Hi,
This group has been very helpful.💕💕
I’ve been on 500 Hydrea for 9 months. My doctor cut back from 7 days to 5 days because of the fatigue. The tingling in my fingers and toes is better. My platelets started at 970, then went down to 480 and now are back up to 565. My doctor said it takes at least a year to get the right dosage.
Does anyone have trouble with your nails splitting and peeling? I’m 71 and could be age. I’ve tried everything!
I also get a sharp twinge of pain in my head once in a while. I had this with Covid a couple of years ago. I’m just wondering if it’s ET or the Hydrea?
@nande I am also 71 and have had trouble with splitting and peeling nails before but never like this. I am trying some treatments but so far I just have to keep them short and try to minimize the amount of time my hands spend in water or drying agents like detergents.
Hi,
This group has been very helpful.💕💕
I’ve been on 500 Hydrea for 9 months. My doctor cut back from 7 days to 5 days because of the fatigue. The tingling in my fingers and toes is better. My platelets started at 970, then went down to 480 and now are back up to 565. My doctor said it takes at least a year to get the right dosage.
Does anyone have trouble with your nails splitting and peeling? I’m 71 and could be age. I’ve tried everything!
I also get a sharp twinge of pain in my head once in a while. I had this with Covid a couple of years ago. I’m just wondering if it’s ET or the Hydrea?
Hello, nande! Your count may not yet be perfect, but HOORAY! It's come down wonderfully from where you started.
Your doctor is right. While some people respond very quickly to hydrea (HU), others don't. Give it time.
My two cents is that your headaches are from ET. Our platelet-heavy blood can't easily pass through the tiny veins in our heads. The result is nasty headaches.
Mine strike in the left temple -- how about you? Now that I've been on HU for two years, though, I have headaches only occasionally.
As for fragile nails, that may be HU. The advice to keep nails short is excellent. I also feel HU dries out my skin. So get yourself some really lovely lotion!
Use rubber gloves for housework and make sure you get your nails when you use hand lotion. It helps. I never used lotions until I went on HU, but now have dry, sensitive everything and need hair conditioner and skin moisturizers/sun screens. Vanicream makes a line of unscented products, which work well because any fragrance sets off my asthma. My dermatologist says CeraVe and Aveeno products are also good. Those are widely available at the drug store.
Hi,
This group has been very helpful.💕💕
I’ve been on 500 Hydrea for 9 months. My doctor cut back from 7 days to 5 days because of the fatigue. The tingling in my fingers and toes is better. My platelets started at 970, then went down to 480 and now are back up to 565. My doctor said it takes at least a year to get the right dosage.
Does anyone have trouble with your nails splitting and peeling? I’m 71 and could be age. I’ve tried everything!
I also get a sharp twinge of pain in my head once in a while. I had this with Covid a couple of years ago. I’m just wondering if it’s ET or the Hydrea?
@nande Yes, I do have nails that split and also have ridges on them. I feel that the Hu has caused this. My oncologist has taken me off of the hydroxyurea and Put me on anagrelide. I have only been on the new medicine a couple weeks, but I feel like it has changed my nails, and also helped me with my red blood count. Good luck with your journey.
Hi @nande
I've been on hydrea 500/day 7 days since August 2025. Keeping the platlets between 340 to 415. But my biggest side effect - the nails also. Thinning, lifting a bit and splitting or peeling near ends. Otherwise knock wood that's mostly what I've noticed effectwise so far. I'm 66 - but since the nail thing just kind of came on this fall I attribute the hydrea since they weren't like this before.
@gohde13
I have had ET since 2002 and on Hydrea for 11 years. My nails also were getting worse and worse. I have found Vital Proteins Professional Bioactive Collagen Complex a game changer, it is a powder that you mix with water and drink. I also like to use a nail strengthener called Londontown The Concealer Collection KUR Perfecting nail vail.
@nande I am also 71 and have had trouble with splitting and peeling nails before but never like this. I am trying some treatments but so far I just have to keep them short and try to minimize the amount of time my hands spend in water or drying agents like detergents.
