Does anyone have change in taste while on hydroxyurea?

Posted by vickieannb57 @vickieannb57, Dec 19, 2025

Just finished making Christmas goodies. I take HU and nothing I made this year taste good. Husband said it is good but my chocolate fudge has an awful taste. Guess that could be a good thing no calories if you don't eat.

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Yes! I use hard candy and gum.

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Profile picture for christina3444 @christina3444

Hello. Certain foods don’t seem to taste the same, as good. Eggs for instance.
But, what drove me nuts when I first started taking it was that I smelled a chemical smell when I would perspire (night sweats) and in my urine.
I asked my PA if she noticed it when visited Mayo and she said she did not and no one else I asked did. It lasted for at least a year.

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@christina3444 My urine def has a different odor. You are not alone!

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I've found many things to taste very bitter, but I didn't even attribute it to the hydroxyurea I was taking! Thank you for pointing this out!

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I'm wondering if anyone has found an impact on their sense of smell. I have for some time had a kind of stuck smell, not pleasant, which I cannot explain. Been on HU for over a year now after a dx of PV and a past CLL diagnosis. I would love to find an explanation for this symptom and get rid of it.

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I taste salt most of the time. Yuck

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Profile picture for exon9 @exon9

I taste salt most of the time. Yuck

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@exon9 I also just taste salt

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