# CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia)



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Confused. Got a note on my blood work results from the eye muscle surgery.

"Elevated WBC with absolute lymphocytosis." "Findings suggestive of CLL." "Immunologic marker studies (Comprehensive Immunology Panel) by flow cytometry may be helpful to evaluate for monoclonal cell population." WBC 12.1 (H) range 3.7-11.1 LYMPHS 7.9 (H) range 1.1-3.7
MONOS 1.5 (H) range 0.3-0.9

Could this be from "graves" or the "methimazole"? The fatigue and night sweats are still horrendous, even with my Free T3 and Free T4 within range. Okay, Help, got no clue what to do.


----------



## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I have no advice, Grandma.....just sorry to hear what ever this is. Hang in there!


----------



## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Seconding that, not in my wheelhouse, but I sure hope you get some answers and start feeling better!


----------



## TBRaysgrl3 (May 28, 2013)

I'm no expert, but to my knowledge, having that high of a white blood cell count (WBC) and your other labs are usually indicative of some kind of infection. If you didn't test positive for a viral infection or chronic bacterial infection like TB, that could be why the report is suggesting CLL. Maybe you have an infection or should be tested? I don't know much about Graves, but I haven't really read anything about thyroid diseases causing an elevated white blood cell count or anything. You did say that you are coming off of eye surgery, and if your body is in the healing process that could partially explain it too.

I would consult with your doctor to go over the labs and ask them what they think. Don't be afraid to bring up directly what you read in the report. Your doctor should be able to properly interpret those lab results and help you plan what, if anything, to do next. I wish you the best of luck


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Thanks. These were the labs required a week before surgery. I don't believe I was sick. No fever, no skin lesions, no sore throat, no gum bleeding, nothing like that. Also the pre surgical physical didn't find anything. Methimazole raises red blood cells not white.

I discovered this because I got an additional bill for labs that I already paid for. So I requested a copy of the draw request and results to verify the additional charges. Not sure why my Doc didn't call with these results. We discuessed them at the physical. I specifically asked what was going on with the flagged results and he didn't comment. But now the pathology has been added stating the results in my first post on this subject. Ugggh. I don't have insurance. Just paying for the "graves" treatment and "eye muscle surgery" has been a financial problem. This is not helping reduce stress.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

HotGrandma said:


> Confused. Got a note on my blood work results from the eye muscle surgery.
> 
> "Elevated WBC with absolute lymphocytosis." "Findings suggestive of CLL." "Immunologic marker studies (Comprehensive Immunology Panel) by flow cytometry may be helpful to evaluate for monoclonal cell population." WBC 12.1 (H) range 3.7-11.1 LYMPHS 7.9 (H) range 1.1-3.7
> MONOS 1.5 (H) range 0.3-0.9
> ...


You know what? I am going to put my money where the Graves' is. I had a similar scare. It was thought I might have Hodgkin's Lymphoma or non-Hodgkins'. It was a very very scary time.

You are in my prayers for this and I do hope I am on the money on your behalf.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

HotGrandma said:


> Confused. Got a note on my blood work results from the eye muscle surgery.
> 
> "Elevated WBC with absolute lymphocytosis." "Findings suggestive of CLL." "Immunologic marker studies (Comprehensive Immunology Panel) by flow cytometry may be helpful to evaluate for monoclonal cell population." WBC 12.1 (H) range 3.7-11.1 LYMPHS 7.9 (H) range 1.1-3.7
> MONOS 1.5 (H) range 0.3-0.9
> ...


Metimazole is known for causing a drop in the WBC. Do you have a sore throat?


----------



## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

You definitely need to ask your doctor to clarify this one. CLL isn't so much high WBCs, but has to do with abnormal lymphocytes. You need to know if they notated this just because of the off numbers or if they saw something suspicious. The fatigue and night sweats could definitely be part of the Graves/MMI, but they're also classified symptoms of CLL which means you need answers.

Not that it exactly helps, but *IF* CLL is the case it's considered the watch and wait leukemia. There aren't a whole lot of treatments in the early stages besides a healthy lifestyle and trying to limit the introduction of infections. There's also more accessible resources out there for it than for someone with Graves.

Source: hubby has had CML for the last year.


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Andros no I don't have a sore throat. Have a few scratches on my arm from playing with my dog but they aren't infected.

I have had terrible headache's since the eye muscle surgery. I wrote it off to 3 weeks of stitches in my eye ball that were rubbing on my eye lid causing pain. And the vision changes from the surgery.

I wrote the night sweats and fatigue off on peri-menopause until I looked up CLL.

The report also says "2+ Reactive LYMPHS", "Large PLTS Noted", "Giant PLTS Noted". So I googled 2+ Reative LYMPHS and found this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_lymphocyte Says autoimmune diseases can cause it.

I dropped off that report with my Doc's office at 7:30 this morning. Its now 1:00 and haven't heard back from them and they are closed Fridays. As Storm says I guess we wait and see.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

HotGrandma said:


> Andros no I don't have a sore throat. Have a few scratches on my arm from playing with my dog but they aren't infected.
> 
> I have had terrible headache's since the eye muscle surgery. I wrote it off to 3 weeks of stitches in my eye ball that were rubbing on my eye lid causing pain. And the vision changes from the surgery.
> 
> ...


That's all we can do and boy are we ever good at the "wait and see" stuff!


----------



## MLHeide23 (Jun 3, 2013)

My mom has CLL, and the previous poster is right...they won't begin treatment until you have symptoms. She was diagnosed 3 years ago, but has been living a normal, active, and healthy lifestyle.


