It is the desire of everyone to find a treatment for ITP that has a high success rate, few side effects, is inexpensive, and does not require major surgery. That treatment does not currently exist. ITP is often managed by a succession of treatments, each one with some possibility of success offset by some downside risk. Not enough is known about the disease or individual genetics to determine which treatments will be successful for a particular individual.

Because of the side effects of many of the conventional therapies, some ITP patients have tried alternative/complementary/integrative treatments. As in conventional treatments, these treatments do not always raise platelets, work differently for different patients, and have no research to predict if a particular treatment will be successful.  However, some people have found that these help improve their health.

Personal Accounts

• Read the ITP stories
• Participate in the Discussion Group

Other Treatment Resources

It is important to understand the duration, nature, and potential outcome of each suggested treatment. Check the Physicians Desk Reference or other sites such as Johns Hopkins, RxList, or Medicine Net for additional information.