The drug Hydrea/hydroxyurea has been around and used for about 45 years. It is generally well tolerated in patients compared to other chemo drugs and treatments. Many people (myself included, and I am 75 with other health issues) have next to no or no side effects if they learn when to take it. To try and avoid any stomach upsets I take my daily pill after lunch or dinner. No problems after 3 months or so on it.

To make my disease (I am JAK2 mutation ET with platelets as high as 800) easier to work on and less likely to flare, I stick to a Mediterranean Diet. It is widely recommended by cancer doctors and other doctors who deal with people who have a chronic disease that is made worse by inflammation in the body. I cut out sugar and alcohol. No fried foods or "fast food." I eat fish or some chicken versus red meat, low-fat dairy, veggies, and fruits. I keep my weight normal and exercise daily in ways I can easily do it. I get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. I do things that keep my stress level low.

I attribute my lack of side effects and overall health improvement to the above factors and lifestyle changes. For every "scary thing" you read about side effects from hydroxyurea, you can find people of all ages who have been on it for 5-10-20 years without any significant or no side effects. 🙂

Please go into it with a positive attitude. The stress from worry about it can create all kinds of physical symptoms unrelated to the pill you started to take! If you have any side effects, tell your doctor. Rarely does someone have to discontinue it, and many times, any side effects one gets early get better as their body gets used to it.