swallowing hydroxycarbamide

I find the hydroxycarbamide capsules too large to swallow so have been told to empty contents into water. It doesn't seem right really.Is anyone else doing this?

[D1i2a3]

Hi have been o. Hydro for 12 years they are. big tables the.capsules resolve in your stomach so putting them in water will just make it easier to take. Take care Diana

[Hidden in reply to D1i2a3]

Thankyou for replying Diana, it is reassuring to know you do the same. Happy Christmas

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I have now had 2 replies to say I should not open capsules as dangerous!

[Hidden in reply to D1i2a3]

I have now had 2 replies saying it is dangerous to open the tablets!

[KentBee in reply to Hidden]

No problem swallowing luckily as along with other meds take 5 at one go. Sometimes easier with a little food maybe,? I have read not to open them. Good luck.

[hunter5582]

My understanding is that you should not do that.

"Do not open the hydroxyurea capsule or crush or chew a tablet. Do not use a broken pill. The medicine from a crushed or broken pill can be dangerous if it gets in your eyes, mouth, or nose, or on your skin. If this occurs, wash your skin with soap and water or rinse your eyes with water."

uofmhealth.org/health-libra....

Bear in mind that hydroxycarbamide is a toxic medication and great care must be used in handling it.

[Cja1956]

I agree with Hunter. You’re not supposed to break them up. It even says if you handle them you’re supposed to wash your hands because of their toxicity.

[Mazcd Partner MPNVoice]

Hi Rockstone, sorry that you are having problems swallowing the tablets, you can ask your clinical nurse specialist for some advice on what you can do about this, or the pharmacist who dispenses them for you. Best wishes, Maz

[paradiastole in reply to Mazcd]

While I agree that the best person to talk to for advice about this is a member of your health care team, here's some advice which says you should dissolve the contents in water if you are having difficulty swallowing the capsules:

Cancer Research UK: cancerresearchuk.org/about-...

Macmillan: www2.worcsacute.nhs.uk/Easy....

Mayo Clinic: mayoclinic.org/drugs-supple...

There is a lot of unnecessary scaremongering about hydroxycarbamide, it's a drug which many people take for decades without serious side-effects and providing good control of blood counts.

[Hidden in reply to paradiastole]

Thankyou for your reassurance. Happy Christmas

[piggie50 in reply to paradiastole]

Totally agree with you. I take them whole but I’ve handled mine for the last 7 years and nothing detrimental has happened to me.

[JediReject]

Sometimes I used to take mine with milk , , it helped them on their merry way Chris

[Anag]

No! Don’t do that!!

I started this med last week and stopped immediately due neurological problems. I read the info carefully. You are not even supposed to touch the capsules with your bare hands! This medication is dangerous.

Please read up: you must sign up to do so. It is the best drugs website I know.

drugs.com/international/hyd...

You could buy empty smaller capsules at the pharmacy or order them over internet and fill the one capsules content into 2 smaller capsules them swallow quickly. Make sure you don’t get the powder on the outside of the capsule. Do this with surgical gloves.

Hope to have helped.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

[ConniesDad]

I don’t take hydroxycarbamide but do struggle to swallow larger tablets. My remedy is to take the pills one at a time with mashed banana and then wash them down with a glass of water. The banana helps lubricate the mouth and throat and the pills just slide down., plus it gets me one of my five a day.

[Tomsgranny]

Hi. I’ve always taken big tablets/capsules with food as well as water. Chew up something you really like (biscuits work well) and just at the point you are going to swallow, pop a capsule in your mouth, bury it in the chewed food with your tongue and swallow. I’ve taught all my grandchildren to do this - it helps them take everything from painkillers to vitamins without fuss. Try it - it really works and stops tablets sticking in your throat and melting there - yuk!!

[SusieG60]

I always empty my capsules into water other wise id never be able to take them.

[Hidden in reply to SusieG60]

Thankyou for reply. Everyone is saying I shouldn't but after nearly choking on a turmeric capsule 2 years ago I hate capsules

[paradiastole in reply to Hidden]

"Everyone" is wrong. See the links I have just posted.

[SusieG60 in reply to Hidden]

Its fine it even says on pamphlet you can do this. I dont know why some people have heart attack when i say i do it. My heamo has said its fine as well

[Hydrox]

I was told by my consultant that I could handle the capsules without gloves, but no one else in the family should.

[hunter5582 in reply to Hydrox]

That is the correct answer to handling it. It is going in your body. Just wash your hands after handling to prevent exposing others. Likewise, others should wear gloves if handling the HU or the bottle it is in.

[IrishHiker]

Try taking it with a spoonful of yogurt or applesauce instead of with water or other fluid.

[ourlife]

Hi Rockstone,

At one point I became intolerant to HU, so I was given it in liquid form to see if it made a difference, the down side with it in liquid is the lifespan and it has to be prepared to order, I could only get it through the hospital pharmacy.

If you continue to have problems with the capsules it could be worth asking your haematologist for the liquid HU.

Good luck and have fun,

Ourlife

[Wyebird]

I put mine right at the back of the throat before I take water x

[Lifam]

I agree with Hunter 100%

[Spirit123]

No I swallow with lots of water. Don’t think wide to break capsules. Very toxic

[Sabramcq]

I agree with others here. Do not break. Swallow them with a full glass of water. If they are too big for you, take it up with your doctor. The drug can cause mouth ulcers. It needs to get all the way down into your stomach where your body expects to process things through the biochemistry in the stomach.

[Joetcalr]

It concerns me the amount of toxic waste that is going into our sewage systems, whether or not it's gone through a human first...

[Runner999]

Do you put tablets on your tongue? My tip is to put them under your tongue, then take a good swig of water and sort of suck up and swallow in one gulp. I can take 6 pills including 2 larger than the capsules in one go with this method !

- though just try one at a time and see if it works for you.

Then another few mouthfuls of water for your tummy.

🥰 Let me know if it works for you!