Why does ITP treat only symptoms?

All through my 9 month journey with ITP, all I hear the doctors say is "go up on the prednisone" or let's try rituxan, ivig, winrho.....to get the platelets up *temporarily*. Not once have I heard a Dr. say, let's check your spleen out to see if it is functioning properly or some other kind of diagnostic exercise. The reason we are all suffering is because they are treating just symptoms and not the problem. Is this being pushed by pharmaceutical companies????? ITP drugs (other than prednisone) are quite pricey

Because doctors and hospitals are owned by the drug companies. No matter how you cut it.

I agree with both of you. The drug companies are making a lot of money off of ITP treatments. While I was in the hospital, they wanted to push one drug after another. They didn't even want to wait to see if I was having side effect from one drug or another. One of the drugs did effect my hemoglobin; so now I have to worry about this--to see if its okay. In the mean time, it's let push more drugs. Sorry, but I hate these drugs. And, we don't really know right away what harm they have done to our bodies.

Whoa - the reason is because there is no known reason for ITP. They can't cure it, and most of the treatments can be temporary. Some of them can cause remissions for certain people, but it's all trial and error.

Checking your spleen won't help. The problem isn't the spleen, it's the antibodies that destroy the platelets.

Bottom line - do you want your platelets up? Then you have to treat. There are researchers working on a cure...but there aren't any cures for any of the autoimmune disorders. It just isn't that easy.

Sandi wrote:

..but there aren't any cures for any of the autoimmune disorders. It just isn't that easy.

This frustrates me! It's also not true. If you listen to the AMA then I suppose it's true for you. But too many people have had success with diet, natural means, etc. Too say there is no cure is on some level deceitful. I'm sorry. It just really aggravates me. What is true is people don't want to give up their crappy diets and chemical lifestyles that have damaged their immune systems to the point of sickness. It's easier to take a drug. Trust me, it IS easier to take a drug. But it will never cure you or make your body whole again.

This forum is definitely no place for those who don't think the medical world has all the answers (or any for that matter!)

chou

Don had a abdomen scan done when he was first admitted to the hospital with low blood platelets. It showed his spleen was normal, not enlarged. After blood tests, kidney ultrasound and bone marrow biopsy, he was diagnosed with ITP. Early on with the diagnosis, we were told there wasn't a cure for adults, only treatments to keep the platelets in the safe range. Patti, while I agree there's room for healthy eating, I don't agree that drugs are bad. Lots of immune disorders can't be cured, just as cancer is never cured, only in remission, (unless you have surgery). My husband was told by people on forums (two years after he was paralyzed by another immune disorder) that he didn't regain the ability to walk because he didn't try hard enough! The real reason he can't walk is there is permanent damage to his myelin, not because of anything else. His neuro doc said there was & is nothing that can be done and whether or not you heal is not from trying hard enough. I'm certainly glad you have found what works for your son, but as you say, it is designed especially for him.

Wow - hospitals are owned by drug companies? Pa-lease!!!!!!!!

MDgal - what is "the problem"? If we knew the problem then the problem could be treated and not the symptoms. Actually someone here, probably the old board, said "treat the person not the numbers", that does make sense doesn't it?!

Now I do know my problem - it was a gamma globulin injection [gamma globulin is IVIg] - knowing my problem hasn't increased my platelet count.

Don's wife I just wanted to tell you that although I have never responded to one of your posts I have read them and try to keep up to date on what is going on with you and Don. I admire you!!

While I'm sure there are doctors who do just want to push drugs on people, mine isn't like that. I have changed a lot in my life style, and I still have ITP. I just don't think homepathy or what ever you're trying to push, is right for me. A doctor goes to school for many years to learn how to treat patients. I would believe a medical doctor over any one else. How do you know that hospitals and doctors are "owned" by the drug companies? Where's your proof? I'm with donswife, I'm glad you have found something that works for your son. I wish him many high platelets for a very long time.

I feel that you're pushing your beliefs on me, and I don't like it. We all have to do what's best for ourselves. I'm glad your natural stuff helps your son, but what helps him, might not work for me. We are all different.

I'm sorry if I've offended you, but I'm really tired of you knocking conventional therapies.

