Efudex (Fluorouracil) Skin Cancer Treatment

[14 days after stopping Efudex]

I got a little careless yesterday and, despite the minor itching, didn’t put on any lubrication all day.

By this morning, my arms (the last area to heal) were very dry and a bit painful. So I scooped out a bunch of the Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Ointment, and applied that. Ah, relief.

[13 days after stopping Efudex]

The forehead redness has faded dramatically, the neck still itches a little but is almost a non-issue.

The arms are recovering slowly. They look nasty but don’t really hurt any more.

[Ten days after stopping Efudex treatment.]

I am definitely feeling human again.

The progression of all this is interesting. My arms reacted more slowly to the Efudex than did my forehead or neck, and my arms are recovering more slowly as well. At this point, on my arms, I have a lot of raw skin where the surface layer has peeled off and the next layer is not really ready to face the world.

My neck is much, much better. Still itches a little, and gives me moderate occasional pain when I let it get too dried out, but it is managable–I can apply the Triamcinolone steroid cream or the Eucerin Aquafor, and (other than making a mess on my shirt, if I am wearing one) that solves the problem.

In other good news….the Phillies have scored 35 runs in their last two games.

[Nine days after stopping Efudex.]

My arms, which are still a dark blotchy red, continue to itch mildly and peel a little. Very tolerable. My forehead has stopped ithing almost entirely, although it is still peeling a little. The discoloration is noticably fading, although it is all relative–it still looks like an extremely nasty sunburn.

My neck still hurts, and it is still irritating to wear a shirt, but I am happy with the overall improvement.

I did something really cool this morning….I took my first shower in a week. Had one or two little pin-pricks of stinging from my neck but overall, not bad at all. With all the goop I have been applying, it felt good to “come clean.”

[Eight days after stopping Efudex.]

[Seven days after stopping Efudex.]

[Six days after stopping Efudex.]

It has been an OK day.  Lots and lots of peeling, which leads to picking, which becomes a little compulsive and not entirely good, I think.  Of course the scabs and skin will fall off when the time is right, but with the itching, it is hard not to keep picking at it.

And keep in mind, this isn’t just my face, it is a large part of my neck and most of my arms aw well.

But the happy fact is, I really do think today was a noticably more comfortable (that word is a stretch, but I am going with it) day than yesterday.

Still…I put on a shirt to take the dog to the woods. I think we both needed that. But the shirt really irritated my neck. What would be a good analogy…stones in your shoe? That works, but “ants in your pants” probably more accurately depicts the feeling. Cut the walk short. But it was gooooood to be out there.

[Five days after stopping Efudex.]

I woke up.

I got through the day.

I am one day closer to feeling human.

Yay!

(I am, actually, a huge believer in living for today, enjoying each moment, not being too focused on being happy at some point in the future when things will be better. And the truth is, I am happy today. I have a great life, many interests, I am blessed. But, um…yeah, it will be nice when I can wear a shirt without pain.)

[Four days after stopping Efudex.]

Now I feel like I am whining. I probably just need to be a little tougher.

I had lots of itching and stinging today, and on my arms, lots of peeling.

I took a shower early evening and it hurt. I don’t know if that was because of the pressure from the shower jets, or from the temperature of the water, or what. But it wasn’t nice.

[Three days after stopping Efudex treatment.]

I woke up at 5:30 this morning with itching and stinging that just about drove me crazy. I got up and applied the steroid cream. I don’t have any idea if that is supposed to help with the itching of stinging, but I have realized that the worst time of the day is the first couple of hours I am awake each day, and I can only assume that is because my skin is very dried out and stiff.

I am concerned that if I apply Aquafor (a vaseline-like over-the-counter ointment that many sweat by) in between my twice-a-day steroid applications, that the steroid will be blocked from working its healing magic.

My neck still gives me the most pain and wearing any shirt is difficult. However, during much of the day, my forehead was very itchy and stingy.

Early evening, I took a shower and attempted to wash (with a gentle cleanser) my face and neck. Even without the cleanser, the pressure from the water was mildly painful. (I have read in other journals that “flushing” the area in the shower felt good…that is definitely not my current experience. I suppose it depends on the type of reaction one has and the particular stage of treatment or healing one is in.)