pleural effusions

[Auburn67]

I’ve had three pleural effusions requiring thoracentesis during the last three months. Any recommendations on how to treat them? I just started O+V treatment and I hope it helps.

[JigFettler Volunteer]

Welcome, your first post it would seem!

What is the cause of these effusions?

Jig

[Auburn67 in reply to JigFettler]

There’s CLL cells in the fluid according to flow cytometry

[Poodle2]

I am not a doctor but having read a lot of posts here and having gone through treatment myself, I feel quite positive that you will improve with treatment. There are so many weird symptoms we can get, all caused by the underlying issue of having CLL. It might be a while before you feel better as the treatment needs a chance to clear your bone marrow and time to recover so it can start working normally again. Listen to the doctors, report all symptoms you get, be easy on yourself and I'm sure you will get better soon. I'm wishing you all the best. I had O+V, it is an amazing treatment!

[Auburn67 in reply to Poodle2]

Thank you

[Bluesinthenight]

From your post, you are on the best treatment for the pleural effusions: Treating the CLL, the underlying cause. Discuss your concern with your treatment team and I believe they will confirm this.

[studebaker]

My pleural effusion was treated with diuretics Furosemite and Spironolactone before I started Rituximab&Venetoclax two year treatment and no more effusion after.

Dana

[angelikab]

yes. It will get better. I had it constantly was in the hospital to drain the fluid and after a few months of V and O it never happened again. Hang in there. It will go away. .

[Auburn67 in reply to angelikab]

Thank you.

[Provence]

I had a bad case of pleural effusion in 2017 with literally litres of liquid having to be taken out. I was in hospital for two weeks to have various tests to see what could be causing it and the conclusion was that it was the cancer, since all they found was cancer cells in the liquid. I then was given chemotherapy since unfortunately that was at that time still the first course of treatment. The treatment very soon reduced the many swollen lymph nodes but it took quite a while for the effusions to disappear as well. I started the chemotherapy in October and had my last puncture in February the next year. So the result did not come immediately and I was told that was to be expected.

I assume you too may have to wait a while before your treatment will reduce these effusions, but I trust it will happen eventually as it did with me.

I have had no problem with effusions since then , but my haematologist is still a bit nervous about it and always checks me for that.

Good luck, I hope it will go smoothly for you.

Kunderke

[Auburn67 in reply to Provence]

Thank you