The following information is NOT intended to endorse drugs or recommend therapy. While these reviews might be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care.
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: I just finished the second phase of two weeks on Zyclara. It is doing its job for sure. Alot of open sores at the surface. Doctor put me on antibiotics as I have some infection going on. Also, using a antibiotic topical cream to help. It is painful but worth the time going through this as I have heard good results. I have had the Mohls surgery and also Efudex. Hope this clears it up for good.
Review by Anonymous (taken for 6 months to 1 year):
User Rating:
10
Aldara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: Best medicine, the only treatment that worked on the dots on my arms that I suffered with for years. Just really expensive.
Aldara (imiquimod) for Basal Cell Carcinoma: Used it for 3 weeks. 5 days on, 2 off, and so on. 1st week comes out like pimples, second they break, third they dry. Hurts, sure but not impossible. Works perfectly. Fever, drowsiness, headaches, but its worth it. I have used it for the last 5 years once a year for face skin problems.
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: I am on week 5. I first used it on my arms with no result. So I decided to do my forehead. A few spots came out. Now I'm doing my chest area...major sun damage! I'm not going to lie, it itches and burns. If all these spots are pre-cancer cells, then its definitely worth a few weeks of pain and discomfort! I just told my co-workers what I was doing so I didn't feel the need to "cover-up". Actually feels better not to have clothes rub on it. I take Advil for the pain. If only I could go back in time and tell myself to get out of the tanning beds, its not worth it!
Review by AblesChapin (taken for less than 1 month):
User Rating:
7.0
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: Have used this for one week but began to have serious side-effects including hives all over my back, severe diarrhea, terrible cold/flu, headache, joint soreness. I do have an autoimmune disorder (endometriosis and Raynaund's) and the medication has warnings for people with autoimmune disorders so that may be why I am having such an adverse reaction. Will see doctor tomorrow to learn if I should switch to Efudex maybe but will probably look into the genetic testing for DPD before I start that one.
Aldara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: Was involved in a clinical trial for Aldara 3.75% three years ago. Documented 51 Actinic Keratosis lesions on face and forehead. Two treatments, six weeks in between. Severe reaction occurred on first round, including flu-like symptoms. Also had less reaction on second treatment. Follow-up exam found NO Actinic Keratosis sites. One year follow up documented NO recurrence! I'm a fan! This is a miracle cure!
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: After I viewed some web face pics of others, I felt better about my treatment because this medicine will tear your face up. It was a lot of trouble explaining to most I came in contact with the treatment plan, and the looks on their faces were priceless. But, after a couple of months I know of 3 more people who also chose the treatment after seeing the results. One of them is a doctor and this is his statement to me, "you didn't tell me about the horrible flu symptoms, " for which I replied, "you didn't ask."
imiquimod for Human Papilloma Virus: This cream really is a miracle. The first few times I used it on my warts, I did not pay attention to ONLY putting it on the warts, I applied it to the general area and the itching was unbearable. But after paying closer attention to my application, my warts have very noticeably gotten smaller or disappeared after only two weeks of treatment.
My side effects were itching, slight sting when applying, slight swelling, and just some over all discomfort. But the side effects were nothing compared to being on a wart free track!
imiquimod for Basal Cell Carcinoma: Using this for basal call carcinoma treatment. Used it for a couple of small areas initially with little problems. Have been using it on a larger spot now, and have developed quite significant flu like symptoms. Have tried to push through them, but they're getting worse to the point of needing to stop the cream. Extremely fatigued and achy, which is just not me. I work out an hour plus several days a week and am only able to struggle through maybe a half work out. It also caused a lot of redness and sores at the site of use, but I can manage that. The good news is it does seem to work on the basal cells.
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: I took Zyclara for the first time a year ago at the age of 34 after my doctor froze off 3 actinic keratosis. Actinic keratosis on my nose is back, also I still have red spots where lesions were during the initial treatment. Doctor says I need another round to finish off the damage and as a last best hope to avoid having to surgically remove the spot on my nose. I have fair skin and tons of sun damage (including 2nd degree burns over 20% of my body). My doctor initially recommended that I take 2 months off for the treatment, this time I will take her advice! I found the treatment too intense to work through due to pain and fatigue. Moisturizing the area with petroleum jelly and a topical anesthetic and antimicrobial (neosporin or polysporin) helped a lot!
Aldara (imiquimod) for Condylomata Acuminata: This works well. It takes time, but if you follow the instructions precisely the warts get smaller and smaller until they're gone. No scar, no freezing or drying, no acid. The warts just shrink until they're gone. Less side effects than Condylox. It does not affect healthy skin like Condylox does.
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: Took for 9 days and developed terrible flu like symptoms -- doctor said to stop. Still having symptoms several days later. The medicine did bring out keratosis spots but not worth the side effects.
