Zyclara and Headaches: What Users Say

• Est...
• February 13, 2016

For Keratosis "I am on day 11 of a 14-day cycle, and the first week I experienced flu-like symptoms, i.e., achy muscles, fatigue, and headaches. My only side effect now is a slight headache. I am using Zyclara on my face (temples, forehead, and cheek), and my face is looking pretty ugly right now. It looks like an awful outbreak of acne and is very raw. I have more than a few scabs and a lot of redness where I have been applying the cream. It is very itchy and tender, and to be honest, while I am still in the middle of all of this, I have questioned whether I would do it again. I guess it would be better to answer that in a couple of weeks. I have wanted to stop using it, but it is like swimming halfway across a lake. I think I will be happy in a couple of weeks."

• Est...
• February 13, 2016

For Keratosis "I am on day 11 of a 14-day cycle, and the first week I experienced flu-like symptoms, i.e., achy muscles, fatigue, and headaches. My only side effect now is a slight headache. I am using Zyclara on my face (temples, forehead, and cheek), and my face is looking pretty ugly right now. It looks like an awful outbreak of acne and is very raw. I have more than a few scabs and a lot of redness where I have been applying the cream. It is very itchy and tender, and to be honest, while I am still in the middle of all of this, I have questioned whether I would do it again. I guess it would be better to answer that in a couple of weeks. I have wanted to stop using it, but it is like swimming halfway across a lake. I think I will be happy in a couple of weeks."

• Car...
• August 9, 2011

For 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 medicine 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 from person to person. For me, they are manageable."

• KCa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 6, 2018

For Keratosis "My doctor prescribed Zyclara for use on some areas on my face she was concerned about. Zyclara gets rid of the cancerous cells. After the first few days, it started working, oh boy! To be honest, I looked like a drug addict, my face was red with blisters, open sores, and itchy. The only side effect I experienced was a mild to moderate headache, so the process was very tolerable for me. Second round and very little disruption of the skin. Before you start the treatment, you may want to check your calendar for any upcoming events such as weddings, reunions, parties, and such because your skin will look terrible during treatment. The initial treatment was awful, but the end result and the way my skin looks is well worth the discomfort. Some insurance plans do not cover the cost of Zyclara because it’s extremely expensive. Ask your doctor for coupons or look online as most insurance companies won’t cover it."

• KCa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 6, 2018

For Keratosis "My doctor prescribed Zyclara for use on some areas on my face she was concerned about. Zyclara gets rid of the cancerous cells. After the first few days, it started working, oh boy! To be honest, I looked like a drug addict, my face was red with blisters, open sores, and itchy. The only side effect I experienced was a mild to moderate headache, so the process was very tolerable for me. Second round and very little disruption of the skin. Before you start the treatment, you may want to check your calendar for any upcoming events such as weddings, reunions, parties, and such because your skin will look terrible during treatment. The initial treatment was awful, but the end result and the way my skin looks is well worth the discomfort. Some insurance plans do not cover the cost of Zyclara because it’s extremely expensive. Ask your doctor for coupons or look online as most insurance companies won’t cover it."

• Abl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 20, 2013

For 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 Raynaud'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 the 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."

• Bro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 21, 2016

For Keratosis "Had been on the Zyclara, putting it on my chest only, for 10 days when I experienced high fever, chills, shortness of breath, nausea, sore throat, aching joints, headache, numbness in my fingers, metallic taste in my mouth, dry mouth, and extremely tired. Dr. told me to stop. Symptoms still continue after 5 days off. He refuses to say it's from the cream, but I am never sick and only became sick after being on the cream. Hopefully, the cream will have done its job, and after the redness and spots disappear, I will have a clear chest again. It is a chemotherapy cream, so no wonder there will be side effects. Stupid doctor for not taking responsibility for this!!!!"

• No...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 13, 2016

For Keratosis "Just finished my second course of two weeks on, two off, two on. I pray this works! The side effects I experienced were between moderate to severe (flu-like, headache, upset stomach). My nose looks like I burned off the entire end, tip. It is very sore, crusting, oozing - very ugly. But if this is the price I pay for the medicine to hopefully work, I've sucked it up! I had MOHS in March of '15, and the new treatment spot is adjacent to the old scar. Praying this works..."

• Anonymous
• February 6, 2019

For Condylomata Acuminata "Used 6 days and now have over 50 spots on face, 30 on neck and chest with 11 fever blisters. Felt feverish, achy, sick at stomach, headache, and lower back pain. I guess I’m weak because I can’t go another day."

• Gin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 5, 2022

For Keratosis "I've done my first 5 days. I am exhausted and weak with a headache. It is hard to work/function - that's how tired I am. But I am hoping it works so I can avoid surgical removal of my basal cell carcinoma."

• Sun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 26, 2023

For Keratosis "I'm on day 7 of my first two-week application process. Had a few spots appear on my forearms, but my chest was a different story. Wow! I know I had sun damage there, but I had no idea to what extent. Red bumps appeared the day after the first application and have gotten progressively more pronounced. Not sure if I should keep using, as the leaflet says to stop using if sores appear during the first week of application or if ulceration occurs. I keep reading, though, that this just means it's working. Having a difficult time getting a hold of the prescribing doctor to confirm. Surprisingly, have had no reaction on my face. Only possible side effect has been the odd headache, but not sure if it's from the Zyclara."

• J17...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 17, 2024

"Used as prescribed. After night 1, I had felt quite a bit of burning, but after seeing it listed as one of the symptoms, I just thought the cream was doing its job. The burning continued to get worse even after I had washed it off. When it reached night 2, I began to get many other symptoms (burning, itching, cold sweats, dizziness, nausea, pounding headache, and I ran a fever of 104). I decided to go to the hospital as the fever wouldn't break, and they gave me medication to help. The doctor told me to stop using the cream immediately. Day 3, the fever was gone, but I ended up having to return to the hospital. My area was now swollen to three times its original size, I had bloody discharge, and the burn had now turned dark purple. The doctor was shocked to see my downstairs area pretty much completely destroyed. He told me this was a severe reaction to this cream and that this was essentially a bad chemical burn in the worst area possible. It's been 5 weeks, and I'm still recovering."