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Why Is Hydrea Prescribed While Having Low Platelet Count?
I was diagnosed with Polycythemia a few years ago and have had to have phlebotomies at certain times to lower my count. Today I had an appointment and my doctor told me my platelets were 1023 and is prescribing me Hydrea 500 mg. What does this medicine do to help and what type of sides effect can it cause? He wants me to come in once a week for 4 weeks to keep a check on it.
Fri, 10 Nov 2017
Hydrea works by slowing down the rate that cells regenerate/reproduce. It is often used for conditions like polycythemia to slow down the rate of cell proliferation and therefor keep your blood counts lower. This can affect your immune system and can rarely also cause allergic reactions. Generally, the drug is well tolerated and your doctor seems to be doing the right thing for you by wanting frequent follow-up.
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