Hi there, I have a feeling that you are the people to ask about
this because my family doctor certainly wasn't helpful.
I have had a difficult few months after a lousy year, and a frankly challenging decade
So, most recently, a emergency physician, I was in with a UTI, had me go for a battery of test. Stored iron (ferritin) was in my shoes, as was my Vit. D... more or less everything else was fine, except I came back with a positive ANA test, 160 speckled, and 160 homogeneous.... she said that it needed keeping an eye on, but at the time we were concentrating on some emotional fall-out from a family problem.
in teh last 4 months I've had 3 dramatic rashes that are very itchy, all over (well, areas, but all over), including a herald patch the first two times and itchy eyes etc etc. Also I have had a sore throat for years, but particularly at these times. Oh I dont' know I'm too tired to spell it all out, but suffice to say, enough joint, muscle pain, fatigue and other stuff for me to think this isn't all about havig two small children!
Anyway, I've felt so bad this week I went to a doctor at the regular practice,. and he was somewhat underwhelmed. He said come back if the ANA was in teh thousands, and I'm just a sensitive person. The itchy rash on my chest by teh end of the day, was nothing. The constant pain was nothing related. The red rash across my nose and cheeks just now as the summer is starting here (in Australia) was nothing. "for no obvious reason I'm just becoming more sensitive to the sun, and am tired because of my "issues". My isues are recovering from PostNatal Depression and a mother with a personality disorder.
I feel I've got both of these pretty much sorted (as much as I can!)....
So, sorry for the rambling, didn't know whether to give you everything or nothing, this is sort of inbetween.
1 - Why two patterns?
2 - Is 160 a relevant level?
3 - Am I just an allergic/sensitive person?
for background, I had ME (sometimes known as CFS, I'm not sure if the terms are interchangeable) for 7 years , some 25 years ago, and my dad got dermatomyositis when he was retired and had CA.
Thank you for any insight or support you can suggest.