ALDARA Reviews (IMIQUIMOD)

Average Rating: 2.9 (856 Ratings)

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 DERMATOLOGICS

 Type: Rx Drug

  

ALDARA  (IMIQUIMOD):  This medication is used to treat certain types of growths on the skin. These are precancerous growths (actinic keratoses), a certain type of skin cancer (superficial basal cell carcinoma), and warts on the outside of the genitals/anus. Treating these conditions can decrease complications from them. Imiquimod belongs to a group of drugs called immune response modifiers. It is believed to work by helping to activate your immune system to fight these abnormal skin growths. This product is not recommended for use on children under 12 years of age unless specifically directed by your doctor.   FDA Approval Date: 1997-02-27 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR ALDARACOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 4  GW did any other ladies develop a rash during her period on this? i used a pad and developed a horrible rash.. im hoping the two are related. F 6 weeks
12/16/2008
 5  GW hpv lil irritation, slight burn when urine, itching I found this web site after I started using the med,I was so scared, I just knew that I was going to have all the side effects that everyone was talking about. I did, but not as bad the drug works great. I had four warts three around the opening of my vagina and one around my rectum one went away over night and the the other three went away in the matter of weeks just keep using it make sure you're using it right, wash it off in the morning like the direction say. I haven't felt this normal in a long time, and if I have another breakout hopefully it will work as good the next time. Good luck you can fight this "I WILL NOT LET THIS TAKE OVER ME" F 22 2 weeks
12/14/2008
 5  GW mild pain, redness, open sores(due to mis-use), itching, swelling I started using Aldara about 5 weeks ago for 1 intervaginal wart. Once I started using the cream I notices a few odd placed warts on my outer labia, I used the cream on them as well. I got over excited with the dissapearance of the intervaginal wart that I figured the more the better, WRONG!. This resulted in a painful sore on healthy skin that wasnt effected by my gential warts. I recommed that other users use the cream sparingly and as directed otherwise you will end up with severe side effects. Trust me I learned the hard way. Side note: take vitamin supplements to boost your immune system (A E,C), they work wonders with healing time. F 24 5 weeks
12/11/2008
 1  GW fatigue, body aches, extreme redness and now it looks like herpes! Chronic headache! I thought i was going crazy. i couldn't understand why i've been feeling so sick. it all makes perfect sense now that i have read all of these posts. i'm sticking to chryotherapy. my head hurts and it feels like i've been sick for over a week now. i never get sick. never!! i'm throwing this shit away. oh yeah, my warts are gone but now it looks like fucking herpes all over my pubic region. open lesions and the flu is what this medicine has given me. M 22 3 weeks
12/11/2008
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 4  hpv none M 26 4 weeks
12/7/2008
 5  Warts on face none Since March of 2006, I've been fighting off warts on my face. They're small, but very annoying. I also found one on my stomach and finger. After multiple freezing sessions and even cutting them off (the doctor doing it), nothing was working and they kept coming back. I started using Aldara in October. After about 3 weeks of treatment everything was gone and I've had no side effects at all. On a side note which may be important as to the reason I am having no redness or itching; I have seborrheic dermatitis on my face and use Elidel. The medicine's sole purposes is to repair skin from redness, burning, itching and dryness. This may counter-act any side effects I would have had from Aldara. M 26 3 months
12/6/2008
 3  Genital Warts Severe Redness, some itching I've been using Aldara on and off for about 4 months. Since I started my warts have gotten much worse. The only thing is, wherever I put the cream the warts go away but they just come back in different places. After a couple of uses they usually get hard where I can just pick off the warts but the area stays red for about a week. M 17 4 months
12/4/2008
 1  bcc I'm one of those people who have had a plethora of debilitating side effects from my use of Aldara a year and a half ago. The worst symptoms are extreme muscle inflammation and deterioration, joint deterioration, and skin rashes. The most recent diagnosis is an autoimmune disease called dermatomyositus (literally means inflammation of the muscles and skin). My rheumatologist agrees that my problems were likely induced by my use of Aldara or something similar. I was very healthy before Aldara, and since I used no other drugs, I fully believe Aldara was the cause. To treat the symptoms, I've been on high levels of prednisone, as well as plaquenil and am now taking CellCept (an anti-rejection drug approved for kidney and heart transplant patients). These drugs suppress the immune system (which is causing the inflammation), and they have, in turn, indirectly caused a ruptured appendix (because it's suppressed, my immune system didn't react to poisons that had gathered in my appendix) and a Per a dermatologist's prescription, I used Aldara for 3 months straight (every day). It did a wonderful job of eliminating the small BCC that I had on my torso. For me, noticeable affects on my immune system didn't start until near the end of my 3-months of use. Had I known of the systemic effects that it would have on the rest of my body, I NEVER WOULD HAVE USED IT! Many people appear to be lucky and have no long term effects from Aldara. However, you don't know if you will be like those of us who end up with permanent health issues - even if you've used Aldara in the past. I wish that I had simply had the BCC surgically removed. Instead, I ended up with permanent immune system problems, extensive pock-scarring on my forehead and scalp from the shingles, skin rashes and a host of additional possible issues related to the drugs I need to take. It wasn't worth it. F 54 3 months
12/4/2008
 4  Basal Cell Carcinoma Burning, itching, redness, crusty oozing scab, depression, occasional headache, sometimes pain at the area, sometimes a bit lethargic. I was warned these would be the symptoms so I will keep using the product. The depression is very bazaar and very real but I will not stop because of it. No flu like symptoms or GI issues. The BCC is below my nose over my lip, I place vaseline on my lips at night so the cream does not melt down onto them. While I have it I have been putting on mosaic plantar warts on my foot too! F 41 3 weeks
12/2/2008
 5  Genital warts Redness, skin breakdown, pain on site applied There are many horror stories on this site about aldara and quite frankly this medicine seems to work for some and not for others. I'm using it for the second time. The first time through i was scared as all hell because of everthing i read but it worked wonderfully for me. All my GW disappeared and it healed perfectly fine. This time around GW showed up at a different location and im hoping this will be the last time i have to deal with them. The warts i had the first time are gone and havent returned, its been about a year now. Mine are small white warts that look like a small white head. For me there is no reaction for about 2-3 weeks. Then i start to see some readness and then it becomes "dry" looking and flaky. Soon after the skin breaks down and it becomes painful, it scabs a bit and heals in about a week. I hope i helped someone. M 24 1 months
11/29/2008
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 3  GW At first nothing and flat wart half gone. After a week flu like symptoms, extreme fatigue,ached all over, no appetite, very thirsty, headache, could not wear underwear, sore where other area got cream on. Hoping that extreme care in applying and vaseline on unaffected part will help, but for the moment can't put up with it as had had one flat wart 2 years using herbal treatment with minimal effect. Other than surgery did not know any other treatment. But for my age it seemed what the hell if I have one. But not sufficient warning from dr. re side effects. Your column a relief to know others have had the same. F 73 1 weeks
11/26/2008
 4  Genital Warts Burning, swelling, open sores Okay, so like a lot of people, I'm don't sleep around and am probably the biggest "safe-sex" advocate EVER. but, the lovely HPV still somehow got ahold of me. I had probably 5-7 warts right around my anus and between my vagina and anus. Now, after about 3 weeks I basically only have the one that was the biggest (which is smaller now) and that's it!!! However, just yesterday, I developed two sores. The reason I stumbled upon this web page was because I frantically searched the internet in an effort to find comfort that it was HERPES! Thank god I know that many people were getting these open sores. The burning was kind of bad the last 3 weeks but not unbearable. I actually didn't really have any itching at all. But now that I have these two sores, I understand what everyone is talking about...it hurts to sit, walk, pee, etc. I'm thinking about discontinuing the med for now since my warts are almost gone and final exams are coming up and dont want to be fatigued...but as for me, F 21 3 weeks
11/24/2008
 4  BCC Initially itching and burning on facial spots. Difficulty sleeping, flu like symptoms at first which went away shortly, difficulty urinating, depression, swelling and redness and then oozing and painful sores which eventually formed dark scabs. I was too unprepared by my dermatologist for the side effects of this medication. I had several BCCs on my face that a previous dermatologist had wanted me to have MOHs surgery for. But having had MOHs a few years before I opted to get a second opinion this time. My doctor asked me if I had heard about Aldara and explained how it worked. It sounded like a miracle cure to me. After all, what woman (or man) wants to have terrible scars on their face especially? The doctor's NP gave me some sample packets and it was prescribed for 6 weeks using 5 days in a row and then off two. I was shown pictures of how it can look and told how to use it but I was still completely unaware. I actually don't think I could have continued if it had not been for the information I have found on the net. After the second week I felt so tired and so bad I wanted to discontinue the use. I was actually suicidal even. The itching and burning was similar to what I think it might feel like to have ants stingi F 53 4 weeks
11/21/2008
