Blood viscosity and wbc count

[Geta]

Hi fellow CLLsuffurers.

Reading your posts daily but newer did anything my self .

Now after 3 days in hospital want to shere my story.

All started in 2009. Diagnosed with stomach/oesophagus adeno carcinoma.

Started with chemo that went for 9 months. Surgery 01/2010. 1/3 of oesophagus and 2/3 of stomach removed. Together with 30 limf nodes.

Radiation for 10 sessions in 07/2010.

10/2011 second surgery after me insting on CT that has discovered one of limf nodes stil activ. Removed that and neighbouring organs: spleen, 1/3 pancreas and adrenaline glance.

2015 WBC started to rise. 2016 Diagnosed with CLL.

Newer tested for all those tests you guys are mentioning.

On w/w allthis time . Seen my hematologist month ago with 129.000.

He was not mentioning treatment "till CLL would not cose problems with other organs. "

Got in to emergency as I could not walk strait. Have lost hearing in my right ear and have constant pulsating sound, blocked nose on right side.

First day WBC was 145.000, second after 2 l of fluid by IV it came to 136.000.

Today's result was 153.000 .

It's weekend and they do not have clue what to do with me .

Unfortunately got in to different hospital, not where I was treated before.

From friend of mine who is professor of hematolgy got information that this kind of numbers of leukocyte is changing viscosity of blood. So this thicker blood is cousing possible problems in my brain circulation.

Except weakness, lost of hearing, balance and huge swelling under chin I do not have any other problems.

Any body have similar problems with CLL?

Second thing is that my understanding was that CLL is caused by my previous treatment. Reading your posts I can see that for majority CLL is first cancer.

PS appologies for mistakes as English is my second language.

Regards from Sydney where we have record temperature of 38 C

Miro

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

While blood viscosity can be a problem with high lymphocyte counts in other leukaemias, CLL cells are quite small, so it is very rare with CLL: healthunlo

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

There are many members still in watch and wait with significantly higher WBCs than yours. I suggest you ask your CLL specialist for their assessment.

Neil

[Bixilon in reply to AussieNeil]

muy interesante punto de vista. Incluso cuando la persona con CLL tiene la eliminación 17p, ¿debería esperar?7

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to Bixilon]

"Very interesting point of view. Even when the person with CLL has the 17p deletion, should he wait?"

Yes, he should wait even with 17p del, according to CLL specialists.

Neil

[Bixilon in reply to AussieNeil]

Muchas gracias

[Geta in reply to AussieNeil]

Thank you Neil for prompt reply.

I have been discharged from hospital with diagnosis of Vestibular Neuritis with suggestio for treatment with Prednisolone. My understanding is that it is steroid and hospital Hematologist was against that, cause my CLL so I didn't have any treatment.

I was originally treated in different hospital so I have contacted my specialist there and he was not concern about WBC count.

This Vestibular Neuritis is inflammation of the nerve for balance going from ears to the brain, could be caused by virus or disruption of blood flow. Sam times followed by hearing loss.

Now almost 3 weeks later I am feeling even worse. Balance is quite ok but hearing is totally gone.

That was confirmed with hearing test today. Now both ears are not good. Can't use phone, watch TV or worst listening any music. Conversation is only possible by emails or SMS.

I constantly have pulsating sound with constant "rain" sound. When moving head that pulsating sound is changing frequency. Beside that my nose is blocked, no running or any discharge- just blocked. Making breathing difficult especially at night time. So sleeping in almost sitting position waking up every hour to stand and unblock nose.

My thinking is that there is problem with circulation somewhere that could not be detected with CT or MRI.

Also understand that we are all different regarding timing for treatment and WBC.

Question that I have is 155000 recent WBC count different for me than others

because I do not have spleen and 30 lymph nodes in abdominal area that were removed at treatment of gastric cancer?

I am quite new here so not sure how to thanks everybody on their comments.

Miro

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to Geta]

Sorry to hear of your hearing/health challenges. While rare, some with CLL report hearing problems that resolve when their CLL is treated. (The WBC count isn't as relevant as where the CLL cells tend to accumulate.) I suggest you ask your CLL specialist if it is possible that CLL infiltration is the cause of your hearing difficulties, or whether it is perhaps due to infection caused inflammation, etc.

Neil

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

My white blood cell count [WBC] was over 450,000 a year ago, and I felt fine...

The idea of viscosity in CLL goes back about 30 years, and is no longer considered an issue, except perhaps in some rare cases involving the kidneys...

I'm a bit surprised at the professor's statement... frankly, perhaps there are other issues, that are causing problems related to viscosity, I don't know.

Have you discussed being put on an XA factor blood thinner? It might reduce whatever problems you are having, with blood getting to the brain...?

Might be worth a chat..

~chris

[Mike-72]

Hi Geta,

Apparently, you are on wait and watch period for CLL. My oncologist has told me that a high WBC (whites) count by itself is not that worrisome. Your red and platelet counts should not become too low. Also, how fast the whites grow is also important.