Efudex-40 (fluorouracil)

Need all information about this medication please.

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I have been told to apply Efudex to my lower lip, isn't this crazy?

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Not really. It is listed in the drug monograph that it can be used topically to treat certain cancerous or possibly cancerous conditions.

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Has anyone used it on their lips? Won't it just keep bleeding non-stop?

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Heidi- I've used it on my lips three times. Each time it was an application morning and at bedtime. Though about the second week it gets very sensitive and blister-like lesions appear that means it's working. I applied a product called Acquafor (like Vaseline Jelly) to seal it and protect). The healing takes some time but the outcome is worth it.

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I just used Efudex for 2 weeks on lower lip. from day 7 blistered and ulcerated and wept and crusted. From day 10 it bled and scabbed. Ensure you don;t take it beyond the lip margin into the mouth or it causes excruciating burns & damages top lip too causing them to stick together. Otherwise it has been horrible but bearable. Hope I neer have to do it again though. Hard to eat, floss teeth and even talk at times. Hopefully worth it.

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Today is the 8th day of Efudix on my bottem lip.
I did not know and got it inside my mouth , it borns like fire when I eat or floss, tears are running. Can I do some thing about it ? and how long should I use it , my dermo said 4 weeks ?!

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I have to start the efudex 5% cream once a day on upper and lower lips. I am extremely worried about the pain. Is there anything besides aquafor or Vaseline to he help with pain?

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I am just starting efudex on my lower lip and am looking for info. This is my second day and no real blister sor anything. Maybe I am not putting enough on. Also how close to the lip line did you go..I am worried that it is getting into the inside of my lip. How long after applying can I eat or put aquaphor or chapstick on? Any advice?
Thank you for posting your experience.
My doctor told me I could stop after one week..

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I am on day 13 of 21 on my lower lip. No reaction until day 6 when tingling stated. Blisters started on day 8. Which is a good sign as that means it is working. Lip feels swollen and tight, eating is uncomfortable, so I drink ensure, milk and juice from a straw tucked into the side of my mouth. Dr. said to wait 2 hours after application before I apply Aquaphor or white petroleum jelly. Day 13 the top skin is coming off and this morning I noticed a bit of dried blood from one place. No more painful than before. Applying the cream is rather soothing. It will all be worth it in the end, Hang in there.

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I finally got through it. In hindsight it wasn't unbearable , especially with the hopeful result being no cancer on lower lip. I didn't really see any changes until about the 6th day. Then the oozing and bleeding started. It was very ugly. I used a hydrocortisone cream and then my doctor prescribed an antibiotic cream. Then for 2 weeks after I stopped using the cream ( I used for 8 days , twice a day) the healing began. That was really ugly. Black scabs that of course fell off as I applied some aquaphor or Vaseline. Took 2 full weeks before the scab finally fell off for the last time- I had some bleeding problems form one section of my lip- it just wouldn't heal. I applied pressure and it would stop. Anyway if I could get through it anyone can! Good luck to anyone using it!

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I have been treated off and on for Paget's disease of the scrotum. I have been fairly relaxed about it. I apply it to the area for a week or two and although it doesn't represent a total cure, Efudex keeps it at the level of being a bit of a nuisance. However I now have a wee rash on my genitals. Has anyone experienced this and would Efudex be inappropriate in this instance?

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Hi,Mary. I stopped using the Fluorouracil cream 5 days ago, and at the same time started a cortisone cream. I tried to go back to work (I teach PE, so lots of talking, especially in the first few weeks of school). It seems the constant talking (and smiling - gotta do a lot of that with elementary school kids) the lip worsened. It sounds like it took you a couple of weeks after you stopped the chemo cream for it to finally heal. Does that sound accurate? Thank you.

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I did Efudex 15 years ago. I had a derm recommend doing it again. I am wondering if that makes sense? I have redness on my temples from sun damage. I am thinking about a different treatment option like blue light. Does it make sense to do the same thing twice?

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Re: Su (# 5)

Hi Su, can you tell me on what day the pain started and on what day it stopped or at least subsided? Thanks

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Re: Barbara (# 14)

I don't know what part of the body you are using the cream on, but I did it on my bottom lip. It took at least 5 days or so for the pain to start. I thought it wasn't working at first, but it just takes time.

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Re: Joleen (# 15)

Thanks Jolene, how bad did it get and how many days did you apply it. Did you have good results? It's my bottom lip also.

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I did the 21 day Efudex application on the complete top of my bald head after a squamus removal. At the end of the course, my head was like a baby's skin. The new skin has never had UV exposure at all. My question is, does that mean it would be free of the cancer problem? Any answers please?

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Re: Dave O (# 17)

It was suggested that I follow up with my dermatologist a few months after the treatment, so I did and I was still clear. Always a good idea to get it checked out yearly too - that new "baby skin" is going to be sensitive, so stay covered! :)

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Re: Joleen (# 18)

My damage was done long ago in my surfing days :-) but I now wear a hat outside and have done for many years. Still wondering if it's possible that there would be no further outbreaks in this lovely new skin. Going for a checkup soon. Thanks.

