• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Aldara imiquimod - giving me cold

helsbells

Senior Member
Messages
302
Location
UK
I am in the category of never getting colds. This cream is usually used for genital warts I believe but as I have such long standing veruccas they have prescribed it for them have used a very small amount of this cream on a small wart on my hand and one on foot, leaving others for now wary of side effects yet after only two applications I have a cough, cold and sore throat. I always get side affects but am amazed this tiny external application is having such a marked affect. It is an immune modulator. I know it is this because there is always a reason for a cold - 2 years ago was my last and that was LDN. Also i always feel better the day before a cold but I didn't with this just a bit crappy like I had done since the first application of this. I am just curious - is this a bad thing, it is one of the listed rarer side effects but if I don't get colds and this can give me a cold is it still a bad thing because its messing with an immune system??? Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong place, as i say i am full of cold and even muzzier headed than usual.
 

undcvr

Senior Member
Messages
822
Location
NYC
If the cold does not pass as u continue to use it, that is a bad thing. Otherwise it is a side effect that shud pass. You can also try Thuja or Wild Indigo. Great antivirals too.
 

Forebearance

Senior Member
Messages
568
Location
Great Plains, US
Aldara imiquimod

This cream is also used to treat actinic keratosis, or ak, which are pre-cancerous spots on your skin. I used it on a spot on my scalp for a while and it did not cause me to develop a cold. However, I understand the reaction you are talking about.

I'm not sure it's a bad thing. To me it means that your immune system has become activated and has decided to kick something out. Some virus that has maybe been hanging around.

When I've had that reaction, it has been temporary. It has been worth sticking it out and it did get better eventually. I did the usual things to treat the cold.

I hope you feel better soon, helsbells.