I am a 76-year-old male, diagnosed in 2022 with ET JAK 2. The oncologist put me on 500mg hydroxyurea and 2 baby aspirin a day. All was fine symptoms-wise until 3-4 months on hydroxyurea, and terrible itching started. I got into the itch/scratch/itch cycle, then the tiny little red spots on my upper back, shoulders, and arms grew and eventually turned into a slightly raised, pale red rash. I tried Caladryl clear gel, and it worked pretty well. Almost 50% of patients with ET have pruritus, and the same holds for those who take hydroxyurea, so some of you must have found some helpful solutions, or else you itch and have skin rashes as I do!

I also take an antihistamine for year-round allergies, and it works so-so on this, but it helps me get to sleep. I did not know that Caladryl (pramoxine, the main ingredient) is not to be used on large areas. So the drowsiness, daytime sleepiness, evening sleepiness, and insomnia I was getting were caused by toxic levels of promoxine. Stopped it and saw a derm. She prescribed triamsinoloe 2% cream. 2 x a day. It gave me steroid side effects the same as the Caladryl, because I used it over such a large area of skin!

Has anyone with bad pruritus found something they can take or apply that works for them without dangerous side effects??

Thank you in advance!!!