Confusion with blood results...

[purple-lou]

Just got a letter from my consultant with blood results. ANA positive 1:400.Is that high? Also, dsDNA <20 kU/L. What does that mean? Is that positive dna results?

I'm so confused. My local rheumatologist told me I had lupus. The rheumatologist in Birmingham said fibromyalgia. I've just read his letter to my GP and he has missed out loads of information that I told him! No mention of constant flares.

He told me that I would only have lupus if the steroid injection works. It does! It gives me three weeks of near normality. It's so disheartening. Xxx

[Hidden]

I think your dsDNA is in the normal range. I have no idea about the ANA figure.

But hey - don't wish for lupus - fibromyalgia isn't at all pleasant from what I understand of it, but so far as I know it isn't life threatening!

Sorry I can't help more.

Take care

[purple-lou in reply to Hidden]

I'm being treated for lupus. The medication is working after being on placquenil since the summer. It's just really confusing. Different doctors saying conflicting things. Surely if the meds are working, I've got lupus? I've only just got my head round the prognosis and now I'm confused. Xx

[Purpletop]

If the steroids are working and you have a positive ANA then it is likely that you have an autoimmune disease. That doesn't exclude fibro, of course, one can have both fibro and autoimmune disease at the same time. To get to a diagnosis of lupus, other symptoms need also be present to differentiate it from the other autoimmune diseases, so if you've been told you have lupus, then they must have looked at your case in the whole and came up with this conclusion. I would continue with the treatment that helps me most and if that treatment doesn't work, then ask why. It might be worth asking the rheumatologist in Birmingham whether the fibrosis in addition to lupus. That may mean you will need to take medication for both lupus and fibro.

[Tigerlily4]

Have a read of this Purple-lou: labtestsonline.org/understa... Mine was "speckled" as I recall. Should give you a better idea anyway. Bad luck hun. x

[sunshine16]

hi Tigerlily4

my ANA has been 1 in 640 and speckled too and also 1 in 60 and few others i cant remember always testing positive

i have been told i have SLE and have been on plaquenil for a few years but my last two ANA tests have comeback negative!

even though i am not feeling too well does anyone know what that's all about! just curious

many thanks

[gazorpf]

Your ANA or antinuclear antibody titer is not very high. The cells of our body die and new ones replace them. The dead cells circulate in the blood until they are cleared in the spleen. Anti nuclear antibodies are antibodies that mistakenly see the debris of the nucleus as a germ and try to kill it. anti ds DNA are antibodies to the leftover DNA from cell death. Yours is in normal range.

While there are clinical tests that help make a diagnosis of lupus, there are no definitive tests. Many doctors who are too lazy to do the detective work simply make a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. There are NO TESTS for fibromyalgia. The diagnosis is based solely on symptoms. The positive ANA points to lupus.

There are a number of conditions that have similar symptoms to lupus, and many of them would respond to an injection of steroids. That is not a valid diagnositic tool for lupus.

There are a number of excellent and credible websites for lupus information. If you have other questions, feel free to message me. I have been living with lupus for 48 years.

[Paolab in reply to gazorpf]

My anti Dna (ds) was 10 iu/ml...is that high? I have no lupus symptoms....