ALDARA Reviews (IMIQUIMOD)Average Rating: 2.9 (856 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ALDARA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 |
More on ALDARA: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ALDARA | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 4 | Vaginal warts | I used this cream on and off for over 4 years for small vaginal warts, with periods of freezing every few months, without much success. I could get to the point where they looked like they were going but always flared up when I stopped treatment. I suffered horrid side effects like wearing of the skin, blisters, burning, itching, thrush and bv infections. BUT I've recently restarted using the cream AND for some reason its working much better with hardly any side effects! The only thing I've done differently this time round is to thoroughly wash and DRY the area and allow the cream to soak in or dry BEFORE standing up and moving around. Maybe this allows the cream to ONLY be absorbed by the area you put it on! You know what I'm saying girls :-) I've used it 2-3 times per week for the last 2 weeks and things are looking much better! I am officially converted from thinking this cream is an evil substance that has minimum effect to feeling like its doing a pretty good job with no side effects! | F | 31 | 4 years | 2/27/2013 | 3 | HPV | None | I had a growths that hang off the skin around anus area. It didn't bother me at all until I accidentally bumped into GW pictures on the web. I hate going to hospitals especially with anything like that. I started to search the Internet and it didn't take long for me to "diagnose" myself with HPV - GW. I went to a drug store and bought a 12 sachets box of Aldara, fortunately no prescription needed in Macau. Then I found this site and was really freaking out to use it after reading all the comments. I decided to see a doctor first before i go ahead with Aldara. This time I was actually diagnosed with skin tags as oppose to GW. What a relief! I want to say if you done a self diagnoses better seek professional opinion before coming to conclusions. BTW I still got full box of Aldara, if anyone wants it PM me. | M | 40 | 1X day | 1/28/2013 | 1 | Genital warts - HPV | I was prescribed the generic form of Aldara, called Imiquimod cream. First time applying I used half the packet and put on vaginal warts that were not internal. About an hour or so, I had burning. Since, side effects not too bad I applied cream 2 nights later at the same dosage and awoke with itching, burning, severe white vaginal discharge, white lesions scattered throughout my vagina and a burning on my labia an inch long. | Called the doctor the next day, got an appointment for the next day. In the meantime, I suffered extremely terrible burning pain during urination. I can compare this pain with giving childbirth. I could barely walk or even sit and be comfortable, it was a constant burning type of pain. Went to doctor, he gave me 2 antibiotics, one for viral, one for bacterial and he basically applied numbing cream, and treated discharge and all the "white dots." Felt good the rest of the day then the burning pain came back at a vengeance, it was at its worse. Doc recommended pee in bathtub water and that's what I had to do. I then took baths every morning using Aveeno Oatmeal, nothing else. I used Vagisil Medicated Wipes for burning and itching, but a good cold washcloth helps you keep your sanity. I just had my follow-up with the doc and he says my tests came back negative for any STD's. This was basically a chemical reaction to the creme. I think my initial visit to him was that I had a full blown case of the herpes. I advise anyone NOT to take this medicine. I feel it should only be put on by a doctor or further tests need to be done on side effects. Currently, I don't have any itching or burning but I still have some fatigue, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, and breathing problems. | F | 46 | 2 times 5 percent 3X W | 1/27/2013 | 1 | Genital warts | Horrific horrific cream. Do not use. Only have your genital warts frozen off and do not shave the area. | Absolutely horrific experience with Aldara. I have a chemical burn on my vagina. It looks like herpes but it is my reaction to the Aldara cream. Extremely sore and painful. I can't walk comfortably, going for a wee is like being sliced with razor blades, looks horrific, I can feel a constant burn down there. Just is awful. | F | 22 | 2 weeks 3X W | 1/13/2013 | 1 | Basal Cell of chest area | I developed urinary symptoms including frequency, urgency, burning on urinating, also irritation of urethra that has been slowly subsiding after using Aldara 2xday/21 days in a small area on my chest. I also developed low back pain. Would not use this medication again. | I have not seen any other patient using this medication as often as the instructions from my dermatologist -- 2 times a day for 30 days. I wonder if I overdosed on the medication. | F | 60 | 21 days 5 mg. 2X day | 1/4/2013 | 5 | gw | Some mild itching and burning. No fatigue, muscle soreness, or headache. | Fortunately I read extensively about this drug (from this site and others) before using. Apply sparingly and only on the wart(s). I can't stress that enough. After only 4 treatments, warts almost gone. This does work! | F | 43 | 1 weeks packet 4X W | 12/27/2012 | 1 | HPV GW | Im on a lower dosage of aldara called zyclara and i have to use it everyday for 16 weeks..,It is just horrible literally set my vagina on fire. Horrible ulcers hurts to pee open sores, I wouldn't recommend this cream just get them removed I have a lil under a month to go... No change has taken affect all. THIS CREAM IS WORST THAN THE PROBLEM UTS TRYING TO CURE... | F | 20 | 10 weeks | 12/6/2012 | 4 | BCC | Burning , itching, scabbing oozing followed by flaky skin, Did not like the treatment and was pleased most of the area was covered by my fringe as it did not look pleasant. A very small BCC became a large red area on my forehead. Was tempted tp stop treatment but as I had got so far I thought I should continue.I did suffer from back ache occasionally but did not stop me working. | Now one week after finishing treatment and skin scabs and flakes have gone and the redness is fading. I think it will take a few weeks to look "normal" again but it is looking promising. | F | 59 | 6 weeks 5% 1X day | 11/9/2012 | 1 | Bcc and actinic keta's | My GP prescribed this drug, I did the usual check it out on the net stuff, you don't believe half the stuff you read ... And well anyway being of sound mind I proceeded ... I think it's worked sort of .. But in the meantime my normal life is a shadow of what I used to feel like ... I fall asleep exhausted at 9 pm sleep 3 hrs then awake for 2- 3 hrs, i have constant headaches - i dont get head aches , I have a constant ringing in my ears, I cannot concentrate anymore - I used to be a fit healthy hard doer running a business, now at the end of the treatment I find myself suffering anxiety and tension ... Still unable to sleep a sound night | Yup ... I will not use this stuff again, ever, it dicks with you, I have told my GP he seems not really interested, same for the pharmacist, he even suggested counciling for the anxiety ! ......... Your choice ... But from a bloke who has only ever had a cold or flue in his whole life and headaches from over indulging don't use it ! | M | 48 | 16 weeks 5% 250mg 2X W | 10/24/2012 | 1 | HPV | Autoimune disorders, rashes, just overall unhealthy feeling 4 years after use. Currently using treatments to counteract an overactive immune system. | Dont use it. | M | 34 | 30 days 1X day | 10/21/2012 | 1 | BCC | Don't think if you just use too much you will be affected, if any get's in your bloood stream, which it is likely to do as it creates a sore and scabby area, which you are still suppose to apply....even when the scab cracks, creating the opportunity for Aldara to reach your blood. I had absolutley no side effects until 5 weeks into the treatment...then all heck broke loose. Anxiety, depression, shooting pains, Insomnia, Tinitus. | 4 years later still have the Neuropathy this drug induced. Please stay away from this drug. | F | 1X day | 10/13/2012 | 5 | BCC | Please study the medicine you are taking before using it IMPROPERLY and complaining about the side affects. I will explain many of the side affects of this medicine. It is known that imiquimod activates a potent immune response through the toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), which causes and increase in cytokines (primarily interferon) natural killer cells, macrophages and B-lymphocytes. If you get canker like sores or major flu symptoms then it is a CLEAR sign that you are using WAY TOO MUCH cream. Use the MINIMAL amount possible to get the result you need. Be patient and after several weeks increase the dose if needed. In this case more cream DOES not equal a faster or better result. Please don’t listen to me, ask your doctor, do your own research and be logical. | After doing some basic research on wiki and pubmed I found this 1) Aldara causes a potent immune response, increasing interferons. It is normal for the human body to have symptoms such as aching muscles and fever related to the production of IFNs during infection. E.G. The Flu virus. Interferon (IFN)-alpha is known for causing high rates of depression and fatigue which makes sense because if you are sick your body is using energy to mount an immune response and telling you to stay in bed and rest. 2) You will see Imiquimod has a strong anti-proliferative effect. This means it inhibits cell growth which is good for cancer but is an obvious explanation for all these canker like sores people are seeing. If you use FAR TOO MUCH cream then you will get massive antiproliferative effects and cell death, large dead areas of cells on the skin will give you sores. 3) People spoke about Aldara messing with your immune system, I have no proof but this seems totally plausible because if you use too much Aldara on your skin it gets into your blood stream it will cause a potent increase of interferons in the blood which will affect your immune system in some way. It is plausible for example if you have if you have leaky gut syndrome, this increase interferon will cause antigens to be produced against all the undigested foods in your blood. These proteins are similar to those found in human tissues so autoimmune problems could develop. | M | 37 | 2 months 25mg 1X W | 9/28/2012 | 4 | VIN 1-2 | Swelling, Burning, itching, weeping, a severe UTI at the end of the 2nd week (kidneys), severe pain, hair loss (after the first month), depression, body aches. | It did remove the black spots (VIN). | F | 32 | 16 weeks 5 MG 3X W | 9/20/2012 | 3 | HPV | Oh my goodness I am not liking this cream at all. I am applying 3 times a week to the letter, the first two applications were fine, a little itching maybe but nothing bad. From there on I am in intense pain in my labia minora (where I don't have any warts but I guess the cream may have transferred) which is red, swollen & extremely sore. So much so that I cannot bear to wear underwear or have anything touching it. Even walking hurts. I have another two & a bit weeks to go on this cream & am hoping the burning pain subsides soon. On the plus side, I do think it is having some effect on the warts. They seem to be swollen & hard & I am sure a few have gone already. I guess having them gone will be worth all the pain in the end! Good luck if you're persevering like me. I literally feel your pain! | F | 31 | 2 weeks 5 | 8/24/2012 | 4 | melanoma in situ | extreme redness, weeping, scabbing, itching, burning, crusting, swelling; canker sores in the corner of the mouth and eye, systemic side effects including fatigue, anxiety, depression, nausea, shortness of breath, mental fogginess | Ignore my rating--I have another five weeks out of twelve to go. Won't know the results until the skin heals. But I wanted to share my experiences. I had five surgeries (2011) to excise an unusually extensive lentiga melanoma on my eyelids and upper cheek.