Blood results are in, positive ANA- WHAT?

jennilane · 02-28-2008, 08:03 PM

Ok I am minding my own bsuiness having a great day in this beautiful NW weather and I get home and my FH gives me a letter from the doc. My blood results are back.

Anti Nuclear AB is positive and ANA titer is 1:8. The ANA pattern is Homogeneous. He took this test to test for R-Arthritis but since I have hypothyroid (level @ 3.75) can it be that too? both? something else?? hashimoto's thyroiditis? is this the test they do for that?

If you know anything about this please tell me, my doc appt isnt until next week and I am a little nervous since I looked it up on the internet and I kept comming up with Lupus. Sometimes I think they shouldnt give results like these until you are there with them...

Please help!

Future Doc Cyster · 02-29-2008, 01:01 AM

I can't be positive, but it looks like your doctor ran tests for some common autoimmune disease.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis would be tested for by doing a thyroid panel (TSH, TRH, TH), but Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease. Similarly, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis are also autoimmune diseases. Because some of these things can have similar symptoms, my guess would be that your doctor tested for the most common disorders according to your symptoms.

Testing for several things is not uncommon. Just think about it. If a patient presented with irregular periods, obesity (mainly centered around your abdomen), and hirsutism, the doctor might request tests for PCOS (LH, FSH, insulin, testosterone, etc) as well as for Cushing's (cortisol, ACTH, etc). This is because both PCOS and Cushing's have some of the same symptoms. Testing for both would ensure a proper diagnosis.

A positive ANA test is usually indicative of Lupus as you have already found, but you should obviously wait and see what your doctor says. Don't jump to any conclusions until you talk with him or her.

Personally, when I have results that look like I have something, I research it. This way you can ask informed questions when you see your doctor. Also, you may have an idea about common treatments, and you can discuss any concerns you may have with your doctor.

Hope this helps! Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions!

jennilane · 02-29-2008, 01:22 PM

Thank you future doc!

I just seem to have all of these problems and I feel that I may have been misdiagnosed and have only one thing causing all my problems. It’s hard to believe I have PCOS, Hypo thyroid and now this too?!

Even though I have long (30-35 day) cycles I have periods pretty regularly and never miss one, however I have never been able to achieve pregnancy and have not been on BC in about 7 years ( I have never tired fertility assistance). I had an ultra sound once because of pain on my side and had the "typical PCOS pearl necklace of cysts" on my ovaries and have always had hirsutism so they said PCOS.

Then I have recently started having pain in my feet and my hands go numb in my sleep and are stiff in the AM after I can feel them again and I am nauseous about 70% of my days. So my doc tested my thyroid which came back high and they said Hypothyroid, but still sent me to a rheumatologist.

Then the Rheumatologist found the positive ANA. Because of all these things having similar symptoms, I just feel like the docs are giving premature dx's instead of really figuring it out. On a positive note I really like the Rheumatologist and feel he is really looking at everything at once.

Thank you for your info. I will just try to be calm until next week. I think my appt is Monday, I have to look.

Future Doc Cyster · 03-01-2008, 01:58 AM

No problem

While it may be difficult to deal with all of this at once, it sounds like at least you're being sent to specialists and not being strung along by docs who don't know what they're talking about.

Also, if it does turn out that you have Lupus, this may be helpful to know particularly when you are ttc. I recently attended a seminar on Lupus, and a woman spoke about how it has affected her life. Before her diagnosis, she spent nearly 10 years ttc and had numerous miscarriages. When she was finally diagnosed, she got her Lupus under control and had three successful pregnancies.

Hopefully, all of these tests will help sort everything out so that you can get everything under control. This way you can get married in June, start your family, and live happily ever after!!!

jennilane · 03-01-2008, 02:05 AM

Gotta love happily ever after!

Thanks!

My appointment is tuesday morning. I'll post an update then.

-Jenni

Rebecca527 · 03-01-2008, 07:22 PM

Just wanted to add in my good luck vibes to you for your appointment Jenni! I hope everything goes well and you can find out definitively what's going on. Keep us posted!

And yes...gotta love happily ever after! I love that!

jennilane · 03-01-2008, 11:36 PM

Funny Rebecca, I just told you all this on the other post haha, I didn't read this one first. Thanks so much for the well wishes. I am happy you found a good doc too and it seems you are getting closer to your happily ever after too!

jennilane · 03-04-2008, 01:56 PM

Well I saw the doc and he isn't too concerned about the positive ANA. He said there are a number of things that can cause it and to come back in a couple months to see if my joint pain has gone down with the mobic he put me on. This visit was not very informational.

Future Doc Cyster · 03-05-2008, 12:43 AM

That's stinky! I'm sorry you didn't get the answers you were looking for.

You could always get a second opinion and bring the test results with you to the new doc.

jennilane · 03-05-2008, 03:27 PM

yeah I was pretty disappointed. I thought that doctor was a little better than that. He just asked me if I had this or that (all symptoms of lupus) and all my answers were no and the other results were negative so he said lets just wait and see. The thing is, it feels like my joints are getting worse by the week and its not on both sides of the body like RA says its supposed to be. just my left foot and my right hand feel like I sprained them, but I have had no injuries at all...

Black Lilly · 04-18-2008, 08:39 PM

Hi!

Sorry to hear about your lupus scare, but glad to hear it isn't that.

I was just over at the thyroid pages reading up all I could on hypothyroid issues and then came back over here to see what other people were experiencing with PCO and Hypothyroid. The symptoms you reported in your posts seem similar to symptoms that I saw over at the thyroid pages.

http://www.realthyroidhelp.com/

I recently found out how tricky the thyroid issue truly is. The pain you are experiencing in your hands and feet is something people posted about as a sign of thyroid imbalance.

I hope this helps!