Hydroxycarbamide increase

[soomoo]

I ve upped my dose now to 2g 4 days and 1.5g for 3. My platelets are rising now 546 but increased 100 in a week. Does your body get used to drug? Feeling down as I was relatively "normal" in the summer

[Nickyb57]

I know how you feel. My platelets have gone up to 750 from about 450 so my HU has been increased. Due for another blood test next week to check on progress. On the positive side however all other counts are normal! Have you had any sort of minor infection which could have pushed your platelets up?

PV is an erratic condition so don't be downhearted, my HU dosage has gone up and down over the last 5 years.

Nicky

[Helpatlast]

Hello .... The platelets do go up and down (I am ET on Hydrea) I get checked each 3 months for last 7 years and up and down my count goes .... My initial consultant explained this happens anyway in "normal" blood it is flexible all the counts so ours is the same and so many things effect platelets that at times it starts to creep up again and my consultant always "tweaks" my Hydrea dosage and I get checked every few weeks and then it starts to fall again to more normal levels and the Hydrea is reduced again abit ....it's the nature of the beast so don't worry .... I know just how it feels when you get the higher count results it is worrying and you feel flat and the reality of the condition hits home abit (the girls at work laugh as I always turn up at work with a new handbag bought at one of the shops in our huge hospital and say oh dear bad blood result eh) and likewise you will feel so happy again when it starts to drop again. All the best.

[lizzziep in reply to Helpatlast]

I am on hydrea for ET, and my levels went up in June, but came back down in September, I have been on the same dose 2 x 500 per day monday to friday and 3 x 500 per day saturday and sunday for quite a while. I too often buy things from the shops in the hospital to cheer myself up!!

[beetle]

As others have said, the platelet count goes up and down for no apparent reason although infection can cause a rise and subsequent fall. When I was on the dose you are talking about my white count - and particularly neutrophils - dropped to very low levels and it became a juggling game keeping platelets down and white count up. Hope this is not happening to you. Maybe next time you have bloods done you can reduce the dose again. I know how you feel but try not to get too down about it - I've heard that stress can affect counts too.