Posted 12/10/2018 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
I know you are frustrated, but unfortunately you’re asking a question none of us here are qualified to answer as we are not doctors. I can tell you that lupus is not diagnosed by a positive or negative ANA alone, if only it were that simple.
Here is what Johns Hopkins (Maryland, USA) has to say about a positive ANA.
"A positive ANA result means that you have a higher than normal concentration of these antibodies. This is one of the tools in diagnosing lupus as well as several other autoimmune diseases, so a positive result may be related to lupus or to another disease. Or you may simply have a higher than normal concentration of these auto-antibodies that may not have any impact on your health.“
Typically, four or more of the following eleven criteria must be present to make a diagnosis of Systemic Lupus.
1. Malar rash: butterfly-shaped rash across cheeks and nose
2. Discoid (skin) rash: raised red patches
3. Photosensitivity: skin rash as result of unusual reaction to sunlight
4. Mouth or nose ulcers: usually painless
5. Arthritis (nonerosive) in two or more joints, along with tenderness, swelling, or effusion. With nonerosive arthritis, the bones around joints don’t get destroyed.
6. Cardio-pulmonary involvement: inflammation of the lining around the heart (pericarditis) and/or lungs (pleuritis)
7. Neurologic disorder: seizures and/or psychosis
8. Renal (kidney) disorder: excessive protein in the urine, or cellular casts in the urine
9. Hematologic (blood) disorder: hemolytic anemia, low white blood cell count, or low platelet count
10. Immunologic disorder: antibodies to double stranded DNA, antibodies to Sm, or antibodies to cardiolipin
11. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA): a positive test in the absence of drugs known to induce it.
Follow up with your rheumatologist and ask them to explain your recent lab results to you and ask if you meet the above criteria.
Best of luck on your journey to getting the answers you are seeking in regards to your health.