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Replies to "Hi @esperanzam The other medications used in the treatment of Essential Thrombocythemia are Anagrelide and Alpha..."
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Feb 9, 2023 | Replies (63)
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Hi @esperanzam The other medications used in the treatment of Essential Thrombocythemia are Anagrelide and Alpha interferon. The go-to first tier drug is Hydroxyurea.
If you’re having side effect with the HU, I’ve noticed other members in the forum have talked to their doctors about altered doses such as 3 days on 2 off or reduced dosages with lab monitoring. Have you talked to you hematologist about this option?
Replies to "Hi @esperanzam The other medications used in the treatment of Essential Thrombocythemia are Anagrelide and Alpha..."
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Yes, and Yes I am doing the 500 mg twice daily (one in AM one in PM) and two days a week I take an extra 500 mg. with the following week, three extra 500 mg. This exact dosage has gotten me in a safer place with my platelets. I also take 81 mg aspirin each PM. as well as other heart medications.
I am somewhat familiar with ALPHA INTERFERON, not for this disease, but back in 1991 they were using it to treat HEPATITIS C (which my first husband acquired during blood transfusions/cancer treaments back when they did not know about it or screen for it). I gave my husband ALPHA INTERFERON injections 30 years ago. They did not have much of a beneficial effect on him for this condition, and as they yet had no cure for the HEP C in those years, he passed away about 3 years after diagnosis. But it would be interesting to see how effective it has been in the treatment of Essential Thrombocythemia.