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Symptoms first, blood tests later?

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Lupus
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Posted 10/2/2011 9:32 AM (GMT 0)
I'm wondering if anyone out there developed the symptoms first, then the blood tests later on.

I have dry eyes, nose ulcers, fatigue, vascular rashes, Raynauds and arthritis in my fingers, wrists, knees, shoulders and hips.

My second opinion rheumatologist said that she thinks I "definitely have a connective tissue disease, either Lupus and/or Sjogren's and" she "expect the blood tests to follow". I went and got a third opinion (complicated story) and he said no, my blood tests would show something if this was going to be Lupus/Sjogren's and is now thinking Psoriatic Arthritis (although I don't have Psoriasis). I'm going back to my second opinion and I'm being treated with Plaquenil and Celebrex.

Was there anyone out there who had negative blood tests for Lupus but only to develop them later?

Thanks.
Posted 10/2/2011 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

For me when I first started to feel sick my ana was positive and I tested pos for all kind of autoimmune diseases. I also had additional blood work done and my ana tested pos again. Also apparently the first Rhuemy I saw royally messed up and wrote up a report that my ana was 1:60 negative when the blood test actually
read 1;160 positive plus I had a low C-4 serum which indicates autoimmune disease but she failed to tell me those results also. So in the beginning of being sick I did have the blood work.

Now however my ana goes up and down although I always have VIT-D issues which my doc thinks is due to inflammation issues. My Rhuemy now who I love says blood work constantly changes usually it depends if you are in a flair up. Also there are cases of people with lupus or other autoimmune disease who have a normal blood work up. So you could have normal labs and yet have an autoimmune disease.

One of the reasons why its so hard to diagnose.
Posted 10/6/2011 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
It's possible to have symptoms come and go for years before before anything shows up in your labs. It's a good reason to keep a journal of your symptoms and regularly have a complete physical with a good internist.
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