first appointment with a rheumatologist- positive ANA... - NRAS

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first appointment with a rheumatologist- positive ANA 1/640

purplebird profile image
3 Replies

Hi everyone,

I am a 22 year old woman living in Boston. I have had reynauds since I was about 12 or so. I always thought this condition was a little worrisome, but I never thought about it too much. At a very young age I also noticed spider angiomas appearing on my hands (about 4 or 5 of them have come and gone over the years). In the past few months, however, I noticed my reynauds has been especially bad. I am a runner and I continue to run through the winter, and I have had an especially hard time so far in Boston this year and it's only November. I use heat packs and wear polartec gloves when I run, but when the blood comes back to my fingers it has been SO painful sometimes I just have to sit down and try not to make a big deal of it.

I noticed this has been especially bad along with the fact that some of my fingers look arthritic. I am probably overanalyzing that but they are bent up a little on some fingers. I went to see a rheumatologist at Brigham and she did a very comprehensive exam. She looked at the capilaries in my nails, did a joint exam, and then took labs. She said she really wasn't worried. What was most surprising to me was her noticing the spider angiomas/telangeactasias. I never thought of that as being something to worry about.

Regardles, she did a blood draw and I got the following results back. I have been FREAKING OUT because of this positive ANA. I feel a loss of control. Why is my body attacking itself? Is there anything I can do? I do everything I can to be healthy- I am a runner, a vegetarian, I wake up early, I just dont understand. If someone can please explain this.

Also, I have noticed a dull pain in my hands. Today I was cooking and it felt different when I had to squeeze a lemon. I am so nervous about everything!

Lab Results

Test NameResultUnitsReference RangeDate

Vitamin B12268pg/mL250-90011/08/2013

WBC8.35K/uL4-1011/08/2013

HCT39.5%36-4811/08/2013

Hgb13.1g/dL11.5-16.411/08/2013

RBC4.42M/uL3.9-6.011/08/2013

PLT182K/uL150-45011/08/2013

MCV89.4um380-9511/08/2013

MCH29.6uug27-3211/08/2013

MCHC33.2g/dL32-3611/08/2013

RDW13.0%11.5-14.511/08/2013

Neutrophils (auto)54.7%48-7611/08/2013

Lymphs (auto)35.4%18-4111/08/2013

Monos (auto)8.1%4.0-11.011/08/2013

Eos (auto)1.6%0-511/08/2013

Basos (auto)0.2%0-1.511/08/2013

Neutrophil # (auto)4.56K/uL1.9-7.611/08/2013

Lymph# (auto)2.96K/uL0.8-4.111/08/2013

Mono# (auto)0.68K/uL0.2-0.811/08/2013

Eos# (auto)0.13K/uL0-0.3511/08/2013

Baso# (auto)0.02K/uL0.00-0.1511/08/2013

ESR16mm/hr0-1811/08/2013

RF Ab<11IU/mL0.0-1511/08/2013

ANA titer1/640titer0.0-0.011/08/2013

ANA HEP2 (Pattern)DIFFUSEpattern0.0-0.011/08/2013

dsDNA Ab1IU0-2511/08/2013

SS-A(Ro) Ab4EU/mL0.0-20.011/08/2013

SS-B(La) Ab1EU/mL0.0-20.011/08/2013

Sm Ab2EU/mL0.0-20.011/08/2013

SCL-70 Ab0EU/mL0.0-20.011/08/2013

RNP Ab0EU/mL0.0-20.011/08/2013

Centromere AbNEGATIVENEGATIVE11/08/2013

CRP (mg/L)2.4mg/L0.0-3.011/08/2013

Vitamin D Total (25OH)45ng/mL20-8011/08/2013

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purplebird
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3 Replies
Kittykatxxxxx profile image
Kittykatxxxxx

Hello there

I am afraid I do not know about raynauds.Also I am 23 and got arthritis at at 20. Autoimmunine conditions don't discriminate, they hit the healthy and the unhealthy. There is a genetic link between some of the arthritic conditions.

I just want to say that no matter what happens try not to worry. I believe my hands are becoming deformed with arthritis but my rheum and hand therapist has not noticed it. Also up to 15percent of healthy people have a positive ANA test.

Hopefully someone will come along with a more helpful answer x

dbestdeb profile image
dbestdeb

I am also in the U.S. I am in my 50s and started getting Renaud episodes in my 40s. RA didn't hit til this year. I believe the autoimmune problems to be hereditary. My mother also developed the same problems later in life. I think good health habits help your prognosis and keep flares to a minimum. My rheumatologist said that carbs feed inflammation so limit sweets and eat whole grains. The meds out now for these things make the prognosis much better than it used to be. Stay positive as stress certainly plays a role. Good luck to you and keep us posted on how you're doing.

Jeanabelle60 profile image
Jeanabelle60

Hello, I'm from Ireland and I'm afraid I don't know what raynauds is either. The condition may be called something else in Europe.

As for auto immune disease, well, it really doesn't seem to differentiate between healthy people and not so healthy. I was just coming out of the menopause and looking forward to a more pleasant later years when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid disease. It was a terrible blow to me as I have always been very healthy and enjoyed a very active life even though I was in my early 60's......it did take me awhile to come to terms with my new lifestyle.

It took nearly two years to get the right treatment for me but when I did get what worked I was able to get back n my feet again and am now in the process of getting my life back on track again. Admit tally there are things I just can't do anymore and I just had work around them. You are much younger than me so with a few adjustments and the right meds you should be grand.......not as good as you once were but sure life is forever throwing things at us that we have to adapt to......this is just one more.....it's not the end of the world, it's just slightly different.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. XX

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