Update from my last post... 1 slightly positive Ana and 2 negative ones, no symptoms... NO Lupus!

[guis]

I am finally been tested third time for the ANA, and the results were negative.

From the past 2 months since I saw my last rheumatologist, I haven't had any new symptoms, and I actually feel way better than before. Doctor told me that I don't need to worry about it anymore because he assured me I don't have Lupus.

I have been researching a lot lately about these Ana tests and I see that sometimes they can be positive in healthy individuals. My GP diagnosed me with Lupus but I still wanted another opinion since I did not have anymore symptoms than joint pain for a couple of weeks. The second opinion was from a rheumatologist who put me on plaquenil even though the test came back negative, and I did not show any signs of inflammation. I was still doubting about my new condition since I was feeling actually better everyday and saw one more rheumatologist, who believed since the beginning of the appointment that I did not have Lupus. He looked at all of the test that I had in the past months and told me that I shouldn't worried and he wanted me off from plaquenil and test me again 2 months later, which I just did last week and test came back negative.

I would like to tell people that always look for second and third opinions. If I just trusted my GP, I would be on Methotrexate, she wanted me on that, even though the test was slightly positive and only little bit of pain in my wrists, that I did not need any type of medication for it. With the second doctor I would be on plaquenil by now...without even needing it.

I'm glad I am very stubborn and continue trying to find out if I have autoimmune disease or not. Doctors are always different and they will treat you differently also.

Just wanted to share my journey from the past months. It has been difficult but I'm glad I have the answers. ☺️

[Puska]

With such an illness it is important to get an opinion from a rheumatologist and not a GP. I'm surprised they treated it as lupus without getting that referral.

[PMRpro]

No GP - even one who claims to have a "Special Interest" is competent to make a diagnosis of any complex autoimmune problem without consulting a specialist. Their job is to be the gatekeeper and point their patients to the right department for further investigations. The only exception might possibly be one who worked as a specialist in rheumaotlogy before becoming a GP - frankly, why would they?

Luckily, as far as I know, in the UK GPs don't get to prescribe methotrexate except as part of a shared care agreement with a specialist.