Sunday, May 31, 2009
BLOG HAS MOVED! See new link >>
I've moved my blog after realizing Blogger doesn't get picked up in the search engines much. You can now see my Efudex pictures and photos at www.hybriddesign.net/efudex
Monday, May 25, 2009
WARNING! READ THIS!
To anyone contemplating purchasing Efudex from Canada
I purchased the generic form of Efudex, Fluorouracil, from an online Canadian pharmacy. What many people don't know is that the majority of these pharmacies receive their medications from other countries. They will tell you this if you ask, so PLEASE ASK! I thought I was getting a real deal by purchasing a 40 gram tube for $33, which would be $250 in the U.S. (and that's generic!)
My order of 40 grams came in 3 tubes of 15 grams each. When I opened the first tube, it was very runny, with some small clumps of white cream. With each application as I got further down the tube, the cream got drier and drier. Eventually it was too dry to spread, and just ended up in clumps on my face. The cream also appeared curdled, kind of like cottage cheese only smaller curds. The expiration date wasn't until 2010, but I read the box that it came in and it stated it was manufactured in India. It also, like many meds, states that it must be kept in certain temperatures. I went through all three tubes, and they were all the same.
I had an uneasy feeling about this and spoke to a few people who have used Efudex in the past. They all said it should be smooth and creamy throughout. At this point I was already 10 days in, and not wanting to have gone through this for no reason, I decided to bite the bullet and purchase the generic form from my local Walgreens pharmacy (yes, it was actually cheaper there than Wal-Mart!). This cream was totally different than the cream I received from Canada.
Would my reaction had been any different if I never used the generic cream that I got from the Canadian pharmacy? Who knows. But the cream itself definitely wasn't right, and even the Canadian pharmacy offered to send me another tube if I sent this one back. With me in the middle of the treatment, it wasn't an option.
"Drugs from Canada don't always come from Canada. According to President of CanaRX, a Canadian Web site that sells online, 70 percent of drugs sold to Americans from Canada are made elsewhere, so the drug you think you're importing from Canada probably comes from a third world country with less stringent protections than either the US or Canada." READ MORE
"Customs-FDA operation in August 2005 at New York, Miami and Los Angeles airports, showing that a large percentage of drugs purportedly coming from Canadian pharmacies actually originated in India, Israel, Costa Rica and other countries, and many were counterfeit.
...Canadian Internet pharmacies may be run by shady dealers in countries such as India, China and North Korea." READ MORE
I purchased the generic form of Efudex, Fluorouracil, from an online Canadian pharmacy. What many people don't know is that the majority of these pharmacies receive their medications from other countries. They will tell you this if you ask, so PLEASE ASK! I thought I was getting a real deal by purchasing a 40 gram tube for $33, which would be $250 in the U.S. (and that's generic!)
My order of 40 grams came in 3 tubes of 15 grams each. When I opened the first tube, it was very runny, with some small clumps of white cream. With each application as I got further down the tube, the cream got drier and drier. Eventually it was too dry to spread, and just ended up in clumps on my face. The cream also appeared curdled, kind of like cottage cheese only smaller curds. The expiration date wasn't until 2010, but I read the box that it came in and it stated it was manufactured in India. It also, like many meds, states that it must be kept in certain temperatures. I went through all three tubes, and they were all the same.
I had an uneasy feeling about this and spoke to a few people who have used Efudex in the past. They all said it should be smooth and creamy throughout. At this point I was already 10 days in, and not wanting to have gone through this for no reason, I decided to bite the bullet and purchase the generic form from my local Walgreens pharmacy (yes, it was actually cheaper there than Wal-Mart!). This cream was totally different than the cream I received from Canada.
Would my reaction had been any different if I never used the generic cream that I got from the Canadian pharmacy? Who knows. But the cream itself definitely wasn't right, and even the Canadian pharmacy offered to send me another tube if I sent this one back. With me in the middle of the treatment, it wasn't an option.
"Drugs from Canada don't always come from Canada. According to President of CanaRX, a Canadian Web site that sells online, 70 percent of drugs sold to Americans from Canada are made elsewhere, so the drug you think you're importing from Canada probably comes from a third world country with less stringent protections than either the US or Canada." READ MORE
"Customs-FDA operation in August 2005 at New York, Miami and Los Angeles airports, showing that a large percentage of drugs purportedly coming from Canadian pharmacies actually originated in India, Israel, Costa Rica and other countries, and many were counterfeit.
...Canadian Internet pharmacies may be run by shady dealers in countries such as India, China and North Korea." READ MORE
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Before pic
Found lots of pics online of those going through the Efudex treatment, but none of females, unless you count the lady on the Efudex manufacturer's website. So, I've decided to post mine here, but due to reasons of vanity, I have to post a before pic :)
Living in FL, I spent a lot of days in the sun. When I was younger it was bike riding and as soon as I was able to drive, it was going to the beach. For a few years, I practically lived at the beach. Sunscreen?? Who needs it? By the time any sun damage catches up with me, I'll be old, so who cares anyway? haha The thoughts of a 19-year-old, like many, who think being in your 30's is old. My mother had melanoma, which thankfully did not metastasize. My sisters have both had skin cancer (squamous & basal). This time I'm doing my face, but next time around I am going to do my chest. Enjoy these beautiful pics, and once in a while, please scroll up and remind yourself that I did look normal at one time!
Day 5
Day 5 - Spots are getting darker and skin is tender to the touch. With the flash from the camera it doesn't appear as dark or as red as it really was.
Day 7
This will be the last day I'll apply make up. It's too tender and having to wash it off isn't pleasant. Skin tender. Started applying aloe, and then aloe & lidocaine spray. My face got very red very fast by this evening. See next pic.
Day 7 - Evening
Full blown red. It actually looks like my face got dragged over concrete. Kind of like scrapes. No more make-up. No more leaving the house. Had some neighbors ask me, "what happened to your face???" The shine is from the Aquaphor I applied to help ease the burn.
Day 10
DAY 10 - Aloe burned now. Stopped using it. The Aquaphor was a bitch to wash off, and the water felt like needles so I stopped using that as well. Now I'm using a refrigerated ice pack (the soft gel kind) to help the burning and itching.
My sister got an infection while using Efudex, so just as a precaution I use rubber gloves (the thin latex kind). It also, for some reason, seems to not hurt as bad than when I used my fingers. I took some advice from my dr and applied the Efudex in a dimly lit room, just enough to see my face (so I'd know where I'm applying it), but not enough to see the details. Apparently studies have shown that one's perception of pain is increased when they can actually see the severity of the injury (or wound, or whatever...)
Day 11
DAY 11 - Not looking so good. Face burned like hell when rinsing off the Aquaphor. Don't think I'll be using that anymore for a while.
Day 12
DAY 12 - Using cold compresses and as little Aquaphor as possible. The cold feels good when it's on, but once you take it off, it stings a lot. A lot of stinging in the apples of my cheeks.
Day 14 - last day of Efudex (except for forehead)
DAY 14 - THE LAST DAY - Skin still smooth but very tender and red. Lots of tightness and itching. Some burning. This is the last day of Efudex, except for my forehead, which I will continue applying for a few more days. That's where I had the most sun damage.
2 days post treatment (except for forehead)
2 DAYS POST TREATMENT
DAY 16 FOREHEAD ONLY
I've finished applying the Efudex everywhere but on my forehead. May be just me, but it seems a little less red today. Tried rinsing chin with water, but felt like hot needles! Then it got very tight. I'm using Aristocort steroid cream as needed. I apply a light coat of Aquaphor twice a day.
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