Connect
← Return to How long you can live taking Hydrea (Hydroxyurea)?
Discussion
How long you can live taking Hydrea (Hydroxyurea)?
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Apr 25 7:05am | Replies (23)Comment receiving replies
After adjusting to a dose of 500m HU daily, my platelets have been down in the low 400K range for months but I am just as exhausted as ever. Iron panels are normal. Folate and B12 are at the top of the normal range.
Replies to "After adjusting to a dose of 500m HU daily, my platelets have been down in the..."
The experts tell you to exercise. It does help, but feels really counter-intuitive. When you have fatigue, that's the last thing you want. Cutting back on sugar and starches may help. I tend to be pretty strict about bedtime. I know a few people with really crushing fatigue have tried Adderall after discussion with their docs. I drink coffee in the morning and have another jolt about 3 pm. But have learned to pace myself. Otherwise I just feel jangled and can't sleep.
Really great that your platelets are stable in the low 400's, and also that your iron panels and folate and b12 optimized.
The exhaustion is hard to deal with. Exercise and movement seem like the last thing you want to do, but really necessary for energy, circulation and feelings of well being. The other 'must' of the lifestyle treatment is plenty of water and hydration.
I'm wondering, did you assess your Vitamin D status? Are you getting 15 minutes of sun at daybreak to reach your eyeballs?
Connect
ontheverge, congratulations for getting back into a normal range on your platelets!
I'm so sorry you're still exhausted. You really have to experience ET fatigue to understand it, don't you?
I continued to feel like a limp noodle for a long time after HU started lowering my count. Alas, you're not alone.