Prescription skin cancer cream Aldara has horrific side effects...

I personally think the creme is very dangerous. when i was using it, i had a headache EVERY day just about, not to mention feeling really fatigued. As i researched , there have been people that have developed really bad symptoms and break downs of their immune system from this drug. I do have an autoimmune disorder already ulcerative colitis, and its contraindicated for people with autoimmune disorders and my dermatologist at the time apparently didnt know that and neither did i. It is a creme but it doesnt just work on the surface, it gets into the blood stream. It works.. but it also causes a lot of other problems.

I have just finished 8 weeks of Aldara and have had no side effects except for 2 spots have become really crusty. The smaller one's scab came off and it looks good. The larger one has become red around the outside, sometimes it burns but it is a different burn than when I apply the cream. Has anyone heard of infections under the scab. My doctor is out of town and a resident called me and said it sounds fine. Thanks.

I am in my 4th week of Aldera for bcc on the side of my nose and also on my cheek. It seems to be working as described, but looks terrible. I did have an issue where I had a dizzy spell and was feeling very odd for one full day, yesterday. I usually have a low blood pressure, but this was really bad. Trying to decide if this is related to the Aldera. Will contact the doctor, of course. Anyone else with these type of side effects?

Genie, i used the creme for 10 weeks and i was in a store walking around on two occasions when i got really light headed and felt like i could have fainted. I had never done anything like that before.. so i attributed that and a lot of the other things to the aldara.

I have a spot on my breast and had biopsy, results were inconclusive, t cell lymphoma or para psorious.
I am using Aldara for 10 days now. Feeling uwell and dizziness, diareha.
I decided to look up this site and now am aware that it could be the drug.
Thanks

My dermotologist is Rxing Aldara for my nose! Being an RN after reading all of your side effects I am not sure whether I want to go under the knife or creme? How long did any of you use this creme before the side effects showed up?

I am skeptical abouat the creme at this point!!

I have been using Aldara for two weeks, on spots on my face, with another week to go. Other than looking terrible and the itching I have had no other physical results.

My dermatologist prescribed Aldera for the AK on my forehead.Even after the first usage I started to develop sore -oozing points on my forehead where I used the cream as per prescription.After 3 doses , it was quite a sight . I had migraine and fever . I did not know that these could be the side effects. Anyways my doctor stopped the treatment before further harm was done .
If it had occured to me to check the web , I would never start with Aldera.Now I try to heal the aldera -createwd wounds with some regular medicines . I wish Good luck and easy recovery to all.

Lynette wrote:

My dermotologist is Rxing Aldara for my nose! Being an RN after reading all of your side effects I am not sure whether I want to go under the knife or creme? How long did any of you use this creme before the side effects showed up?
I am skeptical abouat the creme at this point!!

Hi Lynette. I also was prescribed aldara for my nose. Had a biopsy and had a actinic keratosis removed. I am terrified to use it so probably am going to opt for another biopsy. What do you think?

I was just prescribed Aldera for actinic Keratosis. I had one little spot on my nose that was biopsied. One doctor said surgery the other said creme. Neither said I have skin cancer just atypia cells. I am very confused. The report only says possibly a squamous cell in situ and that the findings are consistent with a actinic keratosis. Any feed back would be great. Thanks.

Recently diagnosed with squamous. Had surgery to remove frm left forearm. Pathology report states dysplasia (precancerous cells)around area removed. Should I use Aldara????

Margie Fraser wrote:

Recently diagnosed with squamous. Had surgery to remove frm left forearm. Pathology report states dysplasia (precancerous cells)around area removed. Should I use Aldara????

I wouldn't use it. I was just prescribed it also but after reading about the awful side effects there is no way I'm using it.

I just started Aldara and friends have warned me to instead use a natural product C-herb because I have had several feelings of throat closing/difficulty breathing, headaches, chills, and a rash. I intend to talk to the dermatologist tomorrow. The spot on my nose is very near the eyes and I'm concerned about potential damage. Has anyone used C-herb or other similar "natural" products and if so would like to hear your experiences.

