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Hydroxyurea and Sun Exposure

Posted by johnnychips @johnnychips, Apr 28 1:28pm

I recently started taking Hydroxyurea (for ET) with seemingly minimal side effects if any. However, I've been reading about having to avoid the sun rays when taking the drug because of potential photosensitivity, rashes, sunburn and even skin cancer. I love the sun and planning on a getaway to the Caribbean armed with SPF 30 sunscreen. How paranoid should I be in spending time in the sun?

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garyr443 | @garyr443 | 1 day ago
In reply to @jodyjazz "Please do! I use vitamin C religiously and believe it helps protect my face from sun--a..." + (show)
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Please do! I use vitamin C religiously and believe it helps protect my face from sun--a bit. I also do not go out much after 10am and before 4pm............I hate the restrictions, but hate the red bumpy face too.

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@jodyjazz Well, just started the cranberry juice this morning. Yes, it's tart, but I like tart. They do say it could cause a little stomach upset, and yes, I certainly felt something, but nothing bad. After breakfast, it passed. So, I'm on my way! July 3rd I'll know if it's working at keeping my platelet count normal and keeping my bloopressure normal, as well. Actually, where blood pressure is concerned, I'll be seeing results as I go, since I'm checking my bloodpressure at home daily.

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jodyjazz | @jodyjazz | 1 day ago

If you are still on the HU, I'm not sure how you can tell what-is-doing=what. Or did you say that your doctor has sanctioned this test, allowing you to go off HU till July 3rd to test "the cranberry juice study" . I wish you the very best on this and hope you will keep us informed about the result.

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garyr443 | @garyr443 | 4 hours ago

No, I stopped using the HU days ago. Yes, my hematologist has agreed to this. So, when I'm tested again on July 3rd, I'll know for sure how well the cranberry juice is working.

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garyr443 | @garyr443 | 3 hours ago
In reply to @jodyjazz "If you are still on the HU, I'm not sure how you can tell what-is-doing=what. Or..." + (show)
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If you are still on the HU, I'm not sure how you can tell what-is-doing=what. Or did you say that your doctor has sanctioned this test, allowing you to go off HU till July 3rd to test "the cranberry juice study" . I wish you the very best on this and hope you will keep us informed about the result.

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@jodyjazz Meanwhile, where the Lisinopril and my bloodpressure are concerned, at two days since quitting the Lisinopril, my bloodpressure has now risen from normal to stage 1 hypertension. So, I think this indicates that it took two days for the Lisinopril to leave my system. With the Lisinopril, my bloodpressure has been perfectly normal for the years I have been taking it. So, in this case, my experiment is to determine whether or not cranberry juice is effective in reducing bloodpressure. Having read a scientific study of this https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/hyp.60.suppl_1.A299 it is evident that my one month experiment is half as long as this study was, so I may be expecting too much on my third day. Having stopped taking the Lisinopril it would be normal to expect my bloodpressure to rise, even after only three days. So, I'll ignore my momentary panic attack (!) and continue until I see some results from the cranberry juice, or until July 3rd, whichever comes first.

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jodyjazz | @jodyjazz | 2 hours ago
In reply to @garyr443 "@jodyjazz Meanwhile, where the Lisinopril and my bloodpressure are concerned, at two days since quitting the..." + (show)
Profile picture for garyr443 @garyr443

@jodyjazz Meanwhile, where the Lisinopril and my bloodpressure are concerned, at two days since quitting the Lisinopril, my bloodpressure has now risen from normal to stage 1 hypertension. So, I think this indicates that it took two days for the Lisinopril to leave my system. With the Lisinopril, my bloodpressure has been perfectly normal for the years I have been taking it. So, in this case, my experiment is to determine whether or not cranberry juice is effective in reducing bloodpressure. Having read a scientific study of this https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/hyp.60.suppl_1.A299 it is evident that my one month experiment is half as long as this study was, so I may be expecting too much on my third day. Having stopped taking the Lisinopril it would be normal to expect my bloodpressure to rise, even after only three days. So, I'll ignore my momentary panic attack (!) and continue until I see some results from the cranberry juice, or until July 3rd, whichever comes first.

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@garyr443
I am so impatient I eat warm bread sometimes cause I can't wait for the bread to toast. 🙂 But that won't kill me and high blood pressure might.

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garyr443 | @garyr443 | 46 minutes ago
In reply to @jodyjazz "@garyr443 I am so impatient I eat warm bread sometimes cause I can't wait for the..." + (show)
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@garyr443
I am so impatient I eat warm bread sometimes cause I can't wait for the bread to toast. 🙂 But that won't kill me and high blood pressure might.

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@jodyjazz LOL. Well, after I got over my apprehensions, I realized I'm no worse off than I was before a doctor prescribed the Lisinopril for me. I was alive and kickin' then and I still am, so....

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