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Working closely with your healthcare team can make a difference in your myelofibrosis treatment

Should you add a myelofibrosis specialist to your care team?

Open communication with your doctor is key in managing your myelofibrosis (MF). They know your health history and can help guide you through the changes you’re experiencing. But as your MF starts to progress, it may be helpful to find a myeloproliferative neoplasm, or MPN, specialist. An MPN specialist is an expert in rare blood disorders like MF. MF can be complex, but specialists can help create a treatment plan made just for you, with support that goes beyond general care.

You may look for an MPN specialist for a few reasons, including if:

  • You want a second opinion about your diagnosis or treatment plan
  • You need more information about your MF
  • You are looking for a doctor who has more experience with MF

Seeking an MPN specialist doesn’t mean you don’t trust your current doctor. In fact, a specialist can actually work with them to create a more comprehensive treatment plan tailored to you.

Looking for an MPN specialist near you? Use our locator tool to find one.

Find a specialist

Is it time to talk to your healthcare team? Here are some questions to ask.

If you answer yes to any of these questions, it may mean your myelofibrosis is progressing, and it’s time to talk to your healthcare team about a possible change in treatment:

  • Are any of my symptoms interfering with my daily life?
  • Am I feeling more symptoms or feeling worse, even with treatment?
  • Do I feel full early while eating, abdominal discomfort, or pain under my left ribs (symptoms of a growing spleen)?
  • Am I feeling more tired or weaker than usual (symptoms of anemia)?
  • Am I seeing unusual bruising and/or bleeding (symptoms of thrombocytopenia)?

As a caregiver, you see firsthand how your loved one with myelofibrosis is doing. Noticing signs that myelofibrosis is progressing will help you know when it’s time to talk with their healthcare team. To help you get started, ask yourself these questions:

  • Have I noticed their symptoms interfering with their daily life?
  • Have I noticed any symptoms they’re not talking about?
  • Has the amount of food they eat or how often they eat decreased?
  • Are they more tired than usual?
  • Have I noticed they have more bruises or bleeding?

When it is time to talk to your healthcare team, here are some questions you may want to ask during your doctor’s appointments to help you understand if your myelofibrosis is progressing and a change is needed:

  • “Are my lower blood cell counts a sign that it may be time for a change in my treatment?”
  • “Could the changes in my blood cell counts be caused by my MF, my treatment, or both?”
  • “Why have you reduced the dose of my current treatment for MF?”
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conversation guide

Start the conversation

If you need some tips on how to talk to your doctor about your MF, this guide provides helpful information to get the most out of your doctor’s appointments.

download guide

See how VONJO works as a treatment for 
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