I could care less if someone wants to do allopathic treatment. To each his own. What angers me is when the mere mention of anything outside of someone's comfort zone causes people to suggest that only the doctors know what they're doing. That's what angers me. There is more then one modality of healing - most will even say that. But when it comes to someone suggesting that someone else might want to try it (especially when all else has appeared to fail) then the wolves come out. How dare anyone suggest something other then allopathic. And yet people can tout drug after drug for others to try and the wolves don't go after them (except me today because I'm finally sick of it).

This is the second forum I've found this to be the case in. The other was several years ago with the leukemia and lymphoma society. Exactly the same. It's annoying

Streamline the drugs into your veins all you like. But allow others to share what they've learned as well. Even if it's different from the allopathic way.

I can really only speak for myself and I really don't have much confidence in doctors anymore, not because they are not qualified but because they don't take the time to get to the root of the problem since it is easier to just treat. When I was diagnosed with ITP and went to the ER with a platelet count of 2, the first thing the ER Doctor tried to shove down my throat was to get a platelet transfusion and I said NO. He insisted, forced me to sign the dotted line and I refused. The ER doctor then called the senior hematologist in the hospital who took the time to read my chart and see that I had no bleeding symptoms, my cat scan was ok and i didn't need the platelet transfusion as my body would just turn around and destroy the platelets. He put me on something else. The average person would have gotten the platelet transfusion with no questions. I went to see my primary care so he could do my weekly blood draw after I got out of the hospital and he quickly offered me anxiety or depression meds if I wanted them. I told him I definitely wasn't anxious or depressed, just a little fustrated. Again, the average person out there would have taken a prescription for unnecesssary meds, just because the Dr. suggested.

All I'm saying is, western medicine is quick to treat symptoms. For most things, treating symptoms work but things like ITP seem to be caused by different reasons for different people. They can't just keep trying one chemical after the next, after the next. What are they trying to treat? If a patients platelet count goes up significantly one week, why aren't they asking, "what did you take or do differently?". It's fustrating indeed and I still think this push to always treat is influenced by pharmaceutical companies at the expense of patients like us

I do not believe I am being deceitful by saying there is no cure for ITP. That is the truth and yes, I do listen to the AMA. I know of one or two people who have had strokes due to ITP, and to say that it happened to them because they didn't live healthy enough is very unfair.

Patti, people here can be pretty tolerant of alternative treatments if the person using and discussing them is respectful. Everyone is prepared to listen and try to keep an open mind, but you have been telling others what they medically should and should not do. I do not feel you are qualified to do that. It irks me too when someone tells me that I have an illness just because I have a crappy diet. You have no idea what I eat. If I could "cure" Lupus tomorrow with a diet change, believe me, I would. I have not found any valid research that supports that. I do not find it easier to take expensive medications every day that have side effects. In fact, I find living like this very difficult. So do the people who are taking the medications for ITP.

You've only been dealing with this for a short time. There are people here who have been doing it for years and if a diet change made the difference, everyone would be doing it and this board would be empty. I do believe there are a select few who may benefit from that for some reason, but to imply that is all it takes for the majority is unrealistic.

Your son may very well have had an acute case. I hope he is done with it and does well for the rest of his life. But you can't make the people here feel that they are going through all of these treatments for nothing; they are doing what their doctors are suggesting they do. If you don't believe in doctors and feel you must condemn them, then yes, I suggest you find another place to discuss your miracle discovery.

Michelle:

You are still fairy new to this, and I think everyone felt that way at first. Everyone thinks they can or should find the "reason". After a while, you begin to realize and figure out that platelets sometimes do their own thing regardless of what you do. It all has to do with antibody production and platelet destruction and that can vary daily. No one knows what causes changes in the body that make those things react the way they do.

I think many of us have been fed up with doctors at one time or another. You can add me to that list. I have also fought for things I thought would benefit me and fought against things that I knew wouldn't. No one says that doctors have all the answers and I think many of them feel frustration too. But you can't expect answers where there aren't any.

Most of the time, people just have ITP and nothing, absolutely nothing else shows up on tests. When that happens, and it does most of the time, there isn't anything else to treat. Even the most common causes of secondary ITP may not show up for years and in that case, you can't treat that either. I had "just" ITP for 8 years..all other tests were fine. Then I slowly began to develop Lupus which made ITP secondary for me. There wasn't anything that could have been done the first 8 years to prevent or stop that from happening. ITP was the first symptom, but upon initial diagnosis, I didn't have any labs that indicated Lupus and we didn't know that was the real reason for the ITP. Now we do, but it couldn't have made any difference in the beginning.

