Efudix attacks pre-cancerous cells – day 17

Efudex causes sore bridge of my nose

My nose seems to have taken on a more uniform redness today and the bridge is starting to feel a bit sore.  As my nose gets redder and scabbier, the implications start to sink in – any skin that reacts to the Efudix is showing evidence of pre-cancerous cells that could have developed into a Basal Cell Carcinoma if left untreated! Whilst I expected the skin to react to the Fluouracil and for the effects to get worse over time, I’m still shocked (I’d go so far as to say overwhelmed) every time I look in the mirror.  It’s no surprise that my nose is taking on such a uniform redness really as my nose used to sunburn badly when I was younger and that’s what clearly caused the damage.

I just wish I could be more rational in dealing with this experience – I’m an intelligent woman, I’ve done my research so know how the Efudix works and what to expect but I’m still finding it difficult. I’m so emotional and find myself filling up with tears at the slightest thing – I guess I’ve got too much thinking time on my hands at the mo so need a distraction. The problem is I don’t feel very sociable – I’ve cancelled a couple of catch ups with friends for exactly that reason.  Must stop feeling sorry for myself and just get on with it …

Found an interesting piece of research today – a sleeping sickness drug that has a significant protective effect against basal cell carcinoma. Will be keeping my eye on developments.

Evil Efudix – day 16

Scab and skin erosion grow

As you can see in today’s photo, the scab on the right hand side of my nose has spread again today. It looks really unattractive – it’s taken on a yellow tinge that makes me look (and feel) unclean. And trying to cover it with make-up is pretty pointless – the make-up simply coagulates on the scab and just looks really crusty and horrible (the Efudix is greasy which doesn’t help). I had to go shopping today so did the best I could to cover it up, put on a peaked cap and pulled it down as low as possible in an attempt to shield as much of my face as possible but I still felt really self-conscious. I couldn’t get home quick enough.

The area of skin erosion seems deeper today.  And, the redness gives the impression that my nose is sore but, actually it isn’t – just itchy.

Thank goodness I don’t have to go to work at the moment and, don’t have to go out if I really don’t need to because this whole Efudix treatment really is making me feel manky.

Day 14 – Another day with Efudix!

I’m starting to get bored of this now. The first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning is how my nose is going to look today, and when I need to apply the dreaded Efudix. And Efudix is also the last thing I think of at night, as I apply my second dose immediately before going to bed. And, of course, it’s always on my mind when planning to go out – am I going to manage to cover up it’s effects with make-up today? do I need to apply sunscreen before going out? should I wear a hat to shield my nose from the sun? … It’s endless – I feel like Efudix is taking over my life. Oh well, only another week to go.

I told someone on the phone today that I’d had a Basal Cell Carcinoma removed and that I was now undergoing follow-up treatment. I mentioned that I was starting to feel self-conscious when out and about and that I was starting to feel a bit sorry for myself. I guess it was a little self-pitying but, I couldn’t believe the response – ‘oh, I had one of those removed from my back and I was back at work the next day. Don’t worry about it’! I was taken aback – I naively thought someone who’d been through it would be more empathic but, clearly not. I suppose different people react in different ways.  Perhaps, as I suspected, the experience is different if the Basal Cell happens to be on a less visible part of your body. Perhaps it was simply a case that the person I was talking to was a man? Like I’ve said before, I’m not particularly vain but, I think that having something on your face is different for a man than a woman: a man will more easily shrug it off and others will ignore it but, it’s just not the same for women.

Anyway, I woke up in the night because my nose was badly itching – it went on for a while and took me a while to get back to sleep. And, I woke up this morning to find the white patches on my nose getting less and less and the redness slowly starting to take over my entire nose. The photos are more clearly showing the boundaries in which I’m applying the Efudix – there’s almost a visible line around my nose.

Found a couple of interesting things on the web today:

• Apparently, 90% of skin cancer patients have Basal Cell Carcinoma so it’s even more common than I thought it was!
• A really useful video showing how skin cancer develops and clearly explaining the different types of skin cancer. I’d recommend you watch it.

Red line showing clearly where cream is and ISN'T being applied

13 days and counting – Efudix takes hold

First signs of Efudix skin erosion?

Unlucky for some – day 13 of my Efudix journey…

My nose is definitely getting redder, the scabbing on the lefthand side is spreading and it’s generally getting more itchy – whereas up until now my nose has been itchy in patches, it’s now itchy all over.  And is that an example of the ‘promised’ skin erosion just above the fleshy part of my nostril? I’ve been wondering what that actually means and what it might look like and I guess I now have my answer – the Efudix appears to be literally eating away at my skin, causing a small crater/ulcer-like ‘lesion’ (as I’m sure my consultant would refer to it). The question is how large and deep the ‘erosion’ is going to get. It’s clearly not going to be anything like the size of my ‘post-op crater’ (that really was crater-like!) but, I really do fear quite how bad it’s going to get. Must keep repeating the mantra – this just proves the Efudix is doing what it’s supposed to do!

