Low positive and then very negative? How/why?

[Natalieyoung323]

Hello,

I tested low positive while not pregnant for lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies. My anticardilopin was 25 and my Activated PPT was 37.8, DRVVT 47,5, and DRVVT ratio 1.27.

I became pregnant and found out 2 weeks later, and at 5 weeks was tested again only 4 weeks after my first test, and everything came back perfectly normal: anticardiolipin was under a 9, dPT was 48.8 (range 0-55), dPT confirm was .99 (ratio 0-1.4), Thrombin time 15.5 (reference range 0-23), PTT-LA was 37.3 (o-51.9) and dRVVT was 32.9 (0-47). It says on the notes no lupus anticoagulant was detected.

The only thing that had changed other than being newly pregnant was I had been taking a baby aspirin for the last 3 weeks before the test, but was told that would not affect results. Is it possible I had a false positive?

[Yllek]

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Now, these antibodies can come and go at the best of times for all of us which can make it difficult to get a diagnosis if you see Drs who don’t understand this condition and how the antibodies fluctuate.

Adding to this problem is pregnancy hormones. It is known that pregnancy can cause both false positive and false negative results so testing shouldn’t take place until 6 weeks post natal.

Taking aspirin has no bearing on test results I was told, only warfarin. However I have also read contradictory information to this and this is just what my own,very knowledgeable, Drs have told me.

Hope that helps.

Kelly

[Natalieyoung323 in reply to Yllek]

So testing positive ever means you have it? I thought that you can get a false positive and that’s why you have to have repeated tests. I had the low positive once and only 4 weeks later had the negative.

[Yllek in reply to Natalieyoung323]

You can get both false positives and negatives.

It’s up to a good Doctor to look at the whole clinical picture and decide the diagnosis.

[Natalieyoung323 in reply to Yllek]

I have never had any type of embolism or anything, I had 3 early miscarriages (all before 5 weeks) but once I got my thyroid under control I haven’t had any issues. So I haven’t met any criteria.

[MaryF Administrator]

Your levels are likely to go up and down, the disease does not go away but sometimes the results can appear to test negative, only to come back at another time. Congrats on your pregnancy. Aspirin will not effect your results. Do talk to your main consultant if you need some reassurance. MaryF

[Natalieyoung323 in reply to MaryF]

So there’s no chance the first test was a false positive even though it was a low positive and only 4 weeks later was very negative? Just having one test out of range is enough to say I have it and even though within a month it was negative there is no chance I just don’t have it?

[MaryF Administrator in reply to Natalieyoung323]

It is likely you will get retested when your hormones settle down, do chat this through with your clinic. MaryF

[Natalieyoung323 in reply to MaryF]

I am being retested at 12 weeks, I am currently 8. My positive was when I was not pregnant in August and my negative was at 5 weeks pregnant last month.