CancerCompass message board discussion started by Swtlindy on 4/30/2006 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,5229,0.htm Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ This is my very first post here as I just tonight found you. I was diagnoised with another RARE brain disease called Sporadic OPCA. Don't feel bad if you have never heard of it because hardly anyone has, even many doctors. It is a degenerative, neurological disease where the Cerebellum and brain stem shrink. The early symptoms are mostly, VERY poor balance,and falling. (Many others a little later on.) During my routine PCP visit I had a CBC. The Doctor saw the elevated white cell count and ask me if I felt sick. Of course, I didn't and he immediately referred me to a Hemotoligists/Onchologists. The the latest diagnosis was CLL. Now I said all that to say this. Am I in MORE trouble physically because I now have 2 diagnosis???? He did say that I was at 0 stage....which I understand is early but does anyone know it the CLL might move faster because of the sOPCA diagnosis or should one be uneffected by the other. What have you found to be the best course of action, if any?? New to all this......~! Thanks...Lindy Swtlindy Sun, 30 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT I am a pharmacist not a physician, but I would say that the 2 diseases are not related and that one would not make the other worse. As you say, OPCA is a slow degenerative disease as is CLL, depending on what type you have. See if you can find what your genetic anamoly is for the CLL and also your CD 38, ZAP 20 and beta 2M levels. Chances are you could survive for years with CLL and may not even need treatment! Best wishes. Oncrx Mon, 01 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT Micheal R, thank you so much for your reply...that was, of course, just what I wanted to hear~! Lindy Swtlindy Mon, 01 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT