Suggestion for Research

[dscotese]

I would like to target the several steps of the platelet production process characteristic of ET. This process has several steps, each of which can be partially thwarted, giving my body several chances to avoid making too many platelets:

1) TPO production.

2) Differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells into megakaryocytes.

3) Maturation of megakaryocytes.

4) Pseudopodial entrance into the bloodstream by megakaryocytes.

5) Breakdown of the proplatelets in the bloodstream.

Any of these five steps may be susceptible to various foods or homeopathic medicines. I am actively looking for such foods and medicines. Please let me know if you're aware of any.

[LRH1977]

This sounds incredibly interesting, I hope you keep us all updated! My homeopath wanted me to take arnica for bruising, I'm not sure of any benefits to what you describe.

Good luck! Lucy

[lizzziep]

Wow, you've really looked into this. I did a small amount of research online about natural/homoeopathic products to help with ET and didn't find anything at all. But I agree there probably is something out there, we just haven't found it yet! I eat lots of fruit and veg, hopefully that helps a little.

Good luck with the research!

[Balenciaga]

Back in about 1996, the homoeopath I was seeing persuaded Ainsworth's to make a homoeopathic 'version' of Hydroxyurea for me to take to 'counter' the daily dose of the drug. I've long since stopped taking [homoeopathy] it but they've probably still got it on their list.

[Mazcd Partner MPNVoice]

Hello dscotese, I have asked Prof Harrison for her advice on your query, she has said that she is not aware of any though there are several homeopathic antiplatelet agents they usually stop platelet stickiness to some extent eg garlic. Kind regards, Maz

[Mwalimu]

About 3 years ago, when researching food which might help reduce platelets, I came across two: red onions and pomegranites. The research seemed reasonably scientific to me who is not a scientist! I drank non-concentrate fresh pomegranate for some time (v expensive) and changed over to red onions which I still use. I have a vague memory that the onion research was connected with Strathclyde University and the pomegranite with an Italian one.

Good luck - am sure many are interested. Sallie

[dscotese]

Thank you so much for your replies! I read somewhere that alcohol tends to help "make your blood slippery" and I haven't researched the mechanism through which that happens, but I plan to.

I think a lot of people are overwhelmed when they start trying to research because they run across sentences like "The protein encoded by this gene is a humoral growth factor necessary for megakaryocyte proliferation and maturation," which uses the words, protein, humoral, megakaryocyte, proliferation, and maturation. I don' t know what "humoral" means, but I like the treasure hunt, so I just go google it. It seems like this would make research take a long time, but it doesn't. It makes it start slow, but get fast, and quickly! So I encourage it.

There is a special distinction in reading stuff on the Internet that will be very helpful. Assertions that are verifiable fall into two classes. In one class, you can sit and think about it while, do some soul searching, and recall your own past and discover that what someone wrote matches up. In the other class, you have to look up more stuff and collect facts that are not available to you. The person who wrote the page could be the worst and most deceitful human on the planet, but if you're considering an assertion they made that is of the first type, you don't care who they are. They helped. When you run across an assertion of the second type, you can either do your own research to verify it, or you can trust the author, in which case you ought still to do your own research to find out if they are trustworthy.

The take home point is that research on the Internet is dangerous unless you understand these things and work to hone your skill in using them. Our doctors and rulers get paid for doing those things for us, so they discourage the independence that would eliminate their usefulness. They discourage it subconsciously and systematically, but most of them will readily agree that it is good for you to do your own research, with varying degrees of warnings.

So I hope to encourage more research on the personal and individual level, and sharing it through sites like this one.