 1  hpv/genital warts redness, itchiness, swelling, constant sensation of having to pee, deep ache in vagina/lower stomach I've used aldara 3 times now: the 1st time for about 3 weeks with cryotherapy, the second time for 2 weeks for one tiny wart, the 3rd time for 3 weeks. The 1st time I had no major side effects, and my warts cleared, but probably b/c of cryo; the 2nd time the cream worked; the most recent time I had severe itchiness, pain, etc, and no effect on warts. It's painful to walk and impossible to exercise. I've been off it for a week now, and the side effects are just starting to subside. The crazy thing about this vicious medication is that genital warts is not a serious condition; it's very common. I too have felt like it was the end of the world at times (and I had only had 2 sexual partners when I was diagnosed), but I now have a more realistic perspective. Aldara works for some, but I really don't see the need to put yourself through terrible anxiety and debilitating pain in an attempt to rid yourself of some warts that will likely come back anyway. What you should do: get treated at a cl F 22 8 weeks
11/20/2008
 4  hpv body aches, fatigue, swollen labia, burning, itching, redness, chapped skin, open blisters i thought were herpes but seems like alot of people experienced this so my mind is at ease a bit. despite all the side effects, overall a good drug. the first few i found were gone in a bit over a week..which gives me hope for the newer ones. F 3 weeks
11/18/2008
 3  GW Still very early days for me, been 3 weeks now out of 16. I have good faith in my Dermotologist and he reckons my small ones on the base of my penis and around my foreskin will be gone with this treatment. So Far experienced sensations of warmth and slight stings (sorta like squeezing a pimple temporarily.) Had a cold with throat swelling over 2 days (I personally think its a cold from the world) - Also reading over this board maybe some people have had bad experiences using this. But there must be success stories, if this doesnt work for me I'm going into laser treatment, I'll take the pain to get rid of these symptoms. I dont care. I think its mind over matter and I've done cryo, pure tea tree oil (believe me thats pain!) Pure Eucolyptus (That will kill some, lol, I screamed out loud using that) But what can I say....its character building and the punishment I get for sleeping with 50 + women and having a great sex life. Good thing I learnt my lesson and ready to find a wife. - anyway will let you all know how this work, I consider myself tough enough to handle a little cold and some warm sensations! (That means it must be doing something..right??) M 25 3 weeks
11/17/2008
 4  gw mild itching and a little swelling, am experiencing a lot of tiredness but dont think this is definitely related to the cream. when i went to the doctor to get gw sorted i was told it would take maybe 3-6 months of treatment to get rid of them. This actually made me want to cry as i have only slept with 3 people and was extremely embarassed i had got gw. But after just 3 weeks of treatment most of my warts have gone, i have two small ones left but compared to the rather large cluster i had before it is so much better. i am hoping that the rest will be gone within the next week or so. i am also taking more vitamins though while using the cream as i heard its the immune system which fights them away. dont know if this has helped but am doing it anyway. Just try the cream as u may be surprised with just how quickly it starts working. Dont worry, they will go eventually! F 22
11/11/2008
 4  Molluscum Contagiosum using it daily created some pretty intense blisters. i used it on MC on the inner thigh, but any skin that touched that area was affected. the combination of the dermatologist freezing the MC and aldara worked for me. we tried just freezing first, but more lesions would appear, so i was prescribed aldara as a supplement. M 24 2 months
11/11/2008
 2  GW Woke up with bad headache this morning - Left jaw pain - not sure if any are related to aldara treatments! I am on the second week - using Monday, Wednesday and Fridays for 4 weeks. I have no itching - no burning - they look the same to me. Not sure if it's working for me. I was diagnosed in 2001 by my physician in Michigan as having 2 skin tags on the outer area of my vagina, knowing I had had HPV. He said they may disappear or get larger. One did go away - but one got larger and I recently asked my new physician about it here in Florida. He told me it was GW and said I had another up between the creases which I didn't even know was there. He prescribed Aldara and like I said - I feel no different - it doesn't hurt but I hope it will go away. It is really embarrassing to have this - like a previous posting - it makes you feel dirty!! F 40 8 days
11/5/2008
 1  GW Flu like symptoms. Worst headache I've ever had, sore throat, swollen glands in neck. Body aches, chills, fever (102 on average), fatigue during the day, can't sleep at night. I feel like I'm in a living coma. I had cryo done with great success. I couldn't even tell that there were ever any warts. However, my doctor said just to be sure I should be put on Aldara. I wish I would have never spent the $70. I've basically had the flu for the last 3 days and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. My doctor never told me about these side effects. M 25 3 days
11/3/2008

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