Blood count update: Hello my friends hoping you... - CLL Support

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Blood count update

Deta1961 profile image
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Hello my friends hoping you are all feeling better. I had my hemo appointment today and my immunoglobulins look like very low.... I will start new infusions in October!

My leukocytes are 11.89, lymphocytes 5.49, erythrocytes 5.15 and platelets 119.Do you think things are getting better, help!

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Deta1961
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AussieNeil profile image
AussieNeilAdministrator

The medical term for what you have is hypogammaglobulinemia - low IgA, IgG and IgM. It's not unusual even before CLL treatment and I see that you have had a few treatments for your Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, which includes many blood cancers as well as CLL. CLL actually suppresses immunoglobulin/antibody production, but in your case, your low immunogulobulins could just be due to the past treatments you've had. (I'm not sure if you specifically have CLL from your profile). That's because the treatments you've had wipe out the B-lymphocytes which would normally mature into plasma cells that make the immunoglobulins. It's not a sign that your treatment is failing. Immunoglobulins throughout your body lock onto any pathogens, labelling them for destruction by your immune system. It's our memory of past infections, so that we can counter them before they make us sick.

Typically IgG infusions are given if your IgG falls below 4 (the number depends on where you live) AND you've had a number of recent serious infections. Consider IgG as a transfusion of immunity from over 1,000 different people (to get a wide coverage of protection against infection exposure).

With such a low IgG count, you will probably be on IgG infusions indefinitely, so I recommend you ask whether you can have subcutaneous IgG infusions. These are self administered at home weekly, saving you from regular trips to a hospital for IVIG infusions.

You might find these posts of my experiences with IVIG and Subcutaneous IgG helpful:

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

I see that you have been on Ibrutinib for nearly two years. How are your other blood counts?

Neil

Deta1961 profile image
Deta1961 in reply to AussieNeil

Thanks AussieNeil, first i do have CLL for a few years , second no one told me about that sub cutaneous infusions, i will go to the hospital once a month, right now i have 3 treatments scheduled.... yes i am on Ibrutinib for about 21 months others blood counts are up on the text. Thank you very much for your opinion, i’m always very nervous because i have a TP53 mutation!!

AussieNeil profile image
AussieNeilAdministrator in reply to Deta1961

Ibrutinib works fine with TP53 mutations, but chemotherapy treatments do not work well. That's why you have been prescribed Ibrutinib :) .

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