Hi new here!

[ThyroidObsessed]

Hi everyone..

So does it mean i have lupus if my anti nuclear antibodies came back positive??

These were tested as a part of a group of tests for my thyroid (underactive)

I couldn't say I have physically symptoms really though I do suffer severly mentally with severe anxiety and depression and weird thoughts and feel like I'm going Crazy sometimes....

[whisperit]

Hello ThyroidObsessed

No, a positive ANA is quite non-specific; it only means that your body has raised antibodies to some of the components of your own cells. There are a number of things that could result in a positive ANA result, including:

- nothing at all (!) It seems that some people (maybe 10%) have positive ANA tests even though they shown no signs of any disease

- a short-lived infection (again, a small percentage of people seem to react to things like viral infections by producing ANAs)

- some medications

- a range of different auto-immune conditiions, including lupus, Sjogren's, Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto's disease (there are others too, but you get the idea?)

Lupus/SLE is only diagnosed if you have a number of other positive symptoms. One of them is the blood marker for anti-dsDNA. Your test result might include this as it is often done automatically if you have a clear positive ANA result.

The LupusUK leaflet gives you more information, in case you haven't seen it? lupusuk.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Hope that helps x

[Lupiknits]

I agree with everything whisperit has said. Please take this in the spirit it's meant. Feeling so bad mentally is not unusual when you feel so ill, but have you raised this with anyone? There could be mental health problems apart from the physical - please note I said "could be". There is with me. It's worrying when your mental health is making you feel so bad x

[eekt]

There's a checklist (sledai-2k.com/sledai2k.pdf) for docs monitoring SLE specifically - which as whisperit says, usually includes positive ANA at diagnosis...if you have a look, you'll see brain effects from inflammation (lupus is inflammation) are up there

It's vvvv rare*, but there is more and more scientific research showing what has always been called 'mental illness' is in fact due to inflammation

* eg bbc.co.uk/news/health-38220610

If you feel increasing symptoms or have extreme headaches, better a trip to A&E than not knowing. Be well and keep posting xxxx

[Chanpreet_Walia LUPUS UK]

Hi ThyroidObsesed,

Welcome to the LUPUS UK HealthUnlocked Community! We offer a free information pack which contains factsheets and guides that you can download or request at lupusuk.org.uk/request-info...

An ANA test is used to determine if someone has an autoimmune disorder. According to The Lupus Encyclopedia, “many people have a positive ANA without being associated with any disease at all, including SLE (lupus). Most studies show that anywhere from 10% to 20% of all people considered “normal” are positive for antinuclear antibodies”. ANA can be positive due to many other diseases and even from medications.

We published a blog article on ‘coping with depression and anxiety’ which you may like to read at lupusuk.org.uk/coping-with-...

Let us know how you get on, wishing you all the best.