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← Return to CLL - Symptoms at Stage 0
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My husband has had CLL for ten years (he is 64) . Two years ago he had to begin treatment because of huge swollen lymph nodes (ugh you could see the ones in his neck from several feet away) and his white blood count was 126. He had some side effects to Imbruvica (stopped) and did some rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy and for a year he has been taking Venclexta. He has been in clinical remission since May, and feeling great. The sickest he has been was when he contracted babesiosis from a tick bite this past year, not from the treatments. He has that TP53 thing as well. We went to Sloan Kettering for a second opinion, and were reassured that our doctor here was doing everything correctly and it is a very treatable cancer. I hope you know you are not alone in your cancer struggle and that there is lots of hope and healing.💜
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Hi @sue58 Thank you for sharing your husband's story. I was hoping to get in ten years of wait and watch but it looks like that won't happen. I am very happy to hear that eventually the correct meds for him worked, but yes how unfortunate to have to deal with the tick bite. My wbc is at 119 and lymphocyte count almost matches that. There is definitely lots of hope for people with cll. I asked about entering a trial, but unfortunately there were not enough people in my area in the same category as me, although the doctor said she may be able to take a second look at it. I am torn anyway about limping along the way I am or starting treatment because of the numerous possible side effects. What kind of side effects did your husband have on Imbruvica? I will have to look into Venclexta.
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Hi @sue58. Welcome to Connect and thank for sharing your husband’s experience with CLL. It’s positive stories like this that can really help encourage someone just starting out in their CLL journey, and give them hope. ☺️
I’m happy to hear your husband is doing so well and in remission. That’s always cause for a little celebration.
tick bite was unexpected though. Wow, that episode sounded scary! Those things creep me out. We have so many wood and deer ticks where we live. What type of treatment did your husband need? Antibiotics?