Hi. I have Lupas symptoms that include sores in my nose and mouth, rash on my face (mostly around my eyes that seems to be caused by the sun), molar rash, photosensitive, overall body aches, muscle pain, joint pain, fatigue and brain fog. I had a ana test that came back elevated but not significantly. My white blood cell are on the cut off for normal. I have not been diagnosed as we are still waiting more test results. My question is how elevated was your ana for diagnosis and what other test confirmed your diagnosis?
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Hi. I have Lupas symptoms that include sores in my nose and mouth, rash on my face (mostly around my eyes that seems to be caused by the sun), molar rash, photosensitive, overall body aches, muscle pain, joint pain, fatigue and brain fog. I had a ana test that came back elevated but not significantly. My white blood cell are on the cut off for normal. My double stranded DNA, ENA and reactive protein was normal. My question is how elevated was your ana for diagnosis and what other test confirmed your diagnosis? Also, can elevated ANA alone with other symptoms be enough for diagnosis?
I will tell you how I was diagnosed, that may answer your question. my ana came 1:100 one time and the next time it was normal. But I was in excruciating pain all that while. One reuhmatologist declared its just fibromyalgia and put me on meds for 6 month. I lived in hell those 6 months hoping the meds would work. Then I changed doctor. The new one dismissed it as any condition and said it’s all in my head! Referred me to psychiatrist. Finally I changed and saw my current doctor. He understood my condition and told me that he believes its SLE. But he needed more proof. So he had me tested and turned out I have autoimmune kind of thyroid. Since one autoimmune diseases usually ovelaps with others, he diagnosed me on the basis of symptoms and few blood work. Not alone based on ANA. Hope that answers your question.
My prayers are with you. Stay strong.
I really hope you tell doctor #2 of your diagnosis and ask him to please consider real illnesses in the future instead of saying "it's all in your head," to future patients.
Pollen Grains said:
I will tell you how I was diagnosed, that may answer your question. my ana came 1:100 one time and the next time it was normal. But I was in excruciating pain all that while. One reuhmatologist declared its just fibromyalgia and put me on meds for 6 month. I lived in hell those 6 months hoping the meds would work. Then I changed doctor. The new one dismissed it as any condition and said it's all in my head! Referred me to psychiatrist. Finally I changed and saw my current doctor. He understood my condition and told me that he believes its SLE. But he needed more proof. So he had me tested and turned out I have autoimmune kind of thyroid. Since one autoimmune diseases usually ovelaps with others, he diagnosed me on the basis of symptoms and few blood work. Not alone based on ANA. Hope that answers your question.
My prayers are with you. Stay strong.
Oh yes, I indeed dropped him an email with my current diagnosis and a review of my better condition than before. But I doubt if he would actually consider it and stop judging people because he couldn’t diagnose something. Its just disappointing, you try to reach out to someone trusting your health and pain in his hands. And he in return tells you that you need a psychiatrist and not a reuhmatologist!
Petunia said:
I really hope you tell doctor #2 of your diagnosis and ask him to please consider real illnesses in the future instead of saying “it’s all in your head,” to future patients.
Pollen Grains said:I will tell you how I was diagnosed, that may answer your question. my ana came 1:100 one time and the next time it was normal. But I was in excruciating pain all that while. One reuhmatologist declared its just fibromyalgia and put me on meds for 6 month. I lived in hell those 6 months hoping the meds would work. Then I changed doctor. The new one dismissed it as any condition and said it’s all in my head! Referred me to psychiatrist. Finally I changed and saw my current doctor. He understood my condition and told me that he believes its SLE. But he needed more proof. So he had me tested and turned out I have autoimmune kind of thyroid. Since one autoimmune diseases usually ovelaps with others, he diagnosed me on the basis of symptoms and few blood work. Not alone based on ANA. Hope that answers your question.
My prayers are with you. Stay strong.
My ANA is consistently 1:320. We only check it once a year now. That was not the reason for my diagnosis. I landed in the rheumatologist’s office after suffering 2 small strokes and not having any of the common reasons for stroke. The only oddity in my bloodwork was my ANA. It was my dermatologist who diagnosed me with lupus. My rheumatologist just labels me autoimmune with fibromyalgia.
It was a long, strange journey getting to a diagnosis. I think you’ll find that with the majority of us.
Hi stacy_cudia
My symptoms are exactly like yours. My ana wasn’t convincing enough for my rheumy. I had lots of skin issues and a biopsy of my skin lesion convinced him that I have SLE . Started on plaquenil 5 years ago and the mouth sores are gone. I have regular appointments with an othamologist. Still no damage from the plaquenil.
Take care.
Cindy