I got this from one of my readers and decided to share this with everyone. It was on the comnparison of Nicosan versus Hydroxyurea post. I know that this blog might have become a one note wonder because Nicosan has worked miracles for me…I mean, it’s almost 10 months and counting with no pain, crises or negative side effects.
Being that I’ve never been on Hydrea, I’m not the one to give you an unbiased opinion. So anyway, for those of you that are on the Hydroxyurea band wagon….this one’s for you from J.
I was reading your Hydroxyurea/Nicosan comparison, and thought I needed to write you. I am 35 yrs old and have SS. I would say I’ve been on Hydroxyurea for at least ten years if not more. My liver and kidney are frequently checked and are in great shape. When I first began taking Hydrox. in my mid-twenties, it raised my hemoglobin levels from about 6 to 8. It hovered in 7.5-8 from that time until about three years ago. For a while it stayed in the mid 6 range, but the past year it stays at 5.2.
Over the past ten years I’ve been on Hydrox., I typically have been hospitalized once every 2-3 years. This is a massive difference over previous years before Hydrox. where I was admitted a couple times a year in my early adulthood. My number of crisis most certainly drastically reduced the first 8 years while on it, though the past couple have been a struggle.
In regards to side affects from Hydroxyurea, I’ve had: zero hair loss, zero loss of appetite, zero drowsiness, zero nausea, zero vomiting, zero diarrhea, zero constipation, zero stomatitis, or zero anorexia. If we read the possible side affects of every pharmaceutical we take, every single one is going to have a list of scary ‘possible’ side affects. We just have to weigh it out.
So I just wanted to write and let you know Hydroxyurea is a medication that has been of great benefit to me with little or no side affects. The past year or two, it has not been of as great of help to me as previous years; this is mostly due to my age, the severity which SC affects me and the damage done to my body from Sickle Cell. I personally would encourage every person with Sickle Cell–with the approval of your doctor of course—to give Hydroxyurea a try. If it doesn’t work, you can always stop.
I know hydroxyurea has worked for me. I started using it when I was 22 and lucky I’m now 32. I can say that I have only experienced a crisis once in those 10 years which was last year. All I’m dealing with his AVN of d hips. Other that, I will argue that I’m healthy.