Walking pneumonia

[Mlp0]

Do you commonly get walking pneumonia at stage 0.?

[tlcladygiraffe]

You can get pneumonia at any time ...I got it for the first time last month after having lymphoma for over 2 years...it is brutal.

[DriedSeaweed in reply to tlcladygiraffe]

True you can get it at any time regardless of cll. I got it in high school!

[SlowCLL]

Yes you can!

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

I wouldn't say "commonly", --it does happen more than we would like it to at all stages and even before a diagnosis because a weakened immune system is a problem with CLL whether you have been diagnosed or not.

With cll you are susceptible to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, so it is important at early stage to begin educate yourself on what you need to do to protect yourself.

It is paramount to be covered with vaccines for pneumonia (usually 2 different shots given at separate times) and the appropriate annual flu vaccination.

It is further important to be vigilant regarding being around people with colds and to not let sinus infection get out of hand before you consult a GP/PC.

And it is a valuable practice to inform your PC/GP of your CLL as well as to help educate him/her (if needed) to the fact that CLL is a cancer of the immune system.

The best practice is to get your PC/GP and your hema/onco who sees you for CLL connected to keep both apprised of your health status.

That also goes for any other Drs. you may see for specialty diseases/conditions.

[Mlp0 in reply to cllady01]

Thanks for this.

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

Walking pneumonia is not a true diagnosis, its rather a description of a mild type of some kind of resiratory infection....

Hopefully they have run cultures and deal with it appropriately. It is usually bacterial.

~chris