Hi @philipschuyler , I was dx'd in Apr'24 with CLL. I had not noticed any symptoms, but I had a high WBC count at my physical in Dec'23 so my GP suspected. In my case, it took 3-4 months to get a diagnosis. I started at the UHealth in Mpls, but as it was taking months, I reached out to Mayo.
As it turned out I had some barely larger lymph nodes, a slightly larger spleen (one reason for the CT scan), and CLL in my bone barrow. This combo put me at a "stage 3" so my Mayo doc started me on Zanubrutinib, no chemo. A pill I take 2x/day. No issues/reactions for me.
Everyone is different. Many ppl are fortunate enough to be on "watch & wait" for many years. Others not so fortunate may get much worse symptoms. I feel quite fortunate with where I have ended up so far.
As a very curious & pragmatic person, I want all the data I can get my hands on. I'd much rather make informed decisions about my health, versus the "Que Sera, Sera" approach to life.
For me, CLL has impacted my immunity so I mask up when I feel it could help, walk around/avoid crowds... and get sick more often. I ended up catching two bug in Italy last fall, one which put me in the hospital for 3 days. Now, I'll be sure to carry antibiotics on any trip. I also started getting IVIG infusions to help boost my immunity. Not everyone needs that.
I hope this helps!