HU side affects

[Birdlady2021]

Hi all , I’m on 10 pills a week , and can anyone best vitamin for hair and nails my Dr confirmed it’s the Hydroxycarbamide that’s doing it ! I’m already on long term vit D and ferrous fumate one daily

Thank you for any advise

[Whitehair51]

Same for me, have been on hydroxyurea for 4 years and have lost almost half my hair. Luckily I have thick curly hair so I can hide my scalp. Most people will recommend using biotin, but it can mask some cardiac blood tests. I've just learned to live with it.

[Birdlady2021 in reply to Whitehair51]

Thanks I would just take vitimin for nails n hair be safer I guess

[Anouchka in reply to Whitehair51]

I read that too - “if biotin taken is at higher levels than FDA recommended”… I had same reaction from hydroxy but nausea was worse so got switched to Jakafi. (PV diagnosis).

[Exeter21]

changing to Interferon if possible would help with this. On Hydroxy it wrecked my hair & mis shaped nails. Since on interferon hair grew healthy & nail scarring gone . Julia 👌

[HoundSept2022]

My hair fell out dreadfully when I first started Hydroxycarbamide. I was fortunate to be referred to a trichologist at the local cancer treatment unit, who recommended a higher dose of Vit D than I was taking, plus starting Vit B12. She also recommended tea tree shampoo. I alternate my shampoos. I use tea tree shampoo and conditioner for a few months, then ginger shampoo and conditioner for a few months. Both do the job nicely. I lose a few hairs now, but not the great handfuls as previously. I think these have all helped and I also think my body gradually adjusted to the Hydroxycarbamide. My haematologist said the vitamin supplements were okay for me, but do check with yours about any supplements you take.

[Birdlady2021 in reply to HoundSept2022]

Thank you for your interesting reply I’m on high vit D pill long term on prescription I started on iron pill I’m not anemic but ferrous fumate I take I’m low I can’t use tea tree oil on skin I’m told !

[HoundSept2022 in reply to Birdlady2021]

If you can't use tea tree, why not try some ginger shampoo? I prefer that anyway, and my hair likes it! I believe it stimulates the scalp. Re Vit B12, which I'd mentioned, the trichologist said basically my body was so battered and shocked by the HU that it was just giving up on my hair. The Vit B12 was to help put the rest of the body in balance so that it had the ability to maintain hair growth.

[quanglewangle]

hi

I am on HU for more than a decade and have many of the usual side effects including splitting weak and cracking finger nails (weirdly my toenails are getting ridges but are getting much harder) I take biotin and gelatin powder daily (in a bit of liquid) and l apply a nail hardener at least once a week. This keeps it under control. I looked at changing from HU but decided to stick with the side effects l know rather than swapping them for another set🤡 most of my hair disappeared long ago so l cannot comment on that ! 🤪

Good luck

[Ipadlin]

My chiropodist recently suggested looking at collagen for my nails, but I’ve yet to do this. Might be worth exploring.

[dogsandhorses in reply to Ipadlin]

Collagen has helped my hair, but not my nails yet. Started about 3 months ago.

[Zingawinga in reply to Ipadlin]

Check with dr if Collagen is ok. Some literature says it stimulates the bone marrow

[Birdlady2021 in reply to Zingawinga]

Yes i will thank you

[Spanelmad]

I take Viviscal tablets all Drs happy for this

[Fernsong]

Hi Birdlady, I've also been on HU for 4+ years and my nails got bad. I've always been interested in all things herbal and homemade remedies, so I seached and experimented until I finally found a nail oil that is working extremely well for me. It's not completely my recipe (I've tweaked it a bit!) and I'm not sure I'm allowed to post it here but would be more than happy to send it to you privately if you're interested

[Birdlady2021 in reply to Fernsong]

Yes please that kind of you