Efudix Cream

How a simple visit to my GP for my ‘Annual’ check – turned into a two week medical misadventure nightmare

Visit trusted GP with – for the first time in my life – with a list.
Item #1 – a lump under-the-skin in my left elbow skin.
GP measured – 25mm and asked me to monitor size.
Second lump-opinion gained from fellow GP#2. Who noted some “pre cancerous spots” on my forearm skin. Suggested Efudix cream. Zero instruction or warnings.
Pharmacy supplied Efudix without the VITAL advise sheet.
Applied Efudix too thickly (read British Safety sheet warning) and by the third day I was ill. Is it resin fumes? Is it the flu jab? No – by the fourth day I knew I had Efudix in the bloodstream.
On the fifth day I visited GP #2 (who prescribed the drug) and conveyed my illness and my diagnosis. Zero action or reaction.
Continued abstinence from Efudix – with all of the published side effects – had this anti-cancer drug been injected (as in chemotherapy). Read 4.9 in link below.
All of these except item #1. Every day.
Googled and found a January 2018 NZ Medsafe Safety Data sheet. Phoned the freephone and the person guessed that I “lacked an enzyme called

dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD)

” – and that yes it sounded serious. “Go to a GP urgently”
As my GP was on leave I made an appointment with GP #3. I arrived with screeds of Efudix Safety Data Sheets with my notes overwritten. GP #3 agreed that I had Efudix in my bloodstream and agreed with all of my self diagnosis.
I am currently awaiting a report on my white blood cell count. And other items.
Each day I feel less likely to chuck-up. Oh – how sorry I feel for those poor people on the real chemotherapy dosage.

Efudix attacks and destroys recently created body cells. Guess what?

I just measured my elbow lump. What started at 25mm (GP#1) has now withered away to 11mm.

Now how did that happen?

May 14th update.

My elbow lump is the size of a small pea – difficult to locate. Surgery cancelled. Marvellous.
The unsightly stye on my left eyelid fell off whilst purchasing an ice-cream. Surgery cancelled. Wonderful.

Postscript from Medsafe SDS –

EFUDIX is excreted unchanged in the urine, or inactivated in the liver or excreted as respiratory carbon dioxide (with the production of urea).

For those who have worked with fibreglass and styrene monomer fumes – the excreted urea mentioned above tastes and smells just like a good ‘ol’ ‘Styrene attack’. For which a quick 100 metre sprint works wonders!

I tried that in this case – and almost expired.

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