I was given Aldara the 1st week of October to treat a pre-cancerous spot on my chest. By Oct. 5th I had severe diarrhea and headaches along with the scabbing,itching and burning. I kept thinking it was something I'd eaten or the calcium supplement I had been taking. When it continued into week 2 I was concerned and stopped all vitamins and other meds that I had been on for a while. The diarreah has continued and is worse than ever. I also get dizzy spells and heart palpitations which I've never had before. When all else was ruled out I googled the Aldara and was blown away by all I had read. I called my Dermatologist twice to vent my concerns and nobody has returned my call in 2 days. I stopped using it 2 days ago and still have the same symptoms so I am assuming it will take a while for my system to return to normal....or maybe it won't. Has anyone else had the severe diarrhea with this? I am starting to loose weight now.

I have several genital warts on my penis. Wartec cream was used for a year. It burned them down to almost nothing after a few days, but the same warts continued to return each week, and thus a never ending cycle of Wartec was needed.

So.. I switched to Aldara 2 weeks ago and of course dropped the Wartec. I see no redness of any type so far, but I do detect that the warts are not growing as fast or possibly they are reduced slightly in size. Very early to tell yet.

A runny nose started after day 10 on Aldara and slight fever. This is the flu like symptoms people are reporting?

My doctor and I are trying an experimental therapy with Aldara for a rare condition called trichoepitheliomas. There is only one reported case using it for this purpose so we really are in uncharted waters. I've been using it for more than 4 months, at first 3 times per week, then 5 times per week, along with Tazorac cream. My only noticable side effects are dizziness and sleepiness as soon a I apply it - which is why you do it just before bed; and a some red, itchy, peeling areas on my face, one of which is very large and looks like ringworm. I'm pleased with my results so far which beats the two full face surgical dermabrasions I've had in the past.

This article is pure crap. This is from a site using negative aldara to indirectly promote competing products. Check out www.skincancersolution.com to get more informtaion.

I have been using aldara cream now for about 15 years, i had a heart transplant 17 years ago and the medications that I am on are bringing out all these sun cancers.I have also had about 400 cut out in this time. so like many others I would prefer a little discomfort
then the knife. By the way I am 62 years old

I just finished a 6 week treatment with Aldara for SCC. I had it on my face and chest. My dermatologist cut one spot on my chest and prescribed Aldara 3X a week for 6 weeks. I then saw a plastic surgeon dermatologist for my face. he said to put the Aldara on my face for 6 weeks and see him in a month. Two weeks ago, he said that my face looks good. I see him again in a month. I have had awful side effects from the Aldara. My chest looks awful. It gets so itchy that I scratch it until it bleeds. I have developed exzema on my back. I see regular dermatologist on Nov. 26 and Dec.19. My face(2 small spots)doesn't look too bad and is not near as itchy as my chest.

I've been on Aldara for 8 weeks for BCC on the side of my neck. The affected area grew to about 10 times the size it was prior to treatment. Scabbing, bleeding and oozing were considerable. My doctor initially prescribed 2 applications per day 7 days a week. I experienced dizziness and fatigue to a degree I had a hard time functioning.

When I told my doctor he said he preferred the agressive approach. I chose to follow the manufacturer's recommendation, once a day for 8 hours 5 days a week. The side effects were more tolerable.

The scabbing never healed and after reading up more on Aldara I found I was having a severe reaction and that I should cut back on the applications. I went four days w/o applying Aldara and used Neosporin on the lesion. The scab cleared leaving only a red lesion.

I returned to the manufacturer's recommendation 11/26 and am now on the fifth day. The treated area is beginning to scab again and burns more as each day goes by. I'll take two days off and start the 5 day routine again on Monday. I now leave the cream on for 8 hours then clean it up and apply Neosporin. That seems to be a better regimen than what the dermatologist prescribed.

What I have seen so far is Aldara has exposed a much larger affected area than my dermatologist saw which tells me surgery would have been ineffectual. There has been a lot of dead skin I've sloughed off, hopefully dead basal cells. I can't say if this product really works as expected because I haven't finished treatment.

If you decide to use this product be prepared for some negative side effects and for your skin to flare up considerably. It gets very ugly.