----------



## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

webster2 said:


> I have no advice, Grandma.....just sorry to hear what ever this is. Hang in there!


Same here. If nothing else, we surely do learn a lot, don't we? Up until probably 4-5 years ago, I barely knew what a thyroid gland was - now I could write a book!

I've recently found myself thinking back to something a very elderly though extraordinarily healthy woman told me probably 25-30 years ago. Gladys said human beings are kinda' like automobiles, some of us are put together better than others!! Sometimes I think I must have fallen off the assembly line!!

Let us know what you find out.


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

I still have not heard from my Doc. Might just let the Graves take over on his office people again.

But I found this. Interesting, but I just gonna write it off to Graves too.

http://www.thyroidmanager.org/chapter/autoimmunity-to-the-thyroid-gland/


----------



## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

HotGrandma said:


> I still have not heard from my Doc. Might just let the Graves take over on his office people again.


Quote of the day! arty0049:


----------



## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

hotgrandma said:


> i still have not heard from my doc. Might just let the graves take over on his office people again.
> 
> .


lol!


----------



## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

> I still have not heard from my Doc. Might just let the Graves take over on his office people again.


 LOL! Might as well put that horrible disease to good use!


----------



## blueyes (Feb 15, 2013)

I just saw this article and figured I'd post it here for anyone interested in reading about a possible new CLL treatment

http://healthland.time.com/2013/06/...-treatment-for-leukemia-yet/?iid=hl-main-lead


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

My my after three weeks waiting for my Doc's office to call regarding these labs I get a letter in the mail stating to call and request an appointment to discuess my TSH being 4.1 and that my "thyroid results are too low". Seriously when my Free T4 was .9 (0.76-1.46) doc said I was good I was in range. Not I felt horrible so I added TSH to the next labs and it was 15.9 on 03/12/2013. So I know. But what about the CLL labs. This is why everyone needs get and keep copies of their labs.

Keeping this graves all bottled up for 3 weeks then ignoring my request for an appointment and his office wanting an appointment for the best TSH I've had in 2 years. Wonder how I go about canning this graves rage. Cause when I open it its gonna be bigger than "whoop ass". Next week we gonna be going round.


----------



## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Hehehe. Get 'em!


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Oh was that fun. Poor Doc had no clue his staff let him down. The labs with my note was not in my file and no one could find them. Also the person I gave them to was not there. Doc spent an hour with me discussing CLL, my labs, antibodies and course deciphering a treatment plan.

Doc said he highly doubts I have CLL. Could be the graves, antibodies, current high TSH levels or the 5mg of prednisone per day, or the methimozole. Viewing my history on labs and the rate the antibodies are decreasing we're going to retest antibodies in October, if the antibodies are in a happier place and the TSH is cooperating, we will then retest for CLL. If CLL comes back again we'll do the study. So I'm pleased. Not so much because Doc felt bad, but that he does care, and tries to do everything he can to help me. As for the office person, that didn't do her job. She still belongs to my graves rage at the first opportune moment.


----------



## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

" As for the office person, that didn't do her job. She still belongs to my graves rage at the first opportune moment."

Go get her!


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Yeah, I DON'T have this. Definately the meds and graves causing trouble. Just goes to show how seriously graves messes with every aspect of our bodies and minds.


----------



## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

That's great news!


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

HotGrandma said:


> Yeah, I DON'T have this. Definately the meds and graves causing trouble. Just goes to show how seriously graves messes with every aspect of our bodies and minds.


Very very seriously. It is not a fun ride. I thought I had MS, Myastenia Gravis, Hodgkin's or Non-Hodgkin's and so on. All this because of Graves'. Scared out of my ever lovin' mind!


----------



## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Awesome news!!


----------



## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

I am so, so sorry for this stress & these unknowns and what you are going through.

You mentioned you don't have insurance, is there any hope that the Affordable Care Act is going to help you? (i.e, Obamacare?)

Take care - hugs


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Swimmer. From the information on the exchange my rates are over $900 per month, $10,000 deductible and a 60/40 co-pay. But now they cannot deny me coverage. Just making sure I couldn't afford it. I own my home so no credits. Cash discounts have left me paying 60% of my medical bills. I have spent $12,000 in medical costs for the past 12 months. I know several people who's current health care is being cancelled because of "Obamacare". Not a fan. I am not in the group that can benefit. Also did you know most of our medical records will be stored on the internet. I opted out and am still fighting with the surgical center to get my records off the internet. Grrrr I gotta quit cause I'm getting riled.


----------



## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

W. O. W. !!! 

This is so sad -- not good... Records on the internet? Yikes!


----------



## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Curious -- what is your fine that you have to pay for not buying insurance? Do you know yet? (How terrible that you have to pay to not have insurance!)


----------



## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

2014 my tax should be $600.00. Talking to customers whose premiums went from $3,000 to $11,000 per year. Only 7 persons in congress actually read the 900+ page law. But ther're exempt. My doctor is ready to close his practice said its going to be too complex and costly to staff employees for the new billing and guidelines. Realistically the insurance commission is ran at the state level in each state. Therefore the federal government has little to no control over them. The insurance industries will be extremely profitable. When they deny your procedure cause they can and you ask why am I paying you all that money for and they respond because you have too. This law is going to be more trouble than good.


----------



## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

The prices are supposed to increase as well - they're open about that, but I think people are not realizing it.


----------