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Re: heidi (# 1)

I have done it. It could save your life! It's a painful process, but if a doctor recommended it, you should do it. It only acts on the precancerous cells, and it leaves the normal cells alone.

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Re: Comments Submitted (# 13)

Blue light sunburned my scalp at my part and it still sheds flaky dandruff-like skin. I'm doing Efudex now on my face having done it on my arms about the time I did blue light. In my opinion the pain from Efudex is less than the blue light treatment. It felt like a blowtorch on my face.

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Re: Marlene (# 24)

"I am reluctant to use the cream all over as I know where the spots are."

You THINK you know! This treatment, as you're probably aware now that you've done it, highlights damage in the skin that you didn't even know was there. So I think most people would recommend that you treat the whole area, whether it be your face, chest, arms, whatever.

Personally speaking, I see lots of photos of people who have treated their face but not their lips or ears or neck. I know a lot of dermos say to keep it away from your eyelids but I took the cream in quite close and it drew out a lot of damage within 1/2cm of my eyes, especially the outer corners and below the eyebrows.

And I think doing your lips is a no-brainer; they cop a LOT of sun and have less natural protection that other skin. Just my opinion.

And definitely do the fluorouracil + calcipotriol/calcipotriene combo treatment; it's a breeze compared to the fluorouracil on its own and is much faster - 4 days* compared to several weeks. I'm not sure how I'd have coped with the fluorouracil-only regimen - it looked brutal. And it seems it can result in persistent post-treatment reddening according to quite a few posts here and elsewhere, maybe because of the severity and duration of the reaction.

* The Harvard study was for 4 days only and cleared around 90% of AKs compared to about half that with fluorouracil/Efudex/Efudix on its own. Personally, I do 6-7 days to try to get a higher clearance rate and because it's simply not that difficult to keep going for a few more days. This is NOT a recommendation; do your own research.

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Re: Dave O (# 19)

"Still wondering if it's possible that there would be no further outbreaks in this lovely new skin."

I'm just completing the Dynamic Duo treatment - Fluorouracil + Calcipotriol/Calcipotriene for 7 days (after 3 days of Fluorouracil solo before I found about the combo) - including my lips. (I'll stick with the combo treatment for subsequent applications; they say 4 days is enough, but I think I can easily handle 6-7 days without much fuss.)

My understanding is that the lips, especially the bottom one - cop a huge amount of sun damage so it's worth doing them I think, though I do see a lot of photos on posts elsewhere where they have avoided them for whatever reason. Going by the reaction I've had - some blistering and cracking, but not unbearable - I'd do it again. And probably will do a 4-6 day repeat in a few months, after I finish the rest of my abused skin (chest, arms/hands, back, etc).

Most of my sun damage came from stupid tanning in the 70s/80s and a long bike ride up the east coast of Australia in my 20s - not a drop of sunscreen, out in the tropical sun for 3-6 hours a day for 9 months. Eeek!

A dermo once told me that the skin can actually heal itself to some extent; I once had an AK appear out of nowhere on my shoulder, turn bright red, scab over and fall off in the space of a week, eventually disappearing completely on its own. Doc said that that can happen. But I wouldn't depend on it! I wish someone had told me about this treatment years ago, before the burning, freezing and cutting began! Definitely try the combo - it's WAAAAY easier, faster and actually seems to work better.

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I am on week two and have found some valuable information on this site that has put my mind at rest that my treatment is going ok.

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Has anyone just used the Efudex cream on certain areas of the face, rather than all over? I am reluctant to use the cream all over as I know where the spots are. Or, should I do the whole face? My abrasions are on the nose, chin and side cheek.

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I'm just starting Efudex. Will it cause skin damage? If the skin isn’t damaged will it still turn it red and crusty as the days of use pass?

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I'm going to start Efudex in January. One place is the tip of my nose, but the other is right on the bridge of my nose, very close to my eye. How can I protect my eye from being affected?

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Will using Efudex three times daily on facial AKs speed my treatment up? I am going away in 3 1/2 weeks and don’t want to look scary! I started using it at Christmas.

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I used this prescription on my forehead twice a day for 10 days. Removed all my ak's. Has now been about 1 year and ...

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Harvard Medical recently discovered a new treatment regime for AK. This new four-day Harvard Medical protocol is going t...

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I put this combo on face fro 5 days as prescribed. Pretty awful for 2 of the days but all clear after 2 weeks. HOWEVER, ...

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I'm having an unusually severe skin irritation when applying my Fluorouracil creme (5%) this time. This is the 3rd t...

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I am on effient blood thinner after a heart stent placement. I was just prescribed efudex. will this increase the blood ...

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Can anyone explain the stages and what to look for. I’ve been on Fluorouracil for 23 days suppose to do 4 weeks al...

I read that you should wash the site before application. Are you to wash your hair everyday, twice a day if you apply Fl...

I've just completed 10 days of fluorouracil + calcipotriene/calcipotriol treatment - in my case, being in Méxic...

How and when should I apply Efudex to my face? ## This is a drug used to treat certain types of cancer. How often and ho...

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How to use and side efects ## please give me detailed description of how to apply and how long to apply efudex-40 ## I w...

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