It’s weird, I know the effects of the Efudix are minimal so far (I’m sure you’ve taken one look at my latest picture and thought ‘what is she whingeing about, her nose is a bit blotchy and scabby. It could be a lot worse), but for me it feels more and more significant by the day. There’s just something about looking in a mirror and seeing both the hideousness of what’s staring back at you and the reaction in the eyes looking right back at you!  It just keeps reminding me of the early days post-op and looking in the mirror only to see this seemingly huge, red ‘hole’ right in the middle of my face and wondering if I’d ever look normal again – in fact, wondering how on earth it was ever going to heal (I realise now – looking at my scar – that the human body has an amazing capacity for healing)! I said back then – and still believe now – that if the Basal Cell Carcinoma had been on any other part of my body, I think my reaction to it would have been entirely different. Afterall, you can cover other areas of your body with clothing and temporarily forget what you’re going through. Regardless, must keep reminding myself how lucky I am – at least I’m only treating my nose and not my entire face like a lot of people end up having to do.  I just don’t think I could cope with my entire face looking so bad.

12 days with Efudix

My nose is taking on a bit more of a burnt looking appearance today, particularly around the bridge. It looks quite sore but it looks worse that it feels. Its starting to look as though I’ve perhaps spent a little too long in the sun (which I guess is a bit ironic bearing in mind that my Basal Cell Carcinoma was apparently caused by over exposure to the sun). My Efudix journey continues …

Efudix causes sunburn effect

Efudix treatment day 11

Efudix blotchiness spreads

My nose is a little more red and blotchy today and is starting to itch a bit more. And my lovely scab has shrunk but got darker, making it more difficult to camouflage with make-up. Boy do I sound vain!

Since reading the research suggesting that drinking coffee can help prevent Basal Cell Carcinomas, I’ve been getting my daily fix. I must dig a little bit deeper to try and understand the science behind this.

Efudex follow-up for Basal Cell – day 7

Well, today seems to be the day when the Efudex effects are starting to become a bit more obvious!  One patch of dry skin (again, on the opposite side of my nose to my Basal Cell scar) has turned into more of a small scab (terribly attractive – looks almost like a stray bogey!) and the skin is looking a little more pink again. You can probably just about make it out on this photo. Covered with make-up, it looks really crusty and unattractive. Overall, the skin on my nose appears to be getting a bit more itchy but, totally bearable at this stage. Will be interesting to see how the pinkness develops – I’m not sure if this means the Efudex cream has detected pre-cancerous cells (other Basal Cell Carcinomas?) across my nose or whether this is just a side effect (apparently, Efudex can cause irritation of healthy skin too). Oh well, watch this space I suppose.

Came across another interesting article today that talks about the potential for vitamin D deficiency from avoiding the sun for fear of skin cancer.  Some good tips suggesting need to eat eat anti-oxidant rich foods to reduce skin damage from the sun including carrots, tomatoes and deep sea fish.  I’ve heard red wine is rich in antioxidants – I wonder if that’s as good. Now that I can do!

Day 6 – Efudex follow-up for Basal Cell

Another day with little to report – no obvious physical effects other than a slight ‘pinkishness’, and the dry patch on the right side of my nose (on the opposite side to my basal cell interestingly enough) seems to have got a bit bigger.

Out at a marketing conference and exhibition all day today and kept wondering how much longer I’ll be able to go out and about in public without thinking twice about it – or rather, what other people will think about me. I’ve read how others using Efudix have ended up scaring little children because their faces have ended up so red and scabby!  Quite how bad is mine going to get?

Found this interesting article today – about a new, alternative to Mohs micrographic surgery for basal cells that’s being used in the U.S.  Not sure if this approach has been adopted in the UK as well.

Day 5 – Efudex causes dry skin

I’ve noticed today that the skin on my nose is becoming drier and a little scaley – the first signs that the Efudex is working?  Have experienced a little itching at times today as well so I’m expecting things to really kick off sooner rather than later.  I’m just thankful for every day that I don’t experience redness or stinging – common side effects of this treatment!

It’s a weird experience (and I can understand that this is going to sound weird!) – every day I’m hoping that today isn’t the day that I that I start to experience the full force of Efudex but, I’m also strangely willing it to happen so that at least I know the cream is doing its job of killing off any pre-cancerous cells! I keep telling myself that I’ve got to stop doing this to myself because if/when (?) it does start to take effect, I’m going to have other things on my mind…

Day 4 of my Basal Cell and Efudex journey

Apart from a slight bit of itching – or did I imagine it/was it psychosomatic (because I’m expecting something to happen!)? – no change again today.  The one downside I’m finding of Efudex currently – admittedly a rather vain one in the circumstances – is that, because the cream is rather greasy, my make-up is clogging on my nose and doesn’t look particularly great. But, heh, a small price to pay – don’t know if I’ll even be able to/want to cover my nose with make-up as the treatment progresses and my skin reacts to the cream. But, so be it – treatment needs to continue.

Daily massaging of my Basal Cell scar seems to be going well – the scar is a little red with a slightly raised contour but, fabulous when I think back to the immediate aftermath of my treatment.  Clearly, leaving the scar to heal itself rather than having it stitched was the right approach.

Have done some more research on the web and found another couple of useful sites:

• A great skin cancer awareness campaign (from the British Association of Dermatologists) which, I must confess, I didn’t see at the time but I think is great.  Really simple messages and some great practical advice on what to look out for and how to go about checking for different types of skin cancer, including Basal Cell Carcinoma and Melanoma.
• The online promo. for the above campaign is worth a look too

And, for something more detailed and complete with photos, The Skin Cancer Foundation’s site has a really good page on early warning signs for Basal Cell Carcinoma.