There are 88 autoimmune disorders, some are very debilitating. If there were a cure for any of them, it might spark a cure for the others too. There are people out there trying, but it's complicated. In the meantime, we all hobble through life doing the best we can with what we have.

patti wrote:

What angers me is when the mere mention of anything outside of someone's comfort zone causes people to suggest that only the doctors know what they're doing. That's what angers me.

What angers me (actually, it doesn't) are sweeping statements that (i) state things that aren't true, (ii) ignore reality and history, and (iii) sweep every ITP patient into one big bucket that doesn't exist. You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.

You claim: "What is true is people don't want to give up their crappy diets and chemical lifestyles that have damaged their immune systems to the point of sickness." I wonder how you can make such a statement. Do you know what I eat? Do you know what my parents fed me between birth and age 2, when I was first diagnosed? I'm all for healthy eating, but what you claim as "truth" is what you believe, not a fact.

You claim: "Because doctors and hospitals are owned by the drug companies. No matter how you cut it." I think I will just let this one speak for itself.

You claim: "This forum is definitely no place for those who don't think the medical world has all the answers (or any for that matter!)." If that is so, then why does this forum have an entire sub-forum dedicated to non-traditional treatments? I have only rarely seen anyone treated with disrespect on this board. Your e-mail is one of those exceptions. And, what I have seen in response is people trying to engage with you in a civil discussion about facts. But, you know, it's kind of hard to have a discussion with you.

Here's my $0.02, which you are freely entitled to completely ignore. There are a lot of good people on this forum, people who give of their time -- for free -- to come on this board every day and answer the same questions, over and over, and to calm the fears of the newly diagnosed. No one is paid to do this. They do it solely because they care. And because they have been there.

Every few months, someone comes along and posts about some alternative medicine that, they claim, is a "cure" for ITP. You might understand why some of our reactions to that are (to use your word) skeptical. You claim that Vitamin C is a treatment for your son. That's your choice. I hope it works. Unlike you, I have lived with ITP, personally. I have had strokes. I ache for your son. Nothing would make me happier than for you to post one day "my son is in remission! All is well!" I would shed tears of joy for you. And you could even claim is was in response to Vitamin C. And I wouldn't disagree with you. Hey, you want to go the Vitamin C route, more power to you. I hope it works.

But don't treat the rest of us with the direspectful position that we are all idiots who have been duped by the drug companies. I first tried the Vitamin C treatment 40 years ago (actually, my parents tried it on me). And then we tried it again 37 years ago. And then we tried it again 35 years ago. And we tried the white grape juice regimine (which was the rage after Vitamin C first became the rage). And then we tried fish oil (can I tell you how much I hated taking those spoonfuls every night?). And then we tried castor oil. And then we tried blueberries, when that became the rage. And then we tried Vitamin D, and then Vitamin E, and then lima beans (yes, for a time, about 20 years ago, everyone thought beans would cure ITP). And then we tried the all vegetable diet. And then we tried the vegan diet. And water fasting. And the garlic diet. And every other "alternative" treatment that has come along over the past 43 years.

You are entitled to your own opinion, even when you express it disrespectfully. I happen to believe that you are ignoring the facts, but, that's just my opinion, and I hope I express it respectfully. I wish you nothing but the best in your search for a treatment for your son. But, please don't get upset (or angry, to use your word), when you tell us things that we know to not be true. The current line up of treatments do not cure ITP. I know of no cure for ITP. Tell me one and I will try it. But don't act like my 43 years of trying every last treatment that anyone suggested never happened. The undeniable facts (facts, not opinions) are that the current treatments have helped tens of thousands of people raise their counts; not everyone, and not in any way anyone can predict. But they are used because they very often work -- not always, not every day. But they do work. And to suggest otherwise is factually wrong, and a disservice to the newly diagnosed. And please do not make baseless accusations about my diet or suggest that my ITP is the result of my own actions. With respect, those statements are far beyond the scope of your knowledge.

MDGal, I think at one point or another, we've all asked similar questions, if your counts are typically above 30K and definitely 50K, you have to ask if the treatment isn't worse than the disease.

