It often takes a long time when symptoms are the "common" ones that could occur due to a variety of causes, and when a doctor does not suspect they are due to autoimmune disease. Symptoms like headache, joint pain, fatigue can be due to so many things... especially when they come and go, are on the mild side, etc. Even a malar rash will often be confused with rosacea by many GP's.
Once autoimmune disease is suspected, and blood tests are run & all relevant questions are asked by the doctor, then it can go quite quickly if symptoms and blood tests match up to equal a particular autoimmune disease. If the blood tests don't show anything, especially a negative ANA, then that can delay diagnosis significantly. In some people, ANA is detectable years before autoimmune symptoms appear. But in other people, symptoms precede positive bloodwork for years. These people will have a hard time being diagnosed unless they see a very competent rheumy, well trained in lupus (assuming lupus is suspected).
Once autoimmune disease is suspected, and blood tests are run & all relevant questions are asked by the doctor, then it can go quite quickly if symptoms and blood tests match up to equal a particular autoimmune disease. If the blood tests don't show anything, especially a negative ANA, then that can delay diagnosis significantly. In some people, ANA is detectable years before autoimmune symptoms appear. But in other people, symptoms precede positive bloodwork for years. These people will have a hard time being diagnosed unless they see a very competent rheumy, well trained in lupus (assuming lupus is suspected).
