How do you deal with GP's ? He has got me so friggin stressed. He was in a panic when he got my latest results from the lab.
My Total lymphocyte count went to 11.7. WBC around 13. He has a referral from haematologist that I do not need to be referred again until it hits 20. The lymphocyte count is going up 2 (2,000) every year. I actually told this young bloke to read the referral together.
Then I told my work. They went into a panic.
The other frustration is I have done all I can to try and be healthy. Sleep, rest, moderate exercise, limited alcohol, good diet. The GP said all other full blood results were perfect. Frustrated and angry I cannot stop the counts going up !
Thanks to this site, my wife and my haematologist. My wife has dealt with "chronic" kidney disease her whole life. She takes it in her stride and reminds me it is "chronic" and that is something you will need to learn to live with. I realise what a strong woman she is.
Just my rant !
Trav
Written by
Billy_Oz
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I understand totally what you’re going through. All scary stuff. Just try to be strong and live one day at a time. Listen to your body and when you’re tired rest and so forth. Every time I have a blood test before I go to my haemotologist appointment I freak out until I get the results. I suppose that’s just me. I wish I could be more positive but unfortunately that’s just me. In saying that I’m doing well up to date.
Look after yourself. Good luck with your treatment.
as i told my wife i now live blood test to blood test
regular gps have no real experience with cancer. Mine saw 350000 wbc and sent me to emergency room. My now cancer center yawned when i hit 460000. they see big numbers all the time. I', now on imbruvica and its down to 167000. I hope it keeps going down.
Numbers without symptoms are simply indicators, and without real clinical significance.
Most people in this support group probably understand CLL a lot better than your GP.
My own experience at diagnosis was a lymphocyte count of 9,000. That was 13 years ago, and I have yet to experience a symptom. I am now around 35,000. There are others here even longer in W&W. A 2000 increase in a year is nothing to be concerned about. The lymphocyte count can wander up and down under 30,000. That's why CLL specialists only look at doubling time above this number.
One third of patients with CLL never need treatment as long as the other blood counts remain in the normal range as yours are doing. So my message to you, is relax and remember that this disorder can be very slow moving. So slow that you forget about it for most of the time.
Keep chatting - there's plenty of help here...........
About 5 years ago, Australia's Leukaemia Foundation research identified that on average, GPs see about 6 cases of lymphoma in their entire career! CLL/SLL is just one of the many Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas and it unusual in that the CLL/SLL cells are small and rarely cause circulation complications. Be thankful that your GP is concerned and be prepared to educate him about CLL/SLL from reputable sources referenced on this site .
I empathize with you and use to freaked out every time I saw my blood results when they were 25 and 30. Then years later wbc at 138 I wished I had those lower blood results. lol However I felt fine. The other doctors are not use to our numbers and do not understand our watch and wait always freaking out that makes us freak out. I have learned to say" I am in watch and wait with no symptoms, my oncologist is aware don't worry". Look at these people with huge numbers. Oncologists are looking at how long it takes to double, trends, other tests, lymph sizes ect. What flavor of Cll you have. The whole picture.
If it were me, I would put my GP in touch with my hematologist/oncologist and tell the GP NOT to alarm me unnecessarily. If the GP can’t do that, then if you can - change GP’s - and try to do so ASAP.
It’s hard enough to have CLL without some outside stressor freaking out all the time. It’s simply not good for you. Thats why you need to inform people to learn the CLL “ropes” or just remain quiet. Let your hematologist/oncologist make informed interpretations.
Our minds can come up with a lot of stress all on their own. We don’t need anyone adding to it. Good luck.
My figures like nearly all here are higher than your results but unlike your GP my new results only seem to bore both my GP and hemotoligist, I think I might even be flatered if for a change I got a "thats interesting" but better to be boreing, means I'm still in good shape
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New member Help please 
Newly diagnosed and needing guidance ... 
Confused again 
Should I get a second opinion!
