Tiny veins appearing while taking HU for Essential Thrombocythemia

Posted by scienceteacher @scienceteacher, Jan 17 10:49am

I have been on HU for Essential Thrombocythemia since the first part of November with good results. My platelets have fallen from the mid 600s to 398. Over the last month I have had tiny veins appear and disappear on the back of my hands. They are slightly raised and sting or itch slightly. Now I have one on my knee. Has anyone else experienced this?

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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 31 5:28pm

@scienceteacher, good to hear that you are responding well to hydroxyurea (HU) treatment. You mention that these tiny veins disappear. How long do they stick around? Have you mentioned them to your doctor?

scienceteacher | @scienceteacher | Feb 2 9:03pm

They stop being uncomfortable in a few hours but I can still see them faintly for a week or more.
I haven't seen my Oncologist since they started but I plan on mentioning them when I see her in March.
They just seem to be more annoyance than anything significant and none of my blood values have changed significantly except for the platelet levels.

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