More questions and answers

[JennaShi]

Hi all it’s been a while.

It’s about 5:22 am in the morning over here and I’ve been up since about 3 am, trying to get back to sleep. Can anyone else believe we almost to Thanksgiving?! I feel like time has flown by way to fast.

I wanted to apologize for my past couple emotional/ depressing posts. For whatever reason, it seems my thyroid has been off and I should’ve seen the signs. I’ve been stable on 90mg of Armor for quite a years with minor adjustments and it seems that something changed again. When this happens , I’m sure many of you know that everything’s off including emotions. Happy to say that while waiting to hear back from my endo , I took an extra half of my thyroid meds ( I wouldn’t recommend anyone do this as I’m not a dr and my labs were not good so I know it’s going to take a little while to get back in the green) and some of my symptoms have cleared up.

With that being said, I find it kind of humbling because Ive spent the last two/3 years defending my stable thyroid results by saying this isn’t the cause of my high ANA. I still don’t think it is but since slightly learning about cross-reactivity, (still trying to grasp it) and differences in Labs, I’m still unsure about so much.

I got my second round of Cardiolipin antibodies and beta 2 glycoproteins completed as well as creatine kinase (result: 75) at a lab near me and they all checked normal. Something else to notes is that I’ve never had a positive antibodies test from this lab for ANA related things other than a specialized ANA 12 profile ordered by the rheumy who wouldn’t see me. I’ve had other antibodies tests but lab results were higher abnormal. The same thing has happened with a different lab nearby that I’ve ordered online from. So I called and requested to get them done again at ucla. My hope is that if it’s negative, maybe my new rheumatologist can rule it put as a virus? I’m curious about lab sensitivity, potential virus like ebv/ mono and it’s affects on antibodies, or whether I’m just cross-reacting. If this is the case, would that make psfn and Raynauds rashes etc. separate issues?

I guess the only way to rule out systemic autoimmune is through striking out repeatedly multiple times. I do have a polyclonal gammopathy so I guess we shall see and I’m going to be interested in hearing what the rheumy says.

On a side note, we have been approved for foster care without a placement yet and I still would just like some answers and to be able to move on and be in a better spot health wise/ think about other things.

Hope you are all staying safe and well💜.