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: My bald head, forehead, and face have the actinic keratosis spots to be treated. I tried one laser peel and it did well for about 6 months. It was painful and the recovery was as well. I tried Efudex cream several times and had some success. I am on the Zyclara now for 7 days with just some itching, redness and minor swelling. I made the mistake of being in the sun for 5 hours on the sixth day and had to skip the treatment one night due to some pain. Some sores have began to appear like old zits. It wont be pretty for several weeks but it should be worth it to avoid cancer.
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: I will give this medicine a higher rating perhaps when I finish the treatment. At this point (day 5 in the first round), I have muscle pain, lethargy and a dull headache. I feel like I have a mild virus. I have eruptions - red, itchy bumps - but that doesn't bother me as it means the medicines is working and that's exactly what I want. It will be worth it to be rid of precancerous cells on my forehead and hands. But there are some side effects and they seem to vary person to person. For me they are manageable.
10 users found this comment helpful.
Did you?YesNo
Aldara (imiquimod) for Basal Cell Carcinoma: The side effects of this cream were bad. Very painful sinus, swelling of throat and inside mouth, continuous cough on chest, headache (don't usually suffer headaches, dizziness). May be good for some people but not me. (I am 74).
25 users found this comment helpful.
Did you?YesNo
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: I am on the last three days of the 2nd two week application step. I'm using on my forehead and cheeks and what a mess. I'm covered in red itchy weeping spots and blotches. I have nausea but that's the price you pay for baking in the sun as a kid. I'm 62. This medicine seems to work and if you don't mind looking like your face caught fire for a few weeks to maybe save your life then go for it.
21 users found this comment helpful.
Did you?YesNo
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: Yesterday was Day 14 of my Zyclara treatment. Using it on my forehead where there was a previous basal cell, and on my chest where I currently have a basal cell. I decided to do the whole top of my chest. Wow, I have many actinic keratosis. It's really scary. No real bad side effects other than the swelling and rawness on my chest. Forehead, found 1 AK, appears to be working. I have been experiencing some lower back pain, as I did when I used the Carac Cream. Wondering if this is a side effect or not? I hope this works! Will be doing Carac again in the winter on my cheeks.
Aldara (imiquimod) for Basal Cell Carcinoma: When treating for Basal Cell Carcinoma, in my case the arm, HEED THE WARNING to not use on sore or broken skin, which should include recently biopsied lesions to avoid any confusion. Wait until the excision site has healed. I did not receive this instruction and began using it that night. The pain was beyond description, reached deep into the muscle tissue, and lasted for hours. Follow-up phone calls of course confirmed the oversight.
32 users found this comment helpful.
Did you?YesNo
Aldara (imiquimod) for Human Papilloma Virus: I was extremely hesitant to use this medicine because of the price and because I had read horror stories about it online. But I was desperate because of unsightly warts, so I took the plunge.
I made sure to apply with a magnification mirror and a q-tip. I can't stress enough how important it was to ONLY apply it exactly where the warts were. My side effects included swelling and itching around the affected area and some fatigue/aches. After using it 4 times, my warts were gone. Worth it worth it worth it. Just be careful not to put it on any healthy skin.
40 users found this comment helpful.
Did you?YesNo
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: I've been using Zyclara for 7 days. I have loss of appetite, I've lost 5 lbs already. I feel a little nausea, fatigue, and pain and itching. All of which make me feel like hibernating, but I can't, I have to work! People are beginning to question the skin eruptions and weight loss. I hope this will be worth it. I've tried all other forms of removing basal and squamous from my body including Mohse surgery, but they always reappear over the scar tissue. I have not tried radiation. I hope that Zyclara is going to be the answer for me.
18 users found this comment helpful.
Did you?YesNo
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: I am on my 7th day of treatment and have not experienced any of the side effects, except for the skin irritation where the AK's are prevalent.
17 users found this comment helpful.
Did you?YesNo
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: After my initial 9 days of Zyclara treatment I have had to stop using it. The side effects are intense to the point of debilitating.
23 users found this comment helpful.
Did you?YesNo
Zyclara (imiquimod) for Actinic Keratosis: I have used Zyclara for 10 days I have all of the side effects except for the lymphadenopathy. The side effects began on the 8th day of usage. I am taking myself off the drug for at least two days and will stay on the schedule of 2 weeks of medication, 2 weeks off, and 2 weeks back on. I was warned by my doctor that I might need a rest from the medication and I was thinking it was because of the sores it creates, but it is that and everything else.
31 users found this comment helpful.
Did you?YesNo
There's some good news for people who have had certain kinds of skin cancer: A new study suggests that their odds of developing Alzheimer's disease may be...
Preteen girls may get the same immune response against human papillomavirus (HPV) with two doses of vaccine as young women get with the full three-shot series,...
White people with skin cancer that is not melanoma may be at greater risk for developing other forms of cancer, according to a new study. Patients with basal...