HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

ANA is it Lupus

Support Forums
>
Lupus
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/31/2011 11:28 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Guys i am Normally over on the Rhumatoid arthritis page However i have that niggling doubt is it Lupus my GP asures me you Need a positive ANA regardless of all other symptoms? is there Anyone that dose not have Pos.ANA ?

cos seriously i read like a Lupus Text Book even to the gross puffy eye lids. or is it just that weird thing.am i in RA Denial !

Posted 2/4/2011 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
BADDAY,

You too, like I, could be in denial. I kept thinking I had RA and not Lupus from all my reading.

Lupus is called "the great imitator" for this reason.

I believe that in RA swollen eye lids is a possible symptom....but then it's also a symptom of Lupus as well, and other things like allergies.

I have heard that even with a negative ANA a person can have Lupus although I have doubted this.

You need to make a appointment with a Rheumatologist who specializes in auto-immune diseases as I find that GPs are not "schooled" enough regarding RA or Lupus....I find them a waste of time.

Keeping a log of all your symptoms will help whomever you see.
Posted 2/6/2011 3:04 AM (GMT 0)
Unfortunatly, you do not need to have a positive ANA to have a lupus diagnosis. GP doctors generally know very little about lupus and if you suspect you have it, you should see a rhuematolgist, which you should be seeing in the first place for RA. We have many members on here that have a negative ANA but do have lupus. You have to have 4 of the 11 critea made my the american college of rhuematology. Those are...

The criteria identified by the ACR include:

■Face rash, which doctors call a malar rash, that is butterfly shaped and covers the bridge of the nose and spreads across the cheeks
■Scaly rash, called a discoid rash, which appears as raised, scaly patches
■Sun-related rash, which appears after exposure to sunlight
■Mouth sores, which are usually painless
■Joint pain and swelling that occurs in two or more joints
■Swelling of the linings around the lungs or the heart
■Kidney disease
■A neurological disorder, such as seizures or psychosis
■Low blood counts, such as low red blood count, low platelet count (thrombocytopenia), or a low white cell count (leukopenia)
■Positive antinuclear antibody tests, which indicate that you may have an autoimmune disease
■Other positive blood tests that may indicate an autoimmune disease, such as a positive double-stranded anti-DNA test, positive anti-Sm test, positive anti-phospholipid antibody test or false-positive syphilis test

Hopefully this will help a bit but please, if you are not seeing a rhuemy, try and see one asap! They are the RA experts and the Lupus experts
Posted 2/7/2011 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Thanks for your advice,i am seeing a Rhumy while he is good he is also focused Solely on Rhumy even my other illnesses do not get in,so i guess i need to find one that dose auto immune but being in Country it is hard we are limited to who comes out here or take a 2-3 day Trip to Town to see someone. as for Symptoms i have;

Positive RF,  positive ESR,pos White Cell Count,

 have Kidney impairment that "comes and goes"

 Mouth sores can be on tounge or anywhere

puffy eye

 have Asthma

 Heart problems SVT

 Chest pains more to the mussels than heart

 A Rash if in Sun

 if getting a Flare up a day or 2 before will get nice Rossy cheeks then Whamy

Tired and Sick when in Sun for any time

 have had a Rash on tummy only once that lasted 4 weeks they took sample came nack "you have a rash" Ha Ha ii Knew that,

 Achs in All Mussles, Achs and Stiffness in Joints,

 Excessive Tiredness- Fatigue No better if i rest

Headachs

am now getting Forgetfull not sure if its from all the pain killers but i search for words and need to write down Anything i want to remember

night sweats

 oh i also have osteoporosis in back and Degenerative Disc and cervical spondolitis  and latley when i stand up or turn i go very dizzy and almost pass out i put this down to my neck(i hope)

 Um i think thats it what do you think RA, or Lupus? my GP said some people can be "Lucky " and have Both but she said i need Positive ANA,which obviously was not quite right hay!This has been going on Most of my life with a few remissions that would last a year or so then id get "sick again" only diagnosed RA about 16yrs ago and Started Treatment.But Getting Rapidly worse Thanks for All Help Avalible

Posted 2/14/2011 11:00 PM (GMT 0)
Many people who have one autoimmune disease have more than one. Awesome news, right? I have a form of lupus; I also test positive for sjogrens, but to date that doesn't express itself, thankfully.

Lupus is something you can't test for, although most people have blood tests that are indicative one way or the other. It's also weird: what is lupus in one person is different in another, although there are some symptoms that many share - some of which you seem to indicate you have. Definitely time to start working with an excellent rheumatologist. I know it's a hassle to get to see one, but you gotta figure your health and well-being are worth it. Autoimmune is complicated and challenging, a GP simply can't be expected to keep up with what's involved.

Rheumatologists - the good ones - are often booked up, so please start looking soon! Look on Yelp or other sources where you get real reviews. I saw several not-so-good ones (but they all made the official "best doctors of XYZ City" lists) before I found mine, and they caused me quite a bit of misery and anguish. Be kind to yourself. You have enough pain and stress already - both of which can cause flares of your autoimmune illness(es).
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply