Generic Name: Fluorouracil Cream
Brand Name: Fluorouracil Cream
Fluorouracil Cream Drug and Medication User Reviews
Fluorouracil 5% Cream My experience with using this medication is very similar to a lot of others. In a nutshell, (for most people) this treatment is both physically tough and mentally challenging. Finished approx. 2 weeks ago - 2 weeks/2x per day treatment on my (whole) face for Actinic Keratosis. My dermatologist said absolutely nothing about any of the possible side affects, or explain what this medication does to the area(s) it’s applied to...AND NOW I KNOW WHY!! All I was told was dab a little on the areas of my entire face (but not to close to the eyes or lips) and gently rub it in. I was curious what was prescribed so I started researching Fluorouracil 5% cream myself as soon as I got home and to a point wish I hadn’t, but wanted to know everything about this medicine that I’d never heard of. But honestly wasn’t too worried, since the dermatologist didn’t “elaborate”, I just thought it would be something similar to a RX “steroid” cream/ointment I would put on and it would eventually heal after that….WOW, was I wrong!! My face does look a lot better but still have some healing time to go. HINT- do it in the winter months if you can and save your vacation time (if you work), so you can stay at home - if you decide to. The cooler temps are a plus in case you do have to go out, as being out in the heat tends to aggravate the treated area(s). You are “probably not” going to want others to see you, if treating your face, because you will eventually look like a character out of a horror movie! I was lucky enough to take 3 weeks of vacation time and did not leave the house. The medication started really kicking in at approx. day 5-6. Whole face getting very red & tight all over- sores started appearing-and NON STOP ITCHING! The itching (for “me”) was the worst part. No matter what I applied (anti-itch cream) or took orally (Benadryl) didn’t help much. Then there are the other side affects I dealt with….fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, irritable, and trouble sleeping, even though I was exhausted. Sunscreen and a Hat are now a HAVE TO!!!- And I never liked wearing hats much. Heck, getting a sunburn back in my day, was….well…..just a sunburn and quite normal for a lot of us when we were younger. We’d give it a couple days and right back out into the sun we’d go. I pray I never have to use this medication again!!!
I have used this medication several times. On face I pick a spot about the size of a quarter. When the skin starts to break you can cover the area with a bandaid. After skin starts to heal use light cosmetics. Then move on to next spot. This takes a while to do the face but there is no pain, no ugly splotches and result is great.
I just finished a 21 day treatment on my legs ,forearms and chest. I have done my face 2 times in the past with great results.I actually did my forearms last year however, I still have quite a bit of redness and sores this second time too. I think I am one of the few people where the medication doesn't really bother me. Besides the hassle of applying twice daily. Although sometimes I would only use it once a day. I have minor itching on occasion but that's about it. I have spent my youth working on the ski patrol in Utah and teaching tennis in the summer..and I an fair skinned. I think it is a small price to pay if I can avoid trouble down the road. With someone like me it's all about being proactive because as far as skin cancers go it's not a question of if but when. Do it in the winter months to avoid the sun. If you are thinking about doing this just do it! The results have been more than worth it to me. I even get compliments on my skin now. Good luck !
Day 14 of 21 applying to my forehead. Wow, this stuff certainly works. My entire forehead looks like I have the measles. I'm super fair, and this is a result of growing up in the SW before sunscreen was really a thing. Hurray! Anyway, I'm very uncomfortable. The burning and itching is fierce. Aside from the dermal discomfort, I have horrendous inflammation and joint pain, and my hair is falling out in droves - thank goodness I have a thick head of hair. My forehead darn well better look like a baby's bum when this is all over, because this sucks, and it's terribly awkward in public, telling people I don't have some weird plague during the pandemic. I'm getting Aquaphor in the morning to see if it will help me get through the last week of this hot mess. But I will say, it's doing its job, it just is a painful process that I have to force myself to continue on with every night.
Fluorouracil 5% cream for topical treatment of actinic keratosis on my face. By the third day my skin was red and sore. I use a CPAP which has a silicone mask, and the sin under the straps across my cheeks were very raw. I discontinued after one week and am using colloidal oatmeal moisturizer to help healing. I will have to discuss other treatment options, perhaps photodynamic therapy (PDT).
This evening I finished my last application (14 days 2 times daily) of Fluorouracil to my face and forehead. The pain is so bad, I was tempted to skip this last application. The pain started around day 7 which is when I began counting down the days like a student at the end of a school year. It feels like the worst sun burn I have ever had x 10. I have trouble opening my mouth to eat, cannot smile or laugh without feeling like my face is going to crack. Shaving in the morning is another new experience in pain. I had no idea what I was in for, guess I should have asked a few more questions when my dermatologists prescribe this treatment. Hope it is worth it!
I'm 56 year old woman blued eyed fair skinned texan that lived half my life oblivious to very real danger from sunburns. After a successful mohs surgery on my nose.. I'm now 11 days into my fluorouracil treatment. Ugh! I'm miserable. My doctor and pharmacist did not warn me about side effects beyond the discomfort and itching. The nausea, dizzy and exhaustion hit me hard around the 6th day. I have no other health issues or medications. Determined to finish my 2x a day of 14 days of treatment. The discomfort of the skin is really manageable I have a high tolerance for pain but the other side effects are very disabling. There should be a warning about this. Hoping it gets rid of my squamous cell carcinoma on my face. Praying this is worth the misery. Skin cancer is deadly and I encourage everyone to see a dermatologist and never ignore any questionable spots of concern. I ignored them ?? and regret not being more proactive with my health. I'm hopeful that this will help resolve my issues but right now it's pure misery.
5 stars. Using this stuff is hell. But, it is ABSOLUTELY BETTER than all other options. I've been using fluorouracil, and now fluorouracil with vitamin D, Mohs surgery, freezing, and frequent clinic visits for over 30 years. Get rid of basal and squamous cell carcinoma before they get rid of you. Friends have thought it was not a bid deal; they are dead.
Not much until day 8, now day 12, lots of red patches forehead and temples. Only doing 1x/day per Dr. instructions, I am in the midwest winter and retired so homelocked for 3 weeks until treatment over. Just starting to itch, know the "worst" is yet to come but thats the price of stupidity of 100s of rounds of gold in my 30s with no hat or sunblock, feel lucky to have precancerous (so far) issues only.
I have had to use this product 3 times. It is absolute HELL. I was in so much pain by the forth week of use. My entire chest was looking like raw hamburger. I couldn't even let my shirt touch my chest it was so painful. I have to drive for my job and I had to have one hand under my shirt to pull it up and keep it from touching my raw skin. I had to do this treatment 3 times. If it had worked the first time, that might not have been so bad, but 3 times was too many. I hope something better comes along. I will try Diclofenac gel the next time. 5 FU is mostly just...FU, this hurts.
This definitely works! Although the 2 weeks on/ 2 weeks off/2 weeks on schedule was a little painful- and the the unsightly breakout appearance during the healing process was rough. BUT the great news is for me- new skin regenerated after 4 weeks...very smooth and lesion free! I definitely recommend using Aquaphor cream available at drug stores to help relieve the treated skin afterwards... product worked for me!
Never again use for facial treatment! Strongly recommend you ask your dermatologist for other options. I erased 8wks of my life going through application of cream to face, ears, and neck, followed by recovery only to recognize a small improvement. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, it may be OK (other than continuous sleepless nights). If you are an active, outdoors person, standby for "hell"...
There should be more of a warning on website and on tube for keeping this medication locked up. If a pet gets into this, it is deadly within hours.
Too many days at the public pool as a kid unprotected. Prescribed Flourourcil for four weeks to be applied to my face and ears. I’ve just completed week 2 of 4 and have all the burning, itching and he’ll described in other post. Advil and various alcohol beverages have helped so I will muscle thru to the end with hopes of healed facial skin. If successful, I will be golfing and fishing with a wide brim hat. I’ll post a follow up after week four.
To say that I hate this treatment would be a vast understatement. The pain, cracking, redness, scabbing, jolting jabs of pin-like piercing and continuous extreme discomfort can not be over emphasized. I’m on day 17 of 30 and I have no idea how I’m going to make it through this. Obviously nipping any cancer early is the goal but this is horrendous and I haven’t even gotten to the worst part yet. Hate hate hate this in the fullest sense of the word.
I’ve just completed 2 weeks of a 4 week regimen. My face is very red and burns with some itching. Vaseline has been a relief and soothes the burning. I haven’t experienced any blistering or peeling as of yet. I’m not particularly vain about my looks but glad to be able to wear a mask in public and not seem weird. I decline invitations to lunch because I feel my face would be grotesque for someone to look at while they try to eat! From now on, I’m wearing sun screen and a hat while outdoors! Lesson learned.
Used first on temple 2x for 14 days, developed 1 red sore spot. Waited 2 weeks and started 2nd treatment on forehead, developed GI side effects (slight nausea & IBS symptoms after eating evening meals) during the second treatment week. Since this side effect did not appear during the first treatment I did not make a connection until I heard this was a chemo drug. Figured it was because I was using more medication the 2nd time to treat a larger area. My forehead looked like a bad case of the measles and painful to touch inflamed areas. Best description when touching was rubbing sand on a bad sunburn. Although annoying not anywhere near some of the other skin reactions described here. Takes about 3 - 4 weeks for the red spots to dry out, flake off and disappear. Better than freezing treatment over a large area.
Well us Scottish lads have a lot of things to be thankful for but olive oil bronzed skin is not one of them. I have always been outdoors from a very early age...baseball, basketball, swimming, golf etc. Sunscreen wasn't a thing when I was younger. Fast forward...play golf 5 days a week and every year would go to dermatologist and get a spot frozen or cut off. After wining about more spots to be cut out, I asked for alternatives because I was tired of scars on this handsome face! Enter Fluorouracil. During the first 5 days, red spots formed on my temples and cheeks which were obvious before but my forehead and cheeks started lighting up as well and nothing was visible before. Yep, I covered everything. Prescribed 2x/day for 14 days. Days 10-14 were rough, skin bright red, tight and itchy. My Derm recommended no lotion until finished - I complied. Was prescribed Hydrocortisone cream for healing with my choice of moisturizer (vaseline). Guys and Gals this process takes commitment and it was tough. But it has worked UNBELIEVABLY! Skin is soft, red spots and dryness gone and new outlook on life. Sunscreen (SPF50) every 2 hours with a wide brimmed hat to cover the ears. Do it! If you're already doing it hang in there and finish...it was worth it.
I hate this stuff , they need to put on the tube to watch out while taking a shower. Using it on scalp(and other places) it was about 10 hours since applying it and didn't think while in shower until I tasted a bitterness. Oh crap I looked up to get it to flow down my back. It was to late and when I got out my entire face was red and blotchy ; it only got worse from there. My face and forehead burned and peeled for 3 to 5 days from what I guess is the skin there is more tender. 2nd go around I was careful but still face looks like severe acne, don't know if I'm rubbing it and don't realize. I'm also applying a Calcipotrien cream on top of it , don't know if that is making it more potent. I can handle it in other places , from bloody oozing sores to burning like hell. I guess thats what I get for working in the Texas sun for 20 years and not protecting myself.
Used the cream 2x a day for 2 weeks on my chest. My chest feels like it is on fire. Hrlps when i put a warm cloth on it. Wonder what i can use to ease the burning feeling?