@nande Yes, I do have nails that split and also have ridges on them. I feel that the Hu has caused this. My oncologist has taken me off of the hydroxyurea and Put me on anagrelide. I have only been on the new medicine a couple weeks, but I feel like it has changed my nails, and also helped me with my red blood count. Good luck with your journey.
Use rubber gloves for housework and make sure you get your nails when you use hand lotion. It helps. I never used lotions until I went on HU, but now have dry, sensitive everything and need hair conditioner and skin moisturizers/sun screens. Vanicream makes a line of unscented products, which work well because any fragrance sets off my asthma. My dermatologist says CeraVe and Aveeno products are also good. Those are widely available at the drug store.
@nohrt4me Thank you. I wear rubber gloves and use lotions regularly. My doctor recommended CeraVe. I use a lotions and hand sanitizer because I worry at a hospital.
I have sensitive skin and have used fragrance free since my teens.
I’ll check out the Vanicream.💕
@nohrt4me Thank you. I wear rubber gloves and use lotions regularly. My doctor recommended CeraVe. I use a lotions and hand sanitizer because I worry at a hospital.
I have sensitive skin and have used fragrance free since my teens.
I’ll check out the Vanicream.💕
@nande I use CeraVe in winter as my "heavy hitter" when the furnace dries the air out. I also have a steam humidifier. Working at a hospital or anyplace you have to wash your hands and use sanitizer frequently is hard on skin and nails.
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@nande I am also 71 and have had trouble with splitting and peeling nails before but never like this. I am trying some treatments but so far I just have to keep them short and try to minimize the amount of time my hands spend in water or drying agents like detergents.
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6 Reactions@amlqueen there is always hope
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3 Reactions@nande
Hello, nande! Your count may not yet be perfect, but HOORAY! It's come down wonderfully from where you started.
Your doctor is right. While some people respond very quickly to hydrea (HU), others don't. Give it time.
My two cents is that your headaches are from ET. Our platelet-heavy blood can't easily pass through the tiny veins in our heads. The result is nasty headaches.
Mine strike in the left temple -- how about you? Now that I've been on HU for two years, though, I have headaches only occasionally.
As for fragile nails, that may be HU. The advice to keep nails short is excellent. I also feel HU dries out my skin. So get yourself some really lovely lotion!
Keep up the good work!
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Helpful -
Hug
4 ReactionsUse rubber gloves for housework and make sure you get your nails when you use hand lotion. It helps. I never used lotions until I went on HU, but now have dry, sensitive everything and need hair conditioner and skin moisturizers/sun screens. Vanicream makes a line of unscented products, which work well because any fragrance sets off my asthma. My dermatologist says CeraVe and Aveeno products are also good. Those are widely available at the drug store.
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Helpful -
Hug
6 Reactions@nande Yes, I do have nails that split and also have ridges on them. I feel that the Hu has caused this. My oncologist has taken me off of the hydroxyurea and Put me on anagrelide. I have only been on the new medicine a couple weeks, but I feel like it has changed my nails, and also helped me with my red blood count. Good luck with your journey.
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Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions@gohde13
I have had ET since 2002 and on Hydrea for 11 years. My nails also were getting worse and worse. I have found Vital Proteins Professional Bioactive Collagen Complex a game changer, it is a powder that you mix with water and drink. I also like to use a nail strengthener called Londontown The Concealer Collection KUR Perfecting nail vail.
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7 Reactions@scienceteacher
Thank you. It helps to know I’m not alone.💕
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1 Reaction@appraiser1946
Thank you. My doctor says I need to try Hydrea for a year. I’ll ask about the other medication.💕
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1 Reaction@nohrt4me Thank you. I wear rubber gloves and use lotions regularly. My doctor recommended CeraVe. I use a lotions and hand sanitizer because I worry at a hospital.
I have sensitive skin and have used fragrance free since my teens.
I’ll check out the Vanicream.💕
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Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions@nande I use CeraVe in winter as my "heavy hitter" when the furnace dries the air out. I also have a steam humidifier. Working at a hospital or anyplace you have to wash your hands and use sanitizer frequently is hard on skin and nails.
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Helpful -
Hug
4 Reactions