...( not exzema) and of course when my dermatoligist mentioned susing a cream rahter then having a chunck cut out of my shoulder I was thrilled !!! The samll dime size patch is now the size of a golf ball and oozing ??? it is right at the top so ebery movement of my shoulder is felt !...I can not sleep on that side nor carry anything pusre, duffle bag etc etc ...I am now researching ALDARA CREAM BIG TIME ....

[Dana]

Yes...Aldara causes side effects....It's doing the job by clearing up the cancer. The benefits of clearing up the cancer cells and not being tortured by surgery with Aldara is awesome. Stick with it. I am 40 and have been cut up because of Basal Skin cancer. Aldara does work....USE IT. It is a mircle drug!

[Elaine]

rob white wrote:

I have been using aldara cream for 2 weeks ( 5 days a week ) and am experiencing considerable redness in facial areas where I had actinic keratoses. looking at pictures on the net of mild, moderate and severe reactions to aldara, I would appear to be in the upper mild category. I don't consider this redness to be an adverse reactions as I understand that it simply means that the medication is working. I have had no other reaction.

I see you posted this in March and must be finished with the treatment by now - are you happy with the results and did it leave any marks?

[djdjbellissimo]

drewkobi wrote:

It was precribed for my 3 year old to treat molluscum contagiosum warts that he has on his back and arm. I am cancerned because the package insert says it is not for kids under 12. Any advice as to whether you think this cream will be harmful to my young child?

Did you end up using the Aldara on your 3 year old's Molluscum? Our dermatologist has just prescribed it for our 6 year old's Molluscum. We've been doing the beetle juice, but they just keep coming back. I'm trying to get Aldara info for Molluscum treatment for children???

[Merryn - Australia]

I have just finished a six week course of Aldara for BCCs on my nose and a tiny dry spot on right cheek of face. Wow! Saw the Dermo after 10 days he was pleased with my skin reaction to the Aldara - I have been horrified with it but have conscientiously continued the treatment of using the cream Monday to Friday and not using it on the weekends. I have had thick crusty scabs all over my nose, my right cheek and it also came out on my upper lip area and half of my left cheek - I only put the cream on my nose and the spot on right cheek. I have suffered severe swelling, terrible itching, burning, etc. I went to my general practitioner and he prescribed antibiotics to ease my condition which it did somewhat but not completely. During week 5 my scabs started to crack up and gradually fell off but I am in week 7 and I still have thick crusty scabs just on my nose. I have a bright red area where the scabs were covering my face. I have become a recluse during the last six weeks or so. Because of the swelling between my eyes I have not been able to use my reading glasses and even though I have purchased cheap readers with no pads I still can't keep them on for long. I finished using Aldara a week ago tomorrow but I am still swollen around the eyes and my upper lip and inside my mouth my upper lip area and around the nose area is very tight owing to swelling. I thought several times during the treatment that I would stop but last year my nose was operated on twice to remove BCCs so I thought I give Aldara to save me front the knife. I will let you know further down the track what the final result with the Aldara is.

[Toni]

aldara user wrote:

Has any body experienced adverse reactions to this?

My husband was using Aldara for a Basal Cell Carcinoma on the back of his neck. He has had several adverse reactions, including swollen lymph nodes, extreme fatigue, and back pain.

He used the cream every other night for 5 weeks. It has been a week since he last used it but his symptoms have not improved and we are both getting very concerned.

[Toni]

Just wanted to follow-up on my previous post. I contacted 3M, the makers of Aldara, and discussed my husband's symptoms. I was informed that fatigue and back pain are fairly common side effects. Swollen lymph nodes are not quite as common. However, 3M does follow ups with patients who report experiencing swollen lymph nodes and in 99% of those follow ups the lymph nodes had returned to normal size within 30 days.

I was told that the immune reaction he's having has probably been intensified due to the fact that the cream was allowed to remain on the skin for more than the recommended 8 hours and that, unfortunately, it is not uncommon for doctors and pharmacists to neglect to inform patients that the cream SHOULD be washed off.

Hopefully my husband's symptoms will fade away soon and his 2 month check up will show that the Aldara was successful in getting rid of the BCC.

[Mary]

Three weeks ago I started Aldara with 5x week application for sBCC on my shoulder. First I had itching and stinging then my shoulder broke out in blisters then scabs. The scabs were weeping, bleeding somewhat, and fairly deep. I am normally a very upbeat person but I was feeling quite "down", a little depressed, irritable and tired. I did not know if this was Aldara related. Due to position of lesions on my shoulder they kept splitting and bleeding. I have been wearing t-shirts as my clothing sticks to the lesions. I had scabbing a few inches from where I had used the Aldara so I ended up putting it on those scabs too. I am NOT a quitter but I was becoming concerned so I finally called the dermo to see if all was ok or I could get some relief. She was pleased with my reaction to the Aldara and said that is because it is fighting the cancer cells. It is three weeks since I began and she said I can quit, that the Aldara had clearly worked. My last application was July 24. I still have large weepy scabs. It has stopped stinging and I am not so "down". I wish I had been warned what the probable reaction to Aldara would be rather than being led to believe that the pics I saw were 'possible' reactions.
I get to see the dermo in September after the skin has healed. I will report back.
By the way, I started to use each package for two applications instead of one. Hang in there.
Mary

[Linda]

I'm on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule for three precancerous places on my face. After the first two applications I ended up with the worst sore throat of my life and my lips were numb (I didn't put it anyplace under my nose). After spending two days in bed, this morning I have a horrendous cold but my throat feels some better....dr. says it's obviously working and to continue using it. My face hasn't "erupted" yet...waiting for that to happen. If this cure doesn't kill us we'll be glad we did it....I guess.

Linda

[Aly]

I have been using Aldara for 3 applications so far for Ak on my nose. I have had no reaction on my nose what so ever but the most horrendous sinus pain. My nose looks normal on the outside but I sound blocked. My eye lid on one eye is sore and as I have had a corneal graft on that eye on the past I am a bit concerned about the far reaching side effects of the drug which I was not aware of.