Honestly, as Sandi states there are 88 autoimmune diseases and many of those are "orphan" where there is not a cost effective payback for a dedicated research effort. While we may squabble amongst ourselves, I thank god for an organization like this one that helps get the information out and maintains visiability so that researchers and drug companies can find support to come up with new developments for us. Thousands more dollars are going to research and develop therapies for immune conditions where the number of people who have it are a larger population. While a lot of this research is focused on Remuatoid Arthritis and cancer, the work may well help all immune related diseases.

While ITP can be a distruptive and stressful, I prefer it to some of the other autoimmune conditions out there. I have family with remuatoid arthritis and the pain is diblitating. The list of Lupus symptoms can fill several pages.

NPlate and Promatca came from research on platelet production in the bone marrow. Due to the new "orphan" disease laws, they come on the market years sooner than would be customary for things like heart medications. So the cost is high, at least we have additional options. IVIG and WinRho are blood products that have to have all kinds of special handling which impact the costs.

Truthfully researchers continue to attempt to understand the immune system inter-relationship between the thymus, spleen, bone marrow, lymph glands and microscopic cells that communicate between each other through chemical messengers called cytokines and how they regulate many systems of the body. There is a clip on the main PDSA website ( www.pdsa.org/component/k2/item/138.html ) that covers T-cells, B-cells, and Macrophages and the platelet distruction. When the 2010 conference tapes come out, check out Dr Semples session the first evening, he did a great job of putting it in layman's terms.

Recently there was an article about a ITP clinical trial in Europe for one of the antibodies that the B-cell produce called immuglobins (IgA, IgE,IgG, IgM, IgD). If they can understand how the chemical interaction goes haywire and produces autoanitbodies that attach to the bodies "self" cells, there may be exciting new options.

I can't discount the concept that our genes make us more susiceptable to certain outside triggers that start the autoimmune reaction and which system in the body they impact. Ultimately it's probably some combination of genes, viruses that mimic normal cell functions, environmental (chemicals, heavy metals, food processing, etc), incorrect or overuse of drugs, and stress. And there are likley many flavors of the combinations which is why some do well with a "natural" remedy path and different drugs work for differnt people.

MDgal, who do you consider "the average person"? I know that if I was "offered" a platelet transfusion, I would refuse it because my body would just destroy them. I wound up in the ER back in the Spring with severe back pain. When I told the Doctor who saw me I had ITP, he said "yes I see that. That's why I have to be careful about what I give you." He was a very good dr.

If an "average person" is someone without ITP, then yes, they are probably more likely to go with a platelet transfusion if the doctor orders it. As for taking anti-depressants or anxiety pills, I don't. I don't feel I need them for one thing; and another, I don't want to get addicted.

Patti, I have no problem with you "suggesting" different things to try, but I feel, and this is strictly speaking for myself, that you are pushing your treatment on me. Gort said it best, there is a whole section just for non-traditional treatment. I for one think you would be better off posting there, less conflict.

Wow, this topic has indeed brought on some interesting comments. I do respect everyone's opinion though.
I believe a lot in natural remedies but I would have to agree with most that if we knew what natural remedy to take or the right foods to eat, we would have overcome our ITP. I am still on my quest for natural remedies and diet changes that could rebalance my system. Something made our bodies think our platelets were the enemy and it started creating antibodies against it. For mycase I strongly believe it was HPylori that threw my system off balance. Hpylori hides under the lining of the stomach so it remains unharmed by stomach acid. I think my body was creating antibodies to fight the hpylori but since it could not get to it; my platelets became the unfortunate target. There is no research to back up what I am saying but after reading a lot on hpylori and how the body tries to fight it, i think i am on to something. I did take hpylori treatment but my immune system had already gone off balance. Hmmm....anyway, i am still on my quest for natural remedies that can rebalance my digestive/immune system

Good luck, Michelle. I hope you find it.

Gort you've just said everything I was thinking, only better, and with more experience than most of us newbies.

I've known about my ITP for 19 months, I was on pred for the first 5 months which was deeply unpleasant, but if at any point I start feeling too sorry for myself, then I try to remember that there are people with lower counts than me, other far more debilitating AI disorders than me, and terminal illnesses. Compared to some, I really don't have it that bad.

