Hello I have Essential thrombocythemia ('ET') and I’m on aspirin ,my platelets have gone up to just over 1000 they are talking about putting me on interferon .I’m thinking of herbal alternatives has anybody else had these thoughts and tried them
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Hello @Carmen
Welcome to the forum an thank you for taking time to reach out and send in your post.
I’m afraid I can’t relate to your circumstance, I have Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia ('CLL') and not Essential thrombocythemia ('ET') and again I can’t relate to taking herbal alternatives as I am on active monitoring and have not been prescribed any medication at this time. I am considering investigating complimentary treatments as I feel this may be of benefit myself.
I seem to remember noticing some information around herbal remedies on the Cancer Research website, which you might want to read through but everyone is different so I would always follow your medical specialists advice and guidance, never the less I’m confident there will be others on the forum who maybe able to relate to your circumstance closer and may have tried a herbal alternative.
Don’t forget you can always speak confidentially with our support services team for information and support 0808 2080 888.
Take good care
Mike
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Hello there @Carmen, welcome to the forum. I’m sorry to read of your diagnosis, I imagine it’s a worrying time if my own experiences of being diagnosed with Polycythaemia vera ('PV') are anything to go by.
Perhaps you might like to read the Blood Cancer UK information about Essential thrombocythemia ('ET'), it has facts about typical treatments: Essential thrombocythaemia | Blood Cancer UK
I see @GenesisDevice has shared the number for the great Blood Cancer UK nurses who can advise about living with Myeloproliferative neoplasms ('MPN') such as Essential thrombocythemia ('ET'). Perhaps you’d like to read more about Myeloproliferative neoplasms ('MPN'), which Essential thrombocythemia ('ET') and Polycythaemia vera ('PV') are types of: What are myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)? | Blood Cancer UK
As for your question about taking herbal alternatives instead of interferon, perhaps this NHS information about taking aspirin and other medicines and herbal supplements that Nurse @GemmaBloodCancerUK researched and shared previously might be of interest: Herbal medicines - NHS
As someone living with a closely related blood cancer to Essential thrombocythemia ('ET') and taking aspirin and a different but similar medicine to interferon I would be wary of relying on herbal supplements. I say this also as a long-term vegan who tries to avoid anything ‘unnatural’ or tested on animals. I had to accept that for me to stay alive into old age with Polycythaemia vera ('PV') I would need to follow the science which shows I needed the treatments I’ve been offered.
It’s a tough one. I find herbal supplements need checking with my haematologist as some of them can contraindicate my medicines, or worse still exacerbate what I’m already living with. For example, grapefruit juice is a no-no with one of my medicines. Iron intake also needs watching as it can worsen my blood cell overproduction.
Hope that helps a little @Carmen, it’s great that you’re checking how others manage our Myeloproliferative neoplasms ('MPN'). Might be worth passing it by your specialists before changing or adding anything in your diet.
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I would echo others concerns.I was warned that many herbal remedies work by acting on your blood, quite a few thin blood (eg arnica) which might help normally but can work against your nhs medications. This really needs to be discussed with your consultant or the chemo pharmacist at your hospital.
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