@dewz13 Yah, you don't have to hang around here very long to know that advice and everything else about diagnosis and treatment for ET can be inconsistent. There are a few MPN specialists out there who push interferons and use what I would consider scare tactics about hydroxyurea side effects. There are some docs who happily accommodate alternative medical care along with conventional treatment. There are docs who tell you ET is/is not symptomless, that diet and exercise will/will not help with overall stroke risk, that ET is/is not cancer, etc.

I think that's because, while there is a lot of research on MPNs now, a lot of new info has not filtered into the medical textbooks or to the clinical level. So it's crucial for patients to read, ask questions, and get a bead on how interested and up-to-date their hematologists are.

My original hemo was a seasoned blood specialist who followed new info. She was unsympathetic, but she explained things well, and I had utmost faith in her diagnostic and treatment methods. I have a much younger doc now who seems overwhelmed and, because my platelets are stable, fobs me off on her nurse practitioner, who is a disorganized nightmare. This last time, I got a different nurse, so I requested her for the next visit.

My GP is great for help with side effects and general lifestyle advice.