AMA test

[Kettl]

Hi all,

I was wondering how scleroderma is diagnosed. I had an AMA test a few years ago which showed nothing. Does this mean I don’t have it? Thank you in advance.

[Midgebite21]

Scleroderma can take a long time to reach diagnosis. Initially I had a positive ANA antibody test and was still told I didn’t have the condition. It wasn’t until I saw a dermatologist a few years later for another symptom it was picked up and I was sent back to another rheumatologist who confirmed the diagnosis.

As it is a complex condition and every patient will follow a different path, many doctors/consultants have little experience in it. From what I understand diagnosis is made following numerous antibody tests but also from what symptoms the patient is displaying. It seems possible that so people will carry certain antibodies but are symptomless. The antibody tests themselves therefore are not diagnostic in themselves.

Are you displaying any symptoms of scleroderma?

[Kettl in reply to Midgebite21]

Thanks so much for your reply. I’ve had some symptoms. I have Raynards which came on last year. I had a bout of Illness last year where I developed lost of spider veins on my face, lost 15kg due to nausea and diarrhoea. I was diagnosed with IBS years ago. I still get daily diarrhoea and the Raynards has been particularly bad this winter. I have chill blains on my toes. I will head to the GP and discuss. Feel like there is something going on. Have had toe and finger joint pain which has been investigated previously,

[LucyJean]

Hi there, the test you had would have been an ANA test - Anti-nuclear antibody. It is a pretty good indicator of whether you would have the disease or not. You can have the condition and have a negative result but that would be much more unusual and you would tend to have a milder condition. There are other similar tests that a specialist would know to ask for though if you did have clear symptoms that pointed to scleroderma but a negative ANA. Results can of course change over time and a negative test several years ago does not mean that it would still be negative today.All my best

Lucy

[Kettl in reply to LucyJean]

Thank you. I’ve had a lot going on the last two years as I’ve written on the post above. Yes, sorry I meant ANA test. Which was negative. I did have a positive to Schrogrens 10 years ago. I didn’t realise these things could come and go. Hmm think I’ll head back to the G.P. To be honest I feel like just forgetting about it all but I guess following up is the right thing to do. The ANA test was 2 years a ago looking at my records.