Aldara and Headaches: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• December 12, 2019

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "This is my 5th go-around with Aldara. I've previously treated 3 facial BCCs and 2 pre-cancerous areas. I insist on a biopsy the minute I have even a tiny, non-healing lesion, and I have never been wrong. I notice nothing for about 14 days; then all the big reactions break loose! Painful, weeping, 2-cm sores requiring gauze just to sleep. I look like a leper. This latest treatment came with massive headaches, joint aches, abdominal pain, and flu-like malaise, which began during week three and continues unabated. That said, I have never had a lesion recur; there is no scarring whatsoever, and the healing after stopping the applications is swift- all sores gone within about two weeks. It can take two to four months before the skin thickens completely back to normal, and I am compulsive about sun-screening- especially any pre-treated areas. The treatment isn't fun, and at $400 a pop, it's a bit excessive. But the results for me have been consistently great."

• Bob...
• February 19, 2013

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "Used it for 3 weeks. 5 days on, 2 off, and so on. 1st week comes out like pimples, second they break, third they dry. Hurts, sure, but not impossible. Works perfectly. Fever, drowsiness, headaches, but it's worth it. I have used it for the last 5 years once a year for face skin problems."

• Anonymous
• July 21, 2011

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "The side effects of this cream were bad. Very painful sinus, swelling of throat and inside mouth, continuous cough on chest, headache (don't usually suffer headaches, dizziness). May be good for some people but not me. (I am 74)."

• Shi...
• March 13, 2018

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "I had BCC on my nose. I had been misdiagnosed, and by the time a biopsy was done, the surgeon said he could do Mohs surgery, but it would require removing a thumbnail-sized portion of my nose, using parts of my ear to reconstruct the nose, and also skin grafts. He offered the Aldara option to shrink the tumor. He said that the cream would turn my nose red. I applied the Aldara cream every night for 6 weeks as directed. It was absolutely far more than turning my nose red: fatigue, headaches, a bright red nose that looked as though my nose was one big cold sore. I went into quarantine for six weeks. At times I felt I could not continue. Somehow I did. I wish there were a place to post pictures of my nose during Aldara treatment. I went back for the Mohs surgery. It only took two scrapings to remove cancer. I would choose the Aldara option should I ever be given the choice. It was miserable, but I would still take it over the surgery option."

• AAS...
• January 30, 2018

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "Easy to apply. The medication journal makes it easy to track usage and clearly defines “break days.” This is week four. Skin is red and irritated, however very bearable and annoying rather than painful. Other side effects are pretty hard to tolerate. Fatigue is beyond belief and at times debilitating, yet unable to sleep. Nausea all the time. Headache at times. Perception seems to be a little distorted. Difficult to tell how much the light-headed feeling is coming from fatigue. Joints ache. A little weight gain. I’m irritable due to unbearable fatigue. Dreams at night are emotionally overwhelming and vivid. The effect of alcohol is extremely magnified. I call these my little bottles of hell. That’s how they make me feel. That said, it seems to be working, and I’m very interested in seeing the results. Given a choice at this stage, excision would be my preference. That might change by the time I finish treatment. However, it would take a lot to endure this again."

• non...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 9, 2016

For Keratosis "Actinic keratosis lesions on forearms only... but a nasty case at any rate. Dermatologist put me on a regimen of Aldara cream and salicylic acid. The experience during the 4 months of Aldara treatment was not particularly pleasant: worst of all being that it made the keratosis lesions much worse in terms of acute redness and inflammation and quite distressing vanity-wise. There were some headaches, some fatigue, but that only lasted 2 weeks or so. After that, no side effects worth bothering about. But I must admit I almost stopped using it during the period of unsightliness. But I didn't. And I am very glad I didn't! The dermatologist took me off the Aldara regimen after 4 months and told me to just keep on using the salicylic acid. Now, after 5 months, the keratosis lesions are completely gone, leaving quite smooth new skin. The area is still a little pinkish compared to normal skin color, but the doctor said that that will disappear once the healing time has done its work. Overall success, I would say. For myself, Aldara was a godsend."

