What Are The Repercussions Of Abruptly Stopping Hydrea?

Posted on Wed, 11 May 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 11 May 2016 Answered on

Wed, 22 Jun 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : My 92 year old mother has recurring UTI's and has been taking Hydrea for over 10 years. Her colon was perforated during a colonoscopy then. She was subsequently diagnosed with thrombocytopenia after that and has been taking this drug without review as her care was turned over to a PA. I have been trying to talk my family into taking her off the drug as her halucinations and recurring infections are frightening. Is there a side effect to taking her off the drug cold?

Answered by Dr. Ronald Schubert (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Hydrea side effects

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for contacting HCM with your health care concerns for your mother

I am sorry to see that she ahs been having problems with recurrent UTIs and hallucinations. You think it maybe due to the Hydrea. the hydrea is used to keep her platelet counts stable. If you stop the hydrea her plately counts may become high and cause a stroke or heart attack. But I am a bit confused because you say that she was started on the Hydrea for thrombocytopenia which is a low platelet counts. Hydrea would not be used in that case. I think you mean thrombycythemia.

Other than causing her platelet counts to rebound there are not withdrawals from stopping the Hydrea. I would recommend if you do stop that she get platelet counts every 2 weeks for a few months and then monthly.

I hope I answered your question. Please contact us again if you have any additional questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ronald Schubert (30 minutes later)

thank you very much. I am afraid that the records the clinic had were not that great as they went to an electronic format and all old physical records were archived. Unfortunately my mom has fallen through the cracks of care. Thrombocytopenia is the term that was spelled for me but it could be an error. Thank you very much. We need to find her an internist somewhere in a reasonable distance. For now the response on the Hydrea drug is a great help.

Answered by Dr. Ronald Schubert (6 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Your welcome

Detailed Answer:
Your welcome and best wishes for your mother

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar