Anyone living with Essential Thrombocythemia with JAK2?

Posted by lindamarie63 @lindamarie63, Dec 3, 2024

Has anyone been living with,ET, jac2 mutation

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I have ET with JAK 2, diagnosed for a few years now. I take one hydrea 4 times a week with daily baby aspirin. Does anyone struggle with nausea? I feel like I am more susceptible to getting sick, every couple of weeks I'm down with a bug or something and usually lasts a few days. I went to the Doctor and my platelets are in the 500's but my white blood count is up, just above normal. Doctors say everything is fine. I am just totally frustrated and don't know if this is a normal symptom or if I should push my doctors more.

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Profile picture for mdterp76 @mdterp76

I take Desloratadine, an antihistamine for the itching and it works great. For dry skin on the feet, I use Urea Cream. I rotate using various creams/lotions for dry skin but always come back to Cetaphil lotion. I take HU, 500 mg 4x week. Dry skin and dry eyes are my main issues. I use Refresh over the counter for my eyes, along with Restasis. Managing okay at age 71. I've been ET/Jak2 for 2 years.

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Although for the first time in my life I'm having occasional dry eyes, I had failed to connect that to ET!

Thank you for connecting the dots.

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Profile picture for janemc @janemc

On another thread about itchy skin, our incredible monitor Lori suggested trying Dove for Sensitive Skin and Aveeno Oatmeal Body Wash. Cetaphil products were recommended too.

Hope you find something that works for you!

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I take Desloratadine, an antihistamine for the itching and it works great. For dry skin on the feet, I use Urea Cream. I rotate using various creams/lotions for dry skin but always come back to Cetaphil lotion. I take HU, 500 mg 4x week. Dry skin and dry eyes are my main issues. I use Refresh over the counter for my eyes, along with Restasis. Managing okay at age 71. I've been ET/Jak2 for 2 years.

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Profile picture for ina2022 @ina2022

Hi Arlene, I was diagnosed with ET Jak2 Nov. 2022.
I am taking 1000 mg per day at night. I am taking
1 Zyrtec in the morning. No other meds.
I changed my face lotion , body lotion, toilet tissue,
soap, anything what touches my body to parfume free
and alcohol free. Not wearing any make up or Mascara.
I am almost 70 years old, would not help much anyway.
😎😎
I am taking lukewarm showers, not hot snd cover up
when I am outside in the sun. It is working for me.
Hope this will help. Let me know.

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I am mostly makeup free, too. I find I can mix a dab of Almay or Neutrogena foundation in with the moisturizer. Evens out the skin tone so I don't frighten small children ...

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Thanks for this information. I’m 73 and was diagnosed in August. Just trying to adjust to living with the symptoms. I appreciate learning from others who have this blood disorder.

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Profile picture for arlene15 @arlene15

Question, does anyone with essential thrombocythemia JAK2 taking 500 mg of Hydroxurea twice a day have itchy skin? If so what helps? Drives me crazy in the evening and at bedtime.

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Hi Arlene, I was diagnosed with ET Jak2 Nov. 2022.
I am taking 1000 mg per day at night. I am taking
1 Zyrtec in the morning. No other meds.
I changed my face lotion , body lotion, toilet tissue,
soap, anything what touches my body to parfume free
and alcohol free. Not wearing any make up or Mascara.
I am almost 70 years old, would not help much anyway.
😎😎
I am taking lukewarm showers, not hot snd cover up
when I am outside in the sun. It is working for me.
Hope this will help. Let me know.

REPLY
Profile picture for et1055 @et1055

I have itchy skin on one 500 MG per day. When I was put on two a day on the weekend, it drove me crazy, along with other increased side effects so went back to one a day.
The Cancer Clinic pharmacist told me to take an antihistamine when needed. It does help.

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Thanks for the suggestion.

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Profile picture for nohrt4me (Jean) @nohrt4me

Glad it helped! I hate adding more pills to my daily routine, but that itching can drive you nuts. And, yes, I talk to the doc about OTCs, too. I appreciated people bringing up questions about aspirin recently, which alerted me to ask about NSAIDs

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Apparently NSAIDs interfere with aspirin's beneficial effect on our blood.

So taking aspirin and any NSAID at the same time would be counterproductive.

Thank you again for the loratadine suggestion!

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Profile picture for arlene15 @arlene15

Question, does anyone with essential thrombocythemia JAK2 taking 500 mg of Hydroxurea twice a day have itchy skin? If so what helps? Drives me crazy in the evening and at bedtime.

Jump to this post

I have itchy skin on one 500 MG per day. When I was put on two a day on the weekend, it drove me crazy, along with other increased side effects so went back to one a day.
The Cancer Clinic pharmacist told me to take an antihistamine when needed. It does help.

REPLY
Profile picture for janemc @janemc

At your suggestion, nohrt4me, about a month ago I started taking loratadine (generic Claritin) every day. It has really helped with 1) itchy skin and 2) ease of breathing.

And at my December appointment, the oncologist raised no objection to loratadine.

Lowering our histamine reaction is worth trying!

Of course it's best to check with your own doctor! Having ET means we can't be casual about even OTC medications.

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Glad it helped! I hate adding more pills to my daily routine, but that itching can drive you nuts. And, yes, I talk to the doc about OTCs, too. I appreciated people bringing up questions about aspirin recently, which alerted me to ask about NSAIDs

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