When you are first diagnosed with ITP it can be very overwhelming as there is a lot of information to process. But as the old saying goes, knowledge is power and the more information you can gather about your condition the easier it will be for you to make decisions in regards to how you would like to treat your condition. Yes, the doctor will guide you however, ultimately it should be your decision in regards to how you would like to treat your condition.
To give you a general rundown on what is happening inside your body. Basically, your immune system for some reason has latched on to your platelets and now see's your platelets as a threat. The immune system's job is to illuminate threats inside the body, therefore, it is doing its job without realizing that it's attacking healthy parts of your body. Platelets are the cells in your blood that are generated in the bone marrow and give your blood the ability to clot. When you have a lack of platelets you become at risk of excessive bleeding with or without trauma. Both your immune system and your platelets are healthy parts of your body. You require both of them. Hence why treatment is not as simple as some may believe.
Some doctors are really hasty in regards to treating ITP, others like to take a not so aggressive approach. Over time you will learn that sometimes an aggressive approach is not always the best and a not so aggressive approach can be a little risky. Ultimately, your life now is all about balance and trying to balance those platelets to what we like to call a safe level. Limiting your risks of excessive blood loss or bleeding on the brain.
There is much you will learn over the next few months about your condition and your doctor is a great source of information. Nonetheless, you can often leave the doctor's office with more questions and kick yourself that you forgot to ask those questions when you had their attention.
Therefore, in order to help you with your journey, below, you will find a FREE download where you can print the questions you need to ask your doctor. It is created like a checklist allowing you to tick the questions once asked and includes a small section for you to write some notes if required.
I really wish I would have had something like this in my first few visits and I hope it helps.
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