I'm also of the school of thought about weighing up medication on the basis of 'is the treatment worse than the condition?' and thankfully my haematology unit seem to be singing from the same hymnsheet. Whilst I am in a position to be more sensible with my diet, that does not necessarily mean that it will make a blind bit of difference to someone with a count in single figures. My count does seem to yoyo a fair bit, but seemingly in response to things, so I can at least identify what makes it worse - ie drinking alcohol, having a cough/cold, poor diet, too many late nights, stress etc etc. I therefore consider it to be my responsibilty to take good care of myself, be realistic about my condition, know what I can and can't do, but above all, to get on with my life and not get too bogged down in numbers and treatments (although I'm aware that my counts haven't got too low compared to some, so this is perhaps a bit of a luxury and not something to be complacent about).

I've been reading 'Bad Science' by Ben Goldacre, and for the amount of nonsense he's uncovered, I am rather sceptical about homeopathy and so called natural healing. I'm pretty sure that my haematologist is quite busy enough treating a myriad of blood-based illnesses and doesn't have time to be at the forefront of ITP research. That's what researchers are for, and they cannot come up with a treatment for the cause until they know what that is. Doctors are there to treat THE PATIENT not the numbers. I am a person and I have to live with my ITP, not them. I have thoughts and feelings, and i would like to think that these matter and that I have some sort of say in any decision to treat the ITP.

Melinda,

I just wanted to ask you if you had only one IVIG or more than one? I had three and as of two weeks, they did raise my platelet (though, I've heard it is probably only temporary). I'm just worried about my hemoglobin which I get checked tomorrow; hopefully, it won't be too low. I did read that IVIG (on this site) has a rare side effect of causing some types of amemia (which they will also check me for on Wednesday). I just like to take things slow as I am the type of person who is very allergic to things and might get some bad reaction. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind the drugs--I just affraid of getting something worse than ITP. The doctor's I have are mostly doing the best they can (they are only human,too). It's up to us to do some research so we know how to respond and can help the doctors out. This is how I feel.

MDGal, I'm one of those persons who the doctor's threatened me if I did not get the platelet transfusion. They said I would die (I'm 62). My platelets were at 4000. They scared me to death into getting the platelet transfusion. Then when I was transferred to the next hospital and my platelets went back down to 4000, they threantened me again that I would have a stroke or bleed to death if I did not get the transfusion (because I'm older than 60). Again, I let them do the platelet transfusion and this time they were still 4000 after the transfusion. They've really been scaring me at the hospital. I had one nurse tell me that I hope you make it through the night (with a platelet count of 3000). Well, I hardly slept that night thinking I might die in my sleep. At least now I am at home and mentally feel a lot better. I'm not sure if I will let them put me in the hospital again--it mentally drained me.

Dee Dee:

It sounds like that nurse was either very cruel or very uneducated to say something like that! It amazes me what comes out of the mouths of some medical personnel. Having said that, and at the risk of being called a doctor basher, I also run across cruel and uneducated people in many other professions, every single day.

I'm glad you're out of there too!

I say, hooray and thank goodness for the drug companies!

I would be most sincerely dead, and so would a buddy of mine, and a lot of you, and millions more, if not for doctors and drug companies. Dedicated scientists have put astronomical amounts of time and money into research and development, and going through the rigorous demands of the FDA to get approval, based on sound scientific clinical trials. We'd still have polio, smallpox, whooping cough, and tons of other diseases that have been wiped out by drugs.

They make a profit? So that makes them bad? Do we make a profits at our jobs? Are they supposed to do it for free? ( some actually do ). We fall all over ourselves worshiping movie stars and models and sports thugs who make hundreds of millions for just looking beautiful, or speaking words, or throwing a ball around - but if a Doctor who's dedicated his or her life to helping people, or drug company make money saving lives, everybody starts hand-wringing and having panic attacks!

Are drugs supposed to be 100% perfect, work on everybody, with zero potential for side effects or dangers, and cure the disease,100% of the time?

Every good thing has risks and a potential to be deadly: flying, driving, walking, skiing, sleeping, sports, skydiving...getting married!

Now, I'll take the other side of the coin: If the planet were to suddenly stop treating the sick and curing disease, then I believe those of us with disease and sickness would die off, and the "fittest" would survive, and we'd evolve intro superhumans in a few thousand years or so.

Thanks, Sandy. They really did scare me in the hospital--and I already knew a lot about ITP. It's just that you get vulnerable when you are in that situation.

DeeDee Marie wrote:

Melinda,

I just wanted to ask you if you had only one IVIG or more than one? I had three and as of two weeks, they did raise my platelet (though, I've heard it is probably only temporary). I'm just worried about my hemoglobin which I get checked tomorrow; hopefully, it won't be too low. I did read that IVIG (on this site) has a rare side effect of causing some types of amemia (which they will also check me for on Wednesday). I just like to take things slow as I am the type of person who is very allergic to things and might get some bad reaction. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind the drugs--I just affraid of getting something worse than ITP. The doctor's I have are mostly doing the best they can (they are only human,too). It's up to us to do some research so we know how to respond and can help the doctors out. This is how I feel.

DeeDee Marie do you mean WinRho? I had one WinRho IV in 2002 and since then my counts have been lower than the normal low but I have not had to treat.

Back in 1989 I had a gamma globulin injection before going overseas and that is what triggered my ITP. I've not had IVIg to treat ITP and since that gamma globulin injection caused my problem I'm not sure I would want to try it - also my hematologist told me she had never had a patient go into remission with IVIg.

Hope you are doing all right!

Thank you Sandi ! You summed up the answer quite nicely.
"The reason is because there is no known reason for ITP. They can't cure it, and most of the treatments can be temporary. Some of them can cause remissions for certain people, but it's all trial and error."

And thank you GORT !
It's great to read posts from folks who have have personally dealt with ITP treatment for a long time. Good luck in the future!
Oh yes....and I just have to add; "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!"
I'm only on year number seven. But I know that I didn't bring this on myself, it isn't a result of my diet, I didn't get ITP from drinking beer, it isn't the wages of sin....it is a simple matter of heredity: I inherited bad genes.

Drug companies own the hospitals? My wife manages one of the Ohio State University Hospital's family practice medical facilities and can verify that GlaxoSmithKline does not own the OSU Hospital (The James Cancer Center). OSU (and many other local medical facilities) actually ban drug reps from providing free samples, gifts, office dinners, etc.
Such lame conspiracy theories are not even worthy of a me donning cheap tinfoil hat, IMO.

And while anyone is welcome to their own thoughts and to try treating themselves; there is a forum specifically for that discussion. Shades of Robert Young, "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the internet".
.

Drug companies like any other company are in business to make money, period. Drug companies spend millions and millions on lobbying against imports of cheaper medicines, spend a lot on marketing their products to hospitals....and so on. Granted it costs them a lot in research to get drugs out...which is exactly why they need people to use these drugs. Do drugs help cure diseases? Ofcourse. Does everyone need these expensive drugs if their symptoms don't warrant it? Absolutely not. So, my .02 cents is, make sure your treatment plan is for your best interest and not that of some hospital or drug company.

I'm also not sure why there is a lot of backlash on this forum against those pursuing natural alternatives to treatment. To each their own. I personally at this point am pursuing the natural route also since the chemicals so far are not helping my condition any and my body needs a break

Michelle:

I couldn't imagine NOT looking out for my own best interest when it comes to making treatment decisions. Wondering what would be best for the drug company would never enter my mind.

We're not against alternative treatments. One of the problems that can come with that is when the treatment is passed off as a cure. No one ever states that any of the conventional treatments are a cure. Not a one. Another problem is when a person claims that all it takes is a Vitamin or two to fix things, or eating better will fix things. I just want to slap my head and say, "Well darn! Why didn't I think of that?" I think that is the first route most people take and if not, they do eventually. And last, I believe that the two opposing methods can co-exist. It seems that a lot of people who go the alternative route are vigorously against conventional means and are very outspoken about it. That crosses a line for me.

I also like to be sure that people understand that when it comes to treatments, the word "natural" does not exist. You tend to think that you are buying purified products. I see articles and news blurbs all the time about tainted herbal supplements. Who says they are natural - because it's on the bottle? E Coli, mercury, rat droppings...nothing is sacred. Also, if you really read about natural treatments, you'll find that they can and do cause some of the same side effects that conventional meds do.

I'd like to add that I do believe there is a place for alternative treatments and they may actually help some people. But you can't say that one regimen will help all people with ITP just like you can't say that one conventional treatment will help all people with ITP.