(Each surgery turned up more cancer, despite having first had five mapping biopsies.) Last June, my oncologist judged that the melanoma had returned to the margins of the skin graft. More surgery would have been severely disfiguring, it's a huge area. So we are trying Aldara, which is off label for melanoma. a) It works BEYOND the area of application. Maybe this is good. Areas of my face are inflamed that I have not applied to cream to. b) BE VERY AWARE THAT DOSING IS NOT A SCIENCE!!! I started using one packet a day, for eight hours. I am however, super drug sensitive. After two weeks I had severe systemic side effects described above. (These come from the production of alpha interferon by your stimulated immune cells. Alpha interferon is the source of the depression and fatigue.) My doctor told me to halve the dose, and use it every other day. The canker sores went away, but not the intense surface reactions. I am still exhausted, depressed and short of breath. BE VIGILANT ABOUT SYSTEMIC (CHEMO) SIDE EFFECTS--NO ONE KNOWS THEIR LONG-LASTING EFFECTS. REPORT THEM TO YOUR MD, JIGGLE THE DOSE. I am hanging in, however The alternative is a Phantom of the Opera Mask.Good luck everyone! | F | 65 | 12 weeks .25 grams 1X day | 8/15/2012 | 1 | GW | I was prescribed this drug for a minimal gw, with doses every M,W,F. I put a very small amount on the wart but could only do it once a week due to burning and itching. I was never told to wipe it off, but later read you're supposed to. Up until recently, my side effects were only headaches and fatigue. I may have put more cream on then normal, but I developed bad white/black burns around my labia which also got extremely swollen and red. It has been three days and I still cannot walk normal and dread peeing as it burns beyond belief. I have a very high pain tolerance (i.e natural childbirth) but cannot tolerate this. I've found so many reviews consistentwith mine that had I read before I wouldnt have used. I went to my Dr who just doesn't believe its from the cream and actually told me it could be a herpes outbreak! My herpes test came back negative, which now has him in disbelief as he still doesn't think its the cream. He said he prescribes this a lot and has never heard of this. Well, check the internet because tons of ppl have experienced this. I would never recommend trying this cream for gw. There are alternatives. Not to mention the gw has not changed in 12 weeks. This stuff is miserable as application on genitals is not easy to control. Don't try it!! | F | 27 | 10 weeks | 8/6/2012 | 2 | Common Warts | Extreme fatigue and drowsiness. | The side-effects were not tolerable for me; it seems to be working for the warts on my face, though. | M | 27 | 1 months 5% cream 1X day | 7/20/2012 | 2 | gw | No side effects and no change in warts what so ever... Not sure if this stuff works.. Thinking about trying it everday and see how I get on.. | M | 26 | 4 weeks 3 x week | 7/4/2012 | 4 | Genital Warts! | First of all I had the warts frozen off around the top of my vagina and anus and the began using the cream. The ones on my vagina went a purple colour and then fell off, however I am still finishing the course of medication (just like you would antibiotics) and the ones in my anus feel like they've gone after 2 and half weeks of using it. | F | 18 | 2.5 weeks 3X W | 6/19/2012 | 1 | sBCC | I took Aldara per the direction of my dermatologist. She prescribed for me to put it on the side of my neck to treat a "sBCC" for 6 weeks. 5 days treat before bed, 2 days rest. She indicated to just use a pinhead size for the cream. After starting I immediately got flu-like symptoms just before a big vacation. I had runny nose, achy muscles and joints, and itchy eyes. I thought it was just allergies at the time. The BCC on the side of my neck became red, puffy and encrusted within a few days. It didn't hurt, but it was unsightly. After a while it scabbed over and I called the dermatologist they told me to keep using it for 6 FULL weeks. At this point I feel that I have some side effects from the Aldara treatment but I am still trying to figure out what it has done to me. Search the web and you'll find plenty of stories on how this drug has permanently ruined healthy people's lives. | If you are considering taking this "topical chemotherapy" drug I would seriously do your own research on it. It seems like a harmless little cream, but 3M has created a way for the powerful drug Imiquimod to be delivered directly through your skin into your body and cause temporary and permanent serious medical conditions. Please don't use on genitals, anus, nose or around face (eyes, mouth, etc). If your sores become red and bloody do not use Aldara on the open sores as the powerful drug Imiquimod will go straight to your bloodstream and wreak havoc with your immune system. As an alternate there are other types of topical creams which aren't immune modifiers like Aldara (Black Salve, etc..). I felt like my derm. did not clearly indicate the severe dangers of this drug before prescribing it to me | M | 39 | 14 days pinhead 1X day | 6/18/2012 |