Positive antinuclear antibody (ANA )result?

[Nielk]

My latest blood work came back with a positive ana. I was wondering if anyone else had the same? I have an appointment with a rheumatologist to look into Lupus.
I had this test done a year and a half ago when it came back negative.

 

[SickOfSickness]

Sorry to hear that.

I expect my ANA or RF to come back positive one day, because of autoimmune problems in my family history Do you have any?

I wonder if this is another instance where I'll be ignored for being subclinical, because docs are going only by the bloodwork ranges, not knowing better.

 

[Nielk]

Sorry to hear that.

I expect my ANA or RF to come back positive one day, because of autoimmune problems in my family history Do you have any?

I wonder if this is another instance where I'll be ignored for being subclinical, because docs are going only by the bloodwork ranges, not knowing better.

My mother had Lupus.

There are many overlapping symptoms of ME/cfs and Lupus. I don't have the hallmark rash as my mother did, but i was told that not all Lupus patients have that.

I have been suffering for the past year and a half with swelling all over my body. This has been ignored by my GP. I have gained over 20 lbs while I am dieting. My hands and fingers are so swollen and painful that it's hard for me to grip anything. I have ulcers in my nose. I was told recently by an endocrinologist that these are all symptoms of Lupus, especially with my positive ana result. Hence his referral to a rheumatologist.

To be fair, I was tested for ana (I guess because of my family history) 1 1/2 years ago and it was negative at the time.

 

[Snow Leopard]

It is quite possible. Or it could just be ME.

What was interesting was the somewhat recent NIH (elderly) cancer patient study (of over a million patients) also showed that a diagnosis of CFS/ME was a risk factor for a later diagnosis of RA or Lupus.

 

[SickOfSickness]

I hope it's a good rheumy so you get proper care.

ANA is one of those tests with defined ranges, so I believe the ranges might not fit everyone. Like with thyroid tests, they are realizing that many people with thyroid disease are being missed by the ranges that most labs use. But that is the system we have.

 

[Nielk]

Thanks, @SickOfSickness

 

[daisybell]

I have had a consistently raised ANA for at least five years. Do you know what pattern of staining your result showed? My rheumatologist gave me a tentative diagnosis of limited scleroderma based on my results but I really have no symptoms of that... I think it is related to the ME, and I doubt that I actually have any type of scleroderma at all.

 

[Nielk]

I have had a consistently raised ANA for at least five years. Do you know what pattern of staining your result showed? My rheumatologist gave me a tentative diagnosis of limited scleroderma based on my results but I really have no symptoms of that... I think it is related to the ME, and I doubt that I actually have any type of scleroderma at all.

Mine is speckled pattern.

 

[Kati]

i have a high titer ANA, I've had that since my teens. It has been speckled pattern till last year where it turned homogenous-how's that for weird?) Lupus tests (double stranded DNA) is negative. No other features of rheum illness other than a high ESR. (38, normal 0-20)

I am sorry to hear, but definitely a rheumy is the best to find out if you have or not. Best wishes. Keep us posted

 

[Hanna]

@Nielk
I am sorry you are experimenting worsening of symptoms. I have ANA + and also others (AntiSCL, etc...). No doc could comment on that. Since I was given a CFS label, it doesn't interest anyone. There is clearly an anti body activity but the levels don't point to anything clear (scleroderma, lupus, etc).
I hope though that the Rheumi you're going to see will be helpful. And there won't be any lupus on the top of all the issues!

 

[Goimurph]

My ANA is high, 1280, diffused. This is the highest it has been. Though for the past 2.5 yrs it has hovered 640, 320, now 1280. Tests for lupus, ra, sjorgens all neg. Oddly, when my symptoms flare, the ANA goes up. They tell me it's a phenomenon that makes more work for the Rheumatologists. I don't believe it. There has to be a connection

 

[jpcv]

So far, all my blood tests are normal but my ANA came positive 1:160, nuclear speckled pattern.
I think it reflects auto antibody activity ,not a specific dheumatologic disease like SEL, RA ...

 

[Gingergrrl]

So far, all my blood tests are normal but my ANA came positive 1:160, nuclear speckled pattern.
I think it reflects auto antibody activity ,not a specific dheumatologic disease like SEL, RA ...

Mine is exactly the same as yours: 1:160, speckled pattern. It seems to reflect auto antibody activity exactly like you said. My ANA used to be normal (under 1:40) and now that I have all of these auto-abs, it is suddenly abnormal. Am certain there is a connection and it is not just random.