About ITP

Questions to Ask

Below is a laundry list of questions for your doctor or other health care provider. Pick and choose.

How much experience have you had treating patients with my platelet disorder?
How many platelet disorder patients do you treat? How are they doing?
Are you affiliated with any research group or hospital that specializes in my platelet disorder?
Do you have an emotional support group or know of one for people with my platelet disorder?
Can you give me the names of other patients with my platelet disorder I can talk to?

What is your treatment philosophy, conservative, moderate, or aggressive?
What are your usual treatment recommendations for my platelet disorder?
What course of treatment do you suggest in my case?
What has been the record of success for this treatment and how was it measured?
How long will I need this treatment?
How will the treatment be administered?
What are the criteria for discontinuing the treatment?
Is this treatment designed to raise my platelet count temporarily or permanently?
What will you recommend next if the treatment fails?
What are the side effects of the treatment?
For which side effects should I contact you?
Are there any precautions that can be taken to minimize the side effects?
Can you give me the name of someone else who had the treatment?
Will I develop other medical problems from this treatment?
How will you monitor the treatment progress?
Do you have or know of any articles or other sources of information about the treatment?