Thanks for your post. I am now 75 and found Essential Thrombocythemia as my first chronic disease. I began a battle with high platelet count about 5 years ago. My platelets from Essential Thrombocythemia were over 1.0 million without any drugs until my first 2 doses of the Moderna SARS2 vaccine and spike proteins in early 2021. The vaccine caused my platelet count to exceed 1.5 million and I noticed pressure in my brain. At that point, I began to follow the prescription of my Oncologist to take Hydroxyurea. The platelet count dropped to .4 million with 2 pills per day and caused my tongue to swell and become inflamed. My Oncologist adjusted the dosage to 9 pills per week and the platelet count was .6 million in my last blood test. I believe the long term effects of large doses of Hydroxyurea include fatal pancreas disease, so I am evaluating periodic cessation of the Hydroxyurea. The balancing game of the jungle of drugs and side effects never ends. This is my medical experience and I hope it helps you deal with an undefined fear of stroke used to coerce compliance with drug usage.