Keeping track

• Everyday challenges
  • Contraceptives and HRT
  • Preventing DVTs
  • Renewing intimacy
  • Coping with side effects
  • Cost of medications – exemption certificate
  • If you need surgery
  • Itchy skin
  • Living abroad
  • MPD ID Cards
  • Planning for travel
• Newsletters
• Videos
• Your state of mind
  • What you may be feeling
  • Invisible diseases
  • Communicating
  • Coping long-term
• If things get serious
  • After a serious clot
  • End-of-life
  • Hospice care
  • Reducing pain and symptoms
• Ways to feel better
• MPDs in pregnancy
  • After delivery
  • During pregnancy
  • Miscarriage
  • Options after miscarriage
  • Planning before pregnancy
• Staying well
  • Staying active
  • Keeping track
  • Reducing stress
  • Eating right
  • Know the signs
• Treatment decisions
• Talking with your doctor

As an MPD patient, it’s important to focus on more than just your MPD, and here’s why: MPDs make your blood “sticky,” affecting blood flow. This can put you at a higher risk of thrombotic events such as deep vein thrombosis, heart attack and stroke. It’s imperative to do everything in your power to reduce your chances of developing preventable illnesses, for example diabetes or coronary artery disease. We didn’t ask for or deserve an MPD, but it’s within our power to fight back. Here’s how:

Lose weight if necessary

You can reduce the risk of clots by keeping your weight to a normal level. Detailed and reliable information on losing weight is available from Cancer Research (UK)  and from the Mayo Clinic (US).

Exercise regularly

We all know that exercise lowers the risk of heart disease, strokes, deep vein thrombosis and diabetes in healthy patients. What’s more, a study by Harvard University found that daily exercise can help patients reduce their feelings of fatigue.

Review your family history

If some family members have a history of heart disease, diabetes, or breast or colon cancer, you may need more information on preventing these diseases. Additional illnesses such as diabetes can make complications more likely if you also have a myeloproliferative disorder. It’s important to prevent additional diseases if possible and control them if they occur.

Get enough sleep

Sleep can be difficult when we are anxious or worried, or busy for that matter, yet it’s vital for health. Sleep allows our immune system to function correctly, and helps us cope with daily stresses.

Have regular health-screening tests

Basic tests to have from age 40 include checking your weight, cholesterol and fasting blood sugar. Other essential tests are mammograms, cervical cancer tests (Pap tests) and prostate cancer screening.

Control stress

Identify what in your life may be putting you under excessive pressure. Make choices about your activities and workload based on your priorities. Try to focus on what you can control, for instance getting more information and help if you need it. Problem-solving techniques can also reduce stress. Visit our stress management pages for more ideas.

Be your own advocate

Read your blood test results in detail. If you feel something is wrong, make sure your doctor understands your concern that something significant has changed.