Hi Scott,
I was diagnosed about a year ago with stage 1 CLL. I was also put into that "cautiously wait and watch" period for the first 6 months...but my fatigue and anemia grew so quickly, that I am now at a stage 3 diagnosis. Actually, my blood work says stage 2...but with the extreme anemia, that puts me over the edge into stage 3. My only real advice to you would to make sure you have a really good Oncologist...who you are comfortable with! Have frequent blood draws to monitor what is going on!!
CLL is typically a very slow moving form of leukemia, and many people never have any real symptoms.
Best of luck to you my friend!!!
Tom

I also am on the w/w phase
Per my doc, they are looking for a high wbc, anemia, or swollen lymph nodes prior to any treatment
The wbc and anemia is taken from regular blood work
Hope this helps

Watch and wait, they just keep an eye on your numbers. I was told by my doctor that with CLL one never knows it may, or may not ever need to be treated. Depending on your personal makeup, how you eat, exercise, and any number of other factors one could have to wait a few years or until they just die of old age.
I had an aunt back in the 70's who lived for decades with CLL, and here we are in 2023 just imagine what they are able to do today, but also imagine what might not ever need to be treated.
I just live my life as if everything is ok, but I am eating better, exercising more, and not being concerned with all of the garbage going on in the world.
Live your life as if nothing is wrong, and don't worry.
And, most important trust GOD.

My oncologist says bone marrow biopsies aren't necessary in my case because what's in the bone marrow is also in my blood, and blood is easier to get to. So, Skygirl, did you doc ever just answer your question about your spleen before the treatment started?
I like my oncologist, but I am still breaking him of his habit of only telling me what he wants me to hear (which isn't much).

I’ve been on watch and wait now for 2 years. WBC in 2 years went from 16,000 to 20,000. So my oncologist said its so slow growing i may not need treatment for 10-15 years. I have a genetically mild CLL…. Thank God. Make sure they check for this. My first oncologist didn’t. But watch and wait until i need chemo …. No thanks!

However, i felt w/w would give me time to improve my immunity through alternative medicine. Ive used it before and it worked. I’m seeing a senior cancer researcher in NYC who is a master Chinese herbalist. He said don’t watch and wait start building my immunity now. He supported my diet of no sugar, gluten or dairy. Just read that cancer cells love sugar! And dairy and gluten don’t support the gut health, which is a big part of immunity. He recommended lots of protein, green leafy veggies low sugar fruits , nuts pretty much the Mediterranean diet. NO JUNK FOOD!

Since being on his herbs which boosts immunity I’m not bruising, have normal energy, sleep better and my hair on arms and legs grew back! Avoid stress, surround yourself with positive people!

Read the book Radical Remission by Dr Kelly Turner Phd. She interviewed 1,000 cancer patients that healed through the 9 steps she outlined that they all did. (Diet, exercise, herbs, vitamins, increasing positive emotions, and releasing suppressed emotions and deepen your spiritual connection!)
Some of the healers were too woo woo for me, but others were more grounded. It accepts conventional medicine and adds other healing methods that have worked for cancer patients.

The book is endorsed by Christiane Northrup MD, Andrew Weil MD and Dr Larry Dossey MD. It’s on Amazon. It’s very inspiring!