Paxlovid and newly diagnosed

[T7374]

Hi all, I’ve tested postive for CoVId (this morning) and have been prescribed a 5 day course of Paxlovid. I was diagnosed with CLL exactly a month ago today. Had a flu jab a week ago. Not quite sure where I picked it up from. I do work with small children in a school so possibly one of them! Am on watch and wait.

I wanted to ask on here if has anyone had any experience of their lymphocyte count being permanently affected as a result of CoVId. I know my count will spike because of CoVId but I was wondering if it will then go back down to what it was on my last blood test a few days ago. My count hasn’t really changed from the last test (a month ago). Thanks.

[SofiaDeo]

It would depend on whether or not the new lymphocytes are normal ones, or more of the CLL ones. We generally don't have 100% of our lymphocytes being CLL ones. So any new "normal" ones will die as scheduled, with any new CLL ones taking longer to die. No way to know ahead of time.

And this "CLL cells eventually die, just not as fast as normal lymphocytes":is one reason why the recommendations don't even look at treatment unless the lymphocyte count gets above a certain number, minus any other symptoms. The defective lymphocytes do die off, and in about 1/3 of people with this disease, they reach a "steady state" where at some point their lymphocyte count levels off. My neighbor with CLL experienced this. His count slowly went up to around 40K, and stabilized there for years.

[JigFettler Volunteer]

What is your Lymphocyte count now?

It is likely to go up - a bit - with a viral and or a vaccine chalenge. Then come down again - a bit. It is highly likely you have viable B lymphocytes still responding to the messages to produce immunoglobulins to the infection - and these should respond in part at least to that challenge.

CLL B lymphocytes dont "apoptose" after usefulness no longer needed, this being our illness, and their number just keep increasing.

A permanant increase in numbers wont happen as such - bear in mind that during watch and wait Lymphocyte numbers will increase anyway - at different rates for all of us.

I suggest check your counts after you recover. Your friendly GP practice will I am sure help you with this! Then you will know!

I hope with youth on your side and early CLL you do well with the infection.

Best wishes

Jig

[T7374 in reply to JigFettler]

Hi Jig, my count is currently at 12.2 a change from 12.1 last month. The last time my count was noted as out of range was in May 2020 it was at 5 after CoVId in March. Yes I hope I do well with it this time around. Thanks.

[AnneHill in reply to T7374]

Your count is really low. There is no need to worry. My cll was noticed when the count was 3. I had a routine blood test and the doctor noticed my count was slightly raised each time. It was 9 years before I needed treatment. I havent had covid but working with children is risky. Good luck, Anne uk

[RZ8983DV]

I don't know what the long term effects of having COVID will be but I had COVID in mid August took Paxlovid and at the end of September my Lymphocyte and WBC were slightly higher than the previous reading at the end of March but I think it could have been having had the blood draw in different places, the GP surgery in March and the hospital in September. Numbers stl relative low 25 in March 29 in September