Have any of you had a severely elevated level of anti dsDNA antibodies? What were your symptoms? What meds did the doc prescribe? What was your outcome.
2 months ago my rheumy told me that my anti dsDNA antibodies were very elevated. She told me to call if I had increased pain. At the time I gave it little thought. But, one week later I began to have tendon pain in my bad leg with horrible pain in my achilles and other tendons in my right leg after finishing a course of Levofloxacin, a not so nice side effect. Cleared up after about 3 weeks and sailed through the winter holidays.
However, since the start of January my entire body just aches and my usual fatigue and sleeplessness, etc has increased. This increased level has to do with apoptisis (programmed cell death). Apparently cell death and disposal in lupus patients is flawed and a lot a cellular DNA is floats around in the blood and acts as antigens. Yikes. No wonder I hurts so bad. I also have read that this elevation can put us at risk for renal flare and/or failure.
She gave me a choice betweem increased plaquenil dosage and/or a large dose of prednisone to be tapered. I chose the plaquinil--even though it may take a couple weeks to kick in. My skin is so thin from prednisone already. Also my GP upped the Baclofen (muscle relaxant).