Hello @maryjo, welcome to the forum! Apologies for not welcoming you until now. I hope you’ll come to find it as helpful here as I have. I’m really sorry to read that you were diagnosed with Polycythaemia vera (PV). You’ll find many of us here with this rare blood cancer who share really supportive tips and advice and how we’re feeling about living with it.
Although I take hydroxyurea, a different medicine to yours, I know the fatigue you speak of. It’s grim isn’t it? It took a few months of phlebotomy and hydroxyurea treatments before my fatigue faded, and it’s still the worst side effect of this cancer that I’ve experienced. Currently I’m feeling weak from non-anaemia anaemic low-iron, another common side effect of our treatments.
Others here have experience of Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) like ours, and of ruxolitinib and pegylated interferon alfa-2a AKA Pegasys. I attended a blood cancer conference recently and you might find some of the information interesting. Here is my thread about the conference, if you fancied a read.
I’d say that reading about side effects of these medicines can feel scary and to be wary of where you read information. I wouldn’t just google data about Polycythaemia vera (PV) and our treatments as it’s often out of date or wrong, but stick to websites like this which shares only clinically researched information. Have a look at the MPN page if you haven’t already, it has links to the treatments we typically receive.
Looking forward to hearing how you get on, @maryjo! Please ask away and I’m sure someone will know what you’re experiencing.