Sounds like my story. Take a breath. You've got a long journey yet and I am confident this will not be thing that puts either you or me down. They're making a lot of headway with CLL and other blood pathologies. In the meantime be diligent. I had a do nothing doc at first but lucky for me he left town and I got a young, female, doctor who is very proactive. She had my blood checked with a flow cytometry test to get a better guage on what I can expect and also a full body cat scan to get a baseline on the lymph node sizes and spleen size. They are both now slightly larger but well below the size that would be of concern. So far, so good. These tests are expensive but I have good insurance. Still, make sure and coordinate with your insurance people and the docs on every test. Ask about the costs. Nobody cares about your care, and money, like you do. So far, so good. Like you, I'm 61. I've been athletic all my life, I'm fit, I ski, tennis, golf, hike, climb friggin' mountains on vacation. I've rarely been sick as well. Unlike you, I am a man. At any rate, five years ago I was diagnosed and I am happy to continue to watch and wait, hopefully forever. I am not naïve and I am ready for the stuff to hit the fan some day but I refuse to dwell on it. I basically do everything like I always have with two exceptions. I'm pretty evangelical about healthy eating now versus kind of cavalier in the past. It's not likely to make a big difference but at least I'll be healthy as well as strong. I also found a way to stop working 60 hours a week and now work much less. Less cash, yes, but I'm enjoying life more. Good luck.

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement. I got THE phone call Friday afternoon that confirmed my fears. I was prepared for it. My doctor told me from the flow cytometry test (or maybe it was he Zap 70?) that I am low risk so that eased my mind some.. I have also joined the CLL forum. Between the two sites, I am so grateful for the support. Please stay in touch.

I was anxiety ridden when I first got the diagnosis too, but now it is over eight years later and I am fine. Odds are good something else will take us out so just take care of yourself and pretty much ignore the CLL. I only think about it when I go for my biannual checks and when some random medical person suddenly notices my elevated WBC and freaks. Then I am the one calming them down.

Thank you Igmaam. Your words came just when I needed them. I have had a pretty anxiety-ridden day and saw your message right before going to bed. Words like yours and the post above give me hope and strength.

Check my post, just above yours, for my story. I understand what you are going through, as I experienced some of the same emotions as those that you were feeling. If I can do anything to help, don't hesitate to let me know!

Hi - I was diagnosed a week ago, after my annual physical showed an elevated wbc count. I have been a complete stress ball since the diagnosis. Now I am stressed that the stress will make me sick :-O ... reading all of these entries has helped me tremendously. I am a 50 y/o female in very good health so I was shocked when this arose. Thank you to everyone who has told their stories, it is really helpful. I plan to go see a 2nd hematologist who specializes in CLL within the next month or two - depending on when I can get an appt. And I'll pass on any pearls of wisdom. I live in Boston and work in healthcare so I will try and learn and share with everyone. Please reach out if needed. I could use a friend to share this with as well. Prayers and Peace to all.

pm8911 - I can soooo identify with you. I have had such a rough time accepting my diagnosis that I am seeing a therapist and am taking a low dose of Zoloft to control my anxiety. My anxiety was starting to affect my health more than the CLL has. I started training last week for a 10K trail run in Big Bend State Park in West TX in January so I have a goal to look forward to. I love Boston. My son and I were at the marathon the year the bomb went off. It was a very emotional time for all of us! Please keep in touch.

I was just diagnosed yesterday. I'm a 49 year old woman. I'm healthy I'm active so this is shocking. My doctor said he's not overly concerned. All my other counts are fine. I'll go back I 3 months. But when I look online I see survival rates that scare me.

one of the first things I was told is to not go online and read articles. Some are outdated and paint a gloomy picture. I finally learned to stop reading them. Trust your doctor. Mine didn't seem overly concerned either. My counts are all fine also and the doctor assured me he would monitor my blood every three months to make sure nothing gets out of hand. I am learning to enjoy one day at a time and pray I might be in the group of people who need little or no treatment. Hang in there. We are all here to support you.