Is it necessary to repeat autoimmune testing (e.g. ANA) after about a year

[.jm.]

I was tested for most autoimmune diseases about a year ago. That would have been only a few months after the onset of fatigue. ANA was negative along with all other tests ordered. Since then, additional symptoms appeared such as a sore throat, dry eyes (I wear contacts and have never had a dry eyes problem in 20 years), and other evolutions of symptoms. Often a sore or dry throat in the morning. Also, my wrists are sometimes sore/stiff feeling -- in particular my right hand after using a trackpad, mouse, driving a long time, shaking it by practicing the african snap, etc.

While we originally ruled out autoimmune diseases. However, is it necessary to retest a year later to be sure?

 

[alkt]

if you have new symptoms then it is always a good idea to have them checked out even if it is only for your piece of mind .unfortunately people with one disease can always end up with more over time . although what you describe as new symptoms will be very familiar to a lot of people with m e .

 

[Gingergrrl]

While we originally ruled out autoimmune diseases. However, is it necessary to retest a year later to be sure?

I think it is worth re-testing your ANA and can't see any harm or downside to doing this. My ANA had always been negative (1:40) from 2010 to 2015 but then in 2016 I tested positive for several obscure auto-antibodies (in addition to Hashimoto's which I already knew I had). We re-tested the ANA and it was then positive (1:160, speckled pattern) so it can definitely change.