• Lan...
• July 5, 2019

For Human Papilloma Virus "I developed genital warts (GW) on my vulva going in my vajay-jay. I was prescribed Aldara, using it (Mon, Wed, and Fri) for 16 weeks at bedtime. I noticed change on my seventh application. The end of that third week, 95 percent of my warts were gone. And the rest were gone in my 4th week. I am now free from GW, but my doc says I must continue to apply Aldara until 16 weeks. I don't have any side effects, only headaches in the first three weeks of using Aldara. My doc also told me to apply Vaseline on the skin that isn't affected around the warts before applying Aldara cream on the warts. I found this cream amazing, and I am happy. The only thing is that the cream is bloody expensive."

• Caz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2020

For Human Papilloma Virus "I noticed small lumps on the inside of my labia. I went to my gyno, who confirmed they were genital warts. My gyno prescribed Aldara cream 2 times a week for 6 weeks. The cream caused intense itching in the area, soreness, and ulcers in and around the area. I also had headaches, was very fatigued, and had flu-like symptoms. After the 6 weeks, the warts have gotten somewhat smaller but had not disappeared. As it had somewhat worked, I asked my gyno if I could get another dose of the cream. I went through another 6 weeks of the medication and finished up about 2 weeks ago. Aldara did significantly reduce and clear most of the warts, but there are still some of them there, and 2 weeks after finishing treatment, I felt itchy down there again and noticed warts growing back again. I am sad as I went through so much pain physically and emotionally. I can imagine the treatment does work for some patients, so it is worth a try, sadly, it just didn't fully work for me."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 21, 2018

For Human Papilloma Virus "I am on to my second week now of Aldara. My first 2 days, I applied way too much and was in severe agony, waking up in tears with pain - burning, itching, hurt to walk and sit down, also when urinating. I took a 3-day break and have been applying a lot less now, and it comes with a lot less pain, so anyone starting treatment, you do not need much product!!! I learned that the hard way. Gets very itchy and uncomfortable, but nothing unbearable like the first 2 days. I have been having other bad side effects - horrible dreams, chills, headaches, trouble sleeping, and general aches and pains, but so far, so good as the Aldara seems to be working, so I am looking forward to my next couple of weeks of treatment."

• Boo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 12, 2020

For Human Papilloma Virus "Tomorrow will be my 4th day of using Aldara. I had extreme body aches, headaches, and horrible nausea. While doing my research, I found that Aldara has this side effect, but I do also have a bladder infection (not related). My vagina is extremely red, swollen, itchy, and it looks as if my skin is melting. Let me not even get started on the burning when I pee, bear in mind I have a bladder infection, so my urine is very concentrated, so it burns so bad! My warts are going down, and I only take it every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, skipping the weekend. My treatment should last 4 weeks, but this pain is worse than a bad case of thrush. I hope it gets rid of all of my warts."

• Hor...
• February 6, 2017

For Human Papilloma Virus "I had a wart on my penis, which the doctor froze, and it disappeared. Later, I noticed I had some warts around my anus. I went to the doctor, mortified, and was prescribed Aldara cream. I used it as prescribed, three times, and noticed some pain after the first week but didn't think much of it. I went back to the doctor for a check-up, and I was prescribed further Aldara cream. The pain afterward was agony. I had headaches and chemical burning to the point that I couldn't sit down for days. I stopped using the cream and bathed in Epsom salt and used Aloe Vera. Subsequently, I have continued to bathe in Epsom salt and used tea tree oil. Although slow, it works. Do NOT use Aldara cream if you can avoid it, natural remedies are better and no pain!"

• Unl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 16, 2021

For Human Papilloma Virus "I thought I would share my experience with this cream. Used for 4 weeks. First 2 weeks, I had heavy discharge and felt a bit uncomfortable. The third week, the redness, headaches, sore throat, and night sweats started. By the end of the 4th week, my vagina was unrecognizable. I had open sores, which had to be swabbed for herpes (negative), so I had to stop using it. I don't think I could continue any longer anyway. I do admit I was using too much by the 4th week as it wasn't working at all, and I was becoming desperate. So stupidly, the bad reaction was my fault. But no cream that has this effect should be put near that area."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2019

For Condylomata Acuminata "Aldara works, takes time, and the side effects can be heavy. Mild depression, lethargy, hypertension, brain fog, and headaches, but persevere with it for results."