Think I have lupus after test: Hi I wasHi I'm new... - LUPUS UK

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Think I have lupus after test

Milesy79 profile image
Milesy79
β€’8 Replies

Hi I wasHi I'm new here looking for advice please πŸ™ Was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in October by neurologist. However I've had joint pains evry day and stiffness worsening, ulcers in my mouth recurring to point I can't eat because of the pain. Dr ordered bloods 3 weeks ago and was ANA positive 1.100, but dsna binding and the other one were negative. My platelets are just over the high ref range 405 and have been going up each blood test. My folate is low below reference range 35, so given folic acid. I've had migraines for years, had mri showed multiple lesions on my brain, said more than expected for age (I'm 45) could be cerebral small vessel disease or from migraines apparently. I have ajovy injections for migraines now and helping. I get Pins and needles in feet and hands, I have underactive thyroid and been through some bad traumas in my life. My dad's sisters and my nan had raynauds, I'm tired all the time and could sleep forever. I get burning and numb patches all over, trigger finger, nausea and dizzynes and have fainted twice. I'm suspecting lupus because of the joint pains and mouth ulcers. Also years ago I had nephritis a few times and was peeing pure blood. However my egfr is always in normal range. I think I've been diagnosed with fibro but thinking it's actually something else. Just wondered how many of you have just been diagnosed with lupus from symptoms and ANA positive alone where the other bloods were normal. Thankyou for reading replies most appreciated πŸ™πŸ’–

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Milesy79
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Chris21 profile image
Chris21

Hi Milesy, welcome to the group. its very hard to get a diagnosis on some auto immune conditions, Lupus it seems is one of the hardest. I had various problems for years with nothing definite on any condition including 2 negative results for lupus. when I did get a diagnosis of lupus sle, it also came with sjogrens, sticky blood and a few months later PBC.

I can relate to some of the symptoms you are experiencing but they also are very much like what boths my grown up daughters experience. one has sjogrens and coeliac. she is presently going through severe pain which the consultant has said is reactive arthritis caused by sjogrens, shes sleeping quite a lot too. The other daughter has raynaulds which can cause pain and hands/feet turning white or near black.

Have you seen a rheumatologist? it might be worth asking for a refferal. Im sure you will get lots of other replies here, hope some are helpful to you 😊

Milesy79 profile image
Milesy79β€’ in reply toChris21

Thankyou for replying, I know it's a catch 22 kind of getting a diagnosis. Not nice for your daughter's bless them. Someone mentioned sjogren's to me. I have follow up call with Dr next Friday I'm going to ask her to refer me to rheumatology as either way this joint pain and stiffness is to much and last night I was close to tears with the pain. Thankyou so much πŸ™πŸ™πŸ₯°

Dodger12 profile image
Dodger12β€’ in reply toMilesy79

Hi,

So sorry to hear that you are experiencing this. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in March last year with the same symptoms as what you’re experiencing. I had 3 Lupus blood tests for which 2 were positive and 1 negative. The rheumatologist stated that due to 1 negative result it’s not Lupus. I have been keeping a diary and photos of my symptoms for which I will be providing g to my doctor.

I empathise with your struggles for a diagnosis whilst being constantly unwell. Please keep fighting those medical professions ensuring they listen to you.

Milesy79 profile image
Milesy79β€’ in reply toDodger12

Thankyou it's so frustrating isn't it, I can't imagine how it feels not listened to for years.. Can't wait to speak to Dr Friday tbh πŸ™πŸ™ good luck thanks for replying xx

With mixed result bloods ( like only a positive ANA, mine was 1:320) I think it is important to make sure hospitals to which one is referred, diagnose and treat 'lupus-like Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder (UCTD)'.

I'm not sure they all do.

Possibly this is a management decision to discharge based on insufficient bloods.

The science is largely unknown and some hospital rheumatology departments seem to cling to blood test criteria that do not aways mirror severity.

This includes ESR which for some of us does not always get raised sufficiently. Issue is that medical training, textbooks, criteria and parhways used need updating urgently. This does not seem to be priority though.

(With those who could change things, if it was them or their families they might be more concerned. Sorry, but the situation makes me upset and angry. Not everyone is in position to afford private treatment, expensive rail tickets or to travel alone to other end of country when they are unwell. 🀷

...It is beyond me, why the situation is like this.)

I looked Fibro up and symptoms did not match mine. Symptoms in the wrong place and type.

No similarity whatever. (Strong positive ANA and most of the symptoms I had were in the previously-used 'more than four of eleven specific symptoms check'.)

My GP knew this too and said he would refer me anywhere in the UK to get the help I needed. I'm now being treated, very successfully elsewhere.

It was back in 2021 I was in the position you are now.

Finding a consultant you can trust is cruical. .

StriatedCaracara profile image
StriatedCaracaraβ€’ in reply toStriatedCaracara

Dr Donald Thomas, author of The Lupus Encycloepedia, suggests better tests are available. Here is a link to a post with the video he did recently:

healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...

Milesy79 profile image
Milesy79β€’ in reply toStriatedCaracara

Thankyou so much for replying. I totally get what your saying. So many people could be treated far earlier and this would take a weight off the NHS if only a bit, due to freeing up many gp appointments we attend to feel like we get nowhere then end up in hospital due to illness because it's to late. That's my thought anyway. I'm going to start keeping a diary I think. I'm talking to gp Friday so going to ask her to refer me to rheumatology. Good luck hun it's sad people have to advocate for theirs elf's xx

TM1970 profile image
TM1970

hi Milesy,

I was given a dx of connective tissue disease while waiting for anti dna to catch up. After a year or so it did and I was given a firm dx of lupus SLE. Do you have facial rash?

Hope you feel better soon,

Terri

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