I will be 69 in July and was diagnosed with PV in April of 2021… Because my HCT was high, I was immediately put on hydroxyurea. I was already taking a baby aspirin and that was also recommended to continue taking.. I did not know what to expect and very concerned about taking a chemo pill.. When you hear the word chemotherapy, you think about potential side effects and how they could impact your life.. I was and still am very active despite having my dose of Hydroxyurea increased to 8500 mg per week.. So far, I have not experienced any known side effects from the HU and have been able to stay very active.. I don’t know how long it will last for me and I know some people have a very hard time tolerating HU.. It seems to be an individual thing… In my case, I have monthly blood tests and the results have been good now for over a year.. I’m not happy about taking these very potent pills, but so far they have been working for me… I hope this helps..