Connect
← Return to boosting your immune system after diagnosis and before chemo
Discussion
boosting your immune system after diagnosis and before chemo
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (5)Comment receiving replies
Lori, thanks for your reply, and yes my mind is going a million miles an hour and Is all over the place. (May have something to do with my ADHD) Lol. And perhaps as much as I'd like to believe otherwise, fear plays a part.
That information was very helpful. Feel like I understand more clearly what is happening to me. And indeed I'm less afraid chemo will kill me than the cancer and/or it's side effects. in fact I'd like to get it over with as soon as possible and wonder, based on what you said about targeting the mutated cells, why would they want to wait treatment instead of immediately treating it on diagnosis? Wouldn't most people better tolerate it then rather than later?
Two questions or maybe a question and a clarification.
If the chemo is targeting the bad white cells and I've learned in this variant they are mature cells that mutate instead of immature cells, it sounds like what ever I can do without taking things that would be detrimental to me, that boosting immune system before treatment would not prolong the wait time before treatment and would be helpful.
And two, I also have high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypo coagulative blood (been hospitalized three times for PE) and some kind of inflammatory issues joint pain, overall stiffness that eased somewhat with activity.
I am concerned that chemo might be harder to tolerate because of these issues and or the medications I take to treat them.
Is that a concern or just more of my mind taking me places better left alone? Lol
I have seen a few posts here and will follow the link you have provided, the more I know the better armed I feel and more comfortable with the choices I make.
Thanks for reaching out this is very helpful!
Replies to "Lori, thanks for your reply, and yes my mind is going a million miles an hour..."
Connect
It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and anxious with a new diagnosis. You’re doing great…asking questions and gathering as much information as possible can really help the brain to process this new situation. Having the info, making a plan to move forward is better than sitting there feeling stuck. ☺️
HCL, from my understanding, progresses slowly and often people don’t need treatment until the they have symptoms or the HCL cell percentages are over 30%.
Reading through various articles, chemo is usually the go-to treatment as it’s effective. Here’s a link to one of the articles from The American Cancer Society with info about HCL, when to treat and meds used for treatment.
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia/treating/hairy-cell-leukemia.html
Answering your questions or thoughts in order: You wrote:
” If the chemo is targeting the bad white cells and I've learned in this variant they are mature cells that mutate instead of immature cells, it sounds like what ever I can do without taking things that would be detrimental to me, that boosting immune system before treatment would not prolong the wait time before treatment and would be helpful.”
I think I understand what you’re saying. Being as healthy as you can be going into chemo may help with your recovery. But from a similar experience with the type of leukemia I had, being proactive with supplements and diet won’t slow the progression or replicating of the cancer cells.
Albeit slowly, without intervention and no “off” switch, the bad cells will keep proliferating, leaving no room for healthy cells…like bullies with hairy elbows! Treatment should knock them on their little bums!
However, to clarify, the chemo isn’t only targeting “the bad white cells’. It targets quickly dividing cells, such as cancer cells. But it’s not discriminatory and can affect other rapidly dividing cells such as hair follicles, finger nails, mucosal tissue in mouth, or digestive tract and other blood cells. These are all generally temporary side effects.
The goal is to knock out the cancer cells. With those gone, the normal blood cells regenerate rather quickly and again take up their proper space in your bone marrow and blood stream.
Question 2: LOL. Passing the buck on this one! Your hematologist oncologist is the person who should be answering the questions about your co-morbidities with HBP, diabetes, cholesterol and blood coagulation issues and the treatments with HCL.
My not answering is because I’m not a doctor, nor do I play on TV! 😅 So don’t read into my ‘non comment’ with your ‘mind taking you to places better left alone’. Your comment seriously had me cackle out loud! We are gifted story tellers with the stuff we feed into our brains… Been there myself.
Anyway, for my 2 cents worth, of course going ahead with treatment is a personal choice. But to do nothing is to do nothing…