anca test results

[bowler]

how long does it take to get an anca test result ?

[AndrewT]

Dear bowler,

This is one of 'those' questions- you know the sort 'how long is a piece of string', 'when will it stop raining' and so on- therefore a definite answer is tricky. However, depending on where you have the test done, who ordered it, what priority it was given (told you this is a difficult one!), and an element of luck, probably by your next appointment with your doctor/consultant. Sorry that I can't be more specific here- it is just the nature of the 'beast', I'm afraid. One thought though-if you have been diagnosed for some time it is, quite likely, that this test was done 'somewhere' along the line. It might be worth your while having you Medical records checked, for this. You never know, always the optimist, you may even 'find' a more detailed diagnosis (yes 'they' are coming to take me away soon!).

I'm sure that we would all be interested to know how you do 'get on' bowler.

Good luck and best wishes AndrewT

[bowler in reply to AndrewT]

Hi AndrewT

I had blood test [ ANCA ] done only last Fri. at my surgery, I suppose it's early days then? I just thought an ANCA test was like any other blood test obviously not? usually my surgery has blood test results back within 24 hours.

[PMRpro in reply to bowler]

If I remember rightly, it is a 3 part test and many labs do one first before doing the others (to see if they are needed). Most blood tests that come back the same day are just blood samples being put into little cups on an automated analyser, sampled and mixed with chemicals and a reaction measured. Some can be done in half an hour.

ANCA, on the other hand, is a specialised test, may not be done in your local hospital lab and may have to be sent elsewhere where they can do these clinical immunology tests. They may have a special day of the week to do it, saving them to do a load together - and your sample may have just missed this week's batch. The first step is (very basically) to mix the blood cells with a fluorescent stain and look at them under a microscope to see if antibodies are present at all. Having done that, they proceed to the next stage to establish how much there is and then another stage to look for specific antibodies. Then they all have to be reported by a clinical scientist. And returned to your doctor...

[bowler in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you PMRpro for explaining it to me, at least I