my blood work results again

[helloos]

<span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:100%">Hi everyone.

As you know I am no feeling at my best right now, and feel as though things are getting a little worse, so last night I went by lab on the way home to pick up the labs I had done last Friday.

Everything is negative except ANA which says positive. The C4 is right on the low number but didn't go below that number so still within normal range.

Here's my question. Last March my ANA was weak positive, I think 1:80. Then in July a repeat was done and it was negative. I was put on Plaquenil. A repeat was done in November and negative. Now I do one again and it is 1:40, speckled. It says Positive, but then in small writing the pathologist put at bottom, low positive ANA is of uncertain clinical significance.

Altough my doctor says I have Lupus and is 99% sure of it and said technically you did have a positive ANA was low positive, but still positive. I asked him if the Plaquenil could make it negative and he said yes. The medicine could bring it back in normal range. I know doctors have different opinions and most probably that a low positive is not of signifance. My doctor is different.

I just wanted you thoughts on this one. Do you think that this shows something that it was low positive, negative, negative, and now again low positive?
I go back April 7 and will let you know his response,but wondering what your thoughs are on it.

Thanks in advance</span>

[Clare.T]

I think it's all neither here nor there. It's up to the doctor to decide what the clinical significance is of any test result.
I'm dead against getting test results and trying to make sense of them oneself. It can take up valuable energy especially nervous, worriting away.

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

Clare

[helloos]

I know what you mean about reading test results. However, the ones that were taken I already have knowledge about and it gives the reference range. I am definitely not stressing about it. If anything, a little relieved that the other things showed negative because of how I am feeling. The tests have not changed my thoughts at all.

I am just curios that the ana goes negative to low positive, etc. ... and maybe that tells something or nothing at all......

who knows....

The thing is I am being treated for Lupus, my doctor seems very educated and informative.

thanks anyway !!

[raggedyann1]

Paula,

My understanding is that the ana is of little help in measuring disease activity. My doctor only rarely even tests mine these days. I have heard here on this board that some people's ana is directly opposite how they are feeling. the first 6 years I was sick (maybe 7) my ana was always the same 1:320 my doctors in those days ran that test every month and it never changed. My ana since remission has been 1:1280 twice and 1:640 once.

I would imagine your doctor is using your clinical presentation as opposed to being a doctor who insists on bloodwork. For you that is very fortunate as your blood work doesn't show anything other than your low ana. Often times 1:40 even 1:80 with some doctors is considered negative or neglidgeable. ( is that a real word? )
Which at times would leave another patient like you hanging in the wind. Or if a patient has few other characteristics of lupus would not get a lupus or ctd diagnosis. It just goes to show how very important clinical presentation is for diagnosing lupus. Your doctor may be continuing to test everything in thoughts that at some point in time some of them may come back positive.

Take care,
karen

[zara]

My ANA is only 32---maybe there should be a zero on the end! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/doh.gif Personally, I'm feeling pretty well managed right now without an official diagnosis.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>with some doctors is considered negative or neglidgeable. ( is that a real word? )[/b][/quote]

Btw, Karen, that is a real word. You just spelled it wrong: style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/bigsmile.gif "negligible"

Much love. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/flowers.gif

[raggedyann1]

Nikki,

Yes yours should read 1:320. All my old lab records from the 90's left the zero off also.
That is why your doctors are not totally brushing you off. While 1:320 is not "high" it is significant enough for the doctors to take notice. I hope they figure you out soon.

Luv ya,
Karen

[carla1962]

Paula, I have given up on trying to figure out doctors.. My Neuro said my ANA was a 1:80 {Low positive} But that he is sure I DON"T have Lupus,he sees that reading as a "Negative"..Yet.. he's sending me to a RHEUMY.... style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/doh.gif
I pray they figure you out...Take care.
God Bless, Carla

[helloos]

Hi Carla.

I hope that they do find out something with you. I know how frustrating it is.
Maybe you will have success with the new rhemo.


Hi Karen.

I understand what you are saying. Yes, my rhemo says he strongly suggests Lupus. The good thing is all my symptoms are usually present at my visit. The last one being the red dots all over my legs and the biopsy coming out inconclusive and he said he really thinks vasculitis and that the Lupus can cause that.

He says the text books say that ANA must be positive, and if you think of it, your is, maybe low but it still is and you need to look at all the symptoms too and cannot ignore them depsite the blood work. He expained how it could take years for something to show in your blood work.

That is why I think he is thorough because I learned from here all of this and he already knows it all and says it.

At this point, I don't even care what my blood work says. I take that as a positive thing that this disease has not made it into my blood. It is there and is present, but hey, when it really hits and shows in the blood there may be more problems to face.

I am interested to here what he says about the ANA going again to the low positive. I will let you know in April when I go what he says.

It is good to hear everyone opinion on things and what their doctors say and think. It helps us to know if we are getting the right treatment and if our doctors truly know about this disease.

Thanks again !!!