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Author  Topic    janetr66 3 Posts Posted - 10/08/2013 :  18:53:58     I've been using aldara for nodular bcc on my shoulder. I'm coming to the end of the 6 week course of 1x day 5 days on, 2 days off. When starting the cream I had immediate reaction of redness, swelling, scabbing etc. It was uncomfortable but not painful. At this point, I'd like to hear from anyone who treated nBCC with aldara without having surgery and what happened after discontinuing the drug. The site is still red with a big scab but the swelling is gone and it's looking calmer. I saw some studies for nbcc that went 12 weeks with only marginal improvement over the 6 week course. I called Valeant (the co. now selling aldara) who said to stop using it after 6 weeks. What is supposed to happen for the weeks after stopping treatment? janetr66 3 Posts Posted - 11/05/2013 :  07:00:09     Re: aldara on shoulder nodular basal cell carcinoma. I'd like to follow up on my aldara course which seems to have been very successful. I was using leftover aldara from a previous treatment so was not under a drs care (no lectures please). At the end of the 6 wk course the scab was still angry red and looking bad. I ended up calling my previous dermatologist who said that was normal and not to continue beyond the 6 weeks. I stopped the treatment and over the course of the next 3 weeks the scab hardened up and fell off, the redness subsided and the skin underneath is rosy pink and quickly fading to normal skin color. I don't know why drs are pushing surgery and freezing when this drug works so effectively unless it's a profit motive or perhaps they think most people can't follow the regimen and they want to absolve themselves of responsibility. Aldara is not indicated for the "nodular" variety of bcc but I read several studies where it was used effectively on that so decided to at least try it before defaulting to a more invasive therapy. I would like to hear from those who used aldara and how it worked after it was all over. I won't hesitate to use aldara in the future if I can find a dr who will prescribe it.    Topic

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