Has anyone had success losing weight while taking Hydroxy? I've been trying for several months and it's a painfully slow process. I'm on a daily regimen of 500mg. I noticed a small improvement when the dose was reduced slightly. A daily probiotic is helping a lot with bloating and I do drink about 2 lt of water. My specialist doesn't think it's much of an issue, but I'm very proactive with weight maintenance.
Any tips would be an insight. Thanks for your comments in advance.
Hi Hidden . I have, I've lost over a stone in weight over the last 6 months. As with your experience, it's been really slow progress, but I've managed it.
I can't say that I changed my diet drastically - mine has mostly been by upping my exercise. I make sure I get my 10,000 steps in every day and do yoga a few times a week.
Like you, I also have a daily probiotic and drink 2 litres of water. I've also started to take a magnesium supplement, which has helped ease the constipation I suffered from due to taking Hydroxy. The hydroxy dose I'm on is 500mg x 4 days and 1000mg x 3 days.
Great effort Kari. You're on a higher dose regime than myself so I'm very impressed. I'll keep plugging at it.
You could also give intermittent fasting a try - Not the starving yourself on certain days one. I unintentionally do the 16/8 fasting. I only eat between the hours of 10am and 6pm, before and after those times I don't eat or drink anything (except for water) I obviously break that if I go out for a meal on the occasional weekend. It does work though, one of my friends has lost a lot of weight on a fasting regime.
Try calorie counting using my fitness Pal app. It works a treat
I am having the same problems I am on hydroxycarbamide 500g a day and bloat and putting on weight ,more since the extra 500 g on a sat and Sun
I find it very difficult to lose weight, even with a very low calorie/low fat diet, I’m on Anagrelide. It is very slow to come off.
I put 2 stone on quite quickly with HU in the first few months and having been a gym bunny this was most odd. I struggled for a long time and have now found that the Mediterranean diet approach helps me slowly lose the weight that suddenly piled on. And I have adapted lifestyle to eat earlier in the evenings too. It’s worth a try.
I gained weight, one of the rarer side effects
I take a bit more Hydroxyurea than you do, 12 pills a week, not sure that makes a difference. I was diagnosed with ET this summer and I decided that now would be a good time to get as fit as possible and have normal BMI. I am active-walk and play tennis often, just needed to loose a bit. I have been watching what I eat, I track calories and points on WW(weight watchers). I have lost 15 LBS since July, slow and steady is the best way. Most days I eat a less than 1200 calories, I am 65 and have a slow metabolism.
That's amazing, Lakeview...well done. I wish I had your metabolism . 😀
Thanks for all your replies ... good to hear there is a way around this problem, albeit a slow process. I do track calories, exercise and have looked into the Med diet (too many carbs for me). I think lowering the dose will also help. I noticed some losses when my dose was reduced a little. Hopefully at my next appointment with the haemo he will reduce it some more.
Switching from hydroxy carbamide to Peg interferon
Is peg interferon always slow to reduce platelet count? 
Coq10 and ET
Worth switching meds?
