Question:
I would like to know how your lymph glands react, if that’s ok. When I was first diagnosed there were no signs of enlarged glands, but on my last check up a few pea-sized enlargements were detected in my neck and right groin.  I did however come down with a pretty bad cold the very next day.  Are they likely to go up and down?

Answer:

Yes, I have the pea-sized nodes and I’ve had them since diagnosed. I also have one large CLL node in my neck, thank God it’s not visible! However it’s there; it goes up and down, as do my swollen glands. Here is what works best for me in reducing pressure in my neck when ill.

1. I get plenty of rest by going to bed early. Years ago, I stopped worrying about the CLL being lethal and voila! I sleep better. When I wake in the morning 99% of the time, the glands are down and I can barely find the large node. (I never look/feel for the small ones; maybe they’re not even there any more.)

2.If the pressure in my neck and sometimes across the bridge of my nose persists, I clean out my ears with Debrox ear drops. I follow the instructions on the box for a few days and this generally does the trick. Debrox is in all regular drug stores, not an exotic product.

Oh, and your cold probably had a lot to do with it. An important thought: don’t stress about it! The first word in CLL is “chronic” not “lethal”.  So believe that it is temporary, because it most likely is. Take a deep breath and distract yourself with something pleasant. Believe that you are well, because at this moment, you are!