It looks like you posted something similar about fortnight ago? From a glance at your results, it seems like you haven't had results that are perhaps most helpful (do take another look at the LupusUK leaflet on symptoms and treatment). ANA, dsDNA and ENA panels (for auto-immine antibodies) along with more generic inflammatory markers such as CRP and ESR.
It looks as if you've posted in other forums too, so I imagine you must be pretty worried, but also haven't found a clinician who's been able to talk you through your worries? That would be my suggestion - try and find a GP or clinical nurse practitioner who can spend time going through your concerns. Would it be easier if you took someone into the consultation with you who can support you and make sure the medic pays full attention to your questions? x
I'm gonna try see my gp on monday hopefully. I'm gonna write down my symptoms on a list and show them to her so i don't forget any. Are they they tests that you get done if you suspect autoimmune? Sorry i'm really ignorant to all this but i'm trying to learn. I'll have a look at the leaflet too.
Yes, take a look at the bit of the leaflet under the heading of "Recommended tests for diagnosis and monitoring include:" and suggest to your GP that they might be helpful for you x lupusuk.org.uk/wp-content/u...
Your symptoms are very non specific and you don’t put lab ranges so even if we could give medical advice here (which we don’t) I wouldn’t know if they were high or low.
Many non autoimmuners could probably relate to these symptoms too.
If I were in your shoes I’d ask for full thyroid panel to be run first off. Bulging eyes and other things make me think your thyroid might be over or underactive. If nothing shows to explain your symptoms and your GP is approachable about such things - Rheumatoid Factor and ANA plus inflammation markers would probably be advisable.
It sounds as if they have already run a standard full blood count and normally, with autoimmune diseases, the RBCs and WBCs are affected in some way or you might have low iron, albumin, Creatinine etc. All looked at in the standard full blood count.
This said I was only diagnosed with Hypothyroidism because of my excess weight in my late 30s. And it was only when I presented with severe bilateral joint pain when perimenopausal, that my GP took my rheumatoid factor and inflammation markers and all were elevated. This was despite having clear signs of symptoms of autoimmunity since I was a kid and various things flagging up during my pregnancies.
It’s worth getting these looked at and also making any lifestyle adaptions and improvements you know may be warranted.
On the test sheets everything is said to be normal a part from a couple that are only very slightly too high or too low. What would be specific autoimmune symptoms? From what i gather most autoimmune disease symptoms are quite vague anyways a part from maybe one or two symptoms.
The point is that everyone has different trends in their blood work. So your best bet would be to read of the different experiences on different communities and then go back to your GP and explain that you don’t feel well and wonder if you could be tested for A,B or C. Thyroid blood work is one thing and the thyroid UK HU community are happy to advise but Lupus and Sjögren’s and RA etc are complex conditions that usually present dramatically at some stage - and this is when they often finally get diagnosed. Posting your bloodwork here isn’t going to get you answers as these are multisystem diseases that can show up in a multitude of ways - unlike Diabetes or Thyroid diseases which usually are much more easy to diagnose and treat by bloodwork.
Specific symptoms might include an unmistakeable vasculitis rash, extreme joint pain with swelling, a butterfly shaped facial rash, repeat UTIs with renal markers, high liver function tests with creatinine raised, recurring anaemia, diarrhoea or constipation with blood, pee with blood and protein, mouth and genital ulcers, digital ulcers with Raynauds, corneal abrasions with very dry eyes, frequent and unexplained oral cavities, lung disease, neurological/ neuropathic pain and balance/ gait issues, heavy nose bleeds and sores/ crusting, visual and hearing disturbances. Most people with rheumatic diseases get one or more of these more specific symptoms. Thyroid/ endocrine/ other autoimmune diseases can overlap along with vitamin deficiencies etc.
I get stiff/slightly sore joints in my fingers, i get mouth ulcers frequently enough, i get dry eyes, i've always had nose bleeds growing up and quite bad ones, been to the hospital a few times growing up to try fix the problem. I have a constant redness over my knuckles i don't know if that means they are swollen or not but if they are it's not badly swollen. I get balance issues, especially after getting up from a laying or sitting position, sometimes i would have to sit back down in case i fell.
Well all I can advise is that these are the symptoms you go back to the doctor about - especially the mouth ulcers and joint stiffness, red knuckles, balance issues/ dizziness and cold extremes as these could be relevant to a rheumatic disease. They should run a full thyroid panel to exclude Graves’ disease too.
Your list includes very common problems such as fat deposits and black/ whiteheads and I would leave these out personally. The more specific ones you mention as after thought are probably more useful for a doctor to see at this early stage.
I have all these symptoms too plus others and my diagnosed conditions are hypothyroidism and Sjögren’s. I was first diagnosed with RA but it seems that Sjögren’s can mimic this well.
Also speaking of vitamin deficiencies i think i could be deficient in b12 since i have really poor circulation at times and my body gets paler because of it. Also i have no "half moons" on any of my fingers a part from my thumbs and i read that can indicate b12 deficiency too.
Hi Healthiskey - suggest you cross match your symptoms on the thyroidunlocked website for hypo thyroid. There may be many boxes to tick which might give you the right info.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Advice needed re what private blood tests I should opt for to try to prove to GP that my symptoms are probably lupus & need investigating?
Blood Test Results (undiagnosed/not Lupus?) So, what next?!
Hi! 6 years ago I came down with a mystery illness. So far no doctors had been able to give me a diagnosis, could it be lupus? More details:
Blood test results
blood test results
