Newly diagnosed

Hi
This inital diaganosis can be a bit of a shock
Whilst it may feel like the end of the world, you need to keep things in perspective the treatments that are now availible for cml are extremely effective in controling the disease. It is important that you remain focused and optomistic so that the body and the medicines can work effectively. There is a lot of support availible for you.
I was diagnosed 2.5 years ago and am on glivec. My cml is under control and life is going on as per normal. If you need to talk to somebody you can contact leukaemia care who can offer you sobe assistance and guidence to help come to terms with cml.
I hope this helps
Stuart

I'm sure I'll get my head around it eventually once can see my blood coming down. Glad to see you are doing well.

I just wanted to say hi and add a couple of comments. Firstly, it is a terrible shock when diagnosed especially if like me you weren't actually ill when diagnosed. Try and not rush into 'trying to cope' with it, let things take their time and allow yourself to feel all the overwhelming emotions that come with the diagnosis. Eventually these will settle down and then you can move forward. Take your time to learn what you want to know about the condition, the tests, the medical jargon. You will know that pace that you need to move at. Initially I couldn't face any reading or 'googling' but then I became an avid advocate of being on top of my treatment. Remember that we are all different in our needs.
It is great that you don't have any side effects with the glivec and long may that last although as you have probably read side effects are fairly common. Don't be afraid to post daft questions on here; there is always somebody to answer and suggest options. You will feel very tired initially and try and rest where you can. It is very tough if you have 3 little ones. My 3 were teenagers when I was dx so resting etc. was that bit easier for me.
I wasn't able (or wanted to) hide my dx from my 3 angels as they were all very computer savvy so I didn't have those issues. I was also fairly open with family and friends. All this is very individual though.
I am very happy to answer any questions and I hope that your treatment goes really well.
Susan

Lindsey
A lot of cml sufferers did not feel unwell, & only found when asking about something else, in my case an eye test led to a full blood test & here we are.
Where are you being treated?

Hi Lyndsey

Firstly welcome to the club, I'm Naomii and was diagnosed in Feb this year i am 28yrs old and have a 7 year old son. Inititally when i was diagnosed i thought that this was the end and had all sorts of worrying thoughts going through my head. 5 months on and i have found out so much about CML and also had a lot of advice from people on here. I am also on Glivec and just to give you a bit of peace of mind in the short space of time since dx (diagnosis) i am doing fine, bloods back to normal and the amount of leaukemia cells in my blood are reducing. Also my life is basically as it was before, i am back in work full time, being a single mum and living as i did before apart from a few side effects such as tiredness and cramps which are tolerable. I have got to the point now where the CML is in the back of my mind. I went to see professor clark in the Liverpool Royal Hospital and his words to me were "you worry about concentrating on your normal life and let me concentrate on the CML".

It really helped me to talk to a specialist such as professor clark as he really put my mind at rest. Further to this, give your self time to absorb what is going on and deal with the emotions that you are feeling. As for telling people this is a complete choice of yours as people can't tell that there is anything different about with you. Please have a look through the website as it has been a lifeline for me and post anything you are unsure of as the people on here truly are fantastic at putting your mind at rest.

If you need a chat please feel free to contact me as i say im new to this as well but have found talking to people very comforting. My e-mail is naomiio@aol.com. There are a few of us on facebook also and i don't mind if you want to add me on there either.

Thinking of you

best wishes
Naomii

Hi Lyndsey

I was diagnosed nearly 2 years ago, and like yourself have had spells of doom & gloom - in spite of my consultant (in Edinburgh) saying "If I had to have leukaemia, this is the kind of leukaemia I would choose".  I think I have more or less got over these low times now - no collapsing in tears for at least 3 months - but it is still at the back of my mind.  I think we just have to get on with things, however difficult it may seem at the time, and try to remember that the worst things do pass.  If you want to talk, drop me a line on olivia.bell1@btinternet.com and I'll give you my phone number.  If it's any comfort, I've heard that Glasgow is the very best place in Scotland to be treated for CML!