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Visit the HCL Mailbag to submit a question to be answered by an expert in Hairy Cell Leukemia, or to read other questions that have been answered by an HCL expert. Your question(s) will be answered as soon as possible via email, and could be used to be part of the next HCL Mailbag!

HCL - treatment

My husband was diagnosed with HCL 2 and half weeks ago. He started treatment with Cladribine about a week later. After the 7 day treatment, he came home for one day then spiked a fever and had to go back to the hospital. He has been back in the hospital for 4 days now and will probably stay another 2 days. It was scary to go back to the hospital and see someone who is never sick being so weak. I guess I was just hoping he would be okay after the treatment.

The doctor is being cautious and will not send my husband home until he is stable and his blood counts start to go up again. They have risen in the last few days and he has not had a fever or sign of infection.

I am thankful that there is such great advanced research on this disease and that it is treatable. I worry about the future and remission since my husband is only 38 years old. Thank you for putting together this website, it has really helped my husband and I understand the disease. I am grateful to his doctor and hospital staff for taking such good care of him.

‹ Hairy Cell Leukemia--Day 180 after cladribine chemo Breif description: "A day in the life of being a patient" ›

Hi, my husband has been

Submitted by purvi on Fri, 2011-06-17 22:31.

Hi, my husband has been diagnosed with hairy cell leukamia 2 days ago. He is 35 years old and we have a 2 yr old daughter. I too hope that remission periods are very very long.

had HCL since 1988

Submitted by chairmanss on Fri, 2010-07-02 20:14.

I was first diagnosed with HCL in 1988. I had my spleen removed in 1989 because it was the normal protocol then. I had been in remission until 2008. In December 2008 I underwent 24/7 of chemotherapy. I am again in remission. I have lived with HCL for a long time without many problems until 2008. My hemoglobin was getting lower and I was having to have transfusions to get the numbers up. I am 63 and retired and loving life. I hope it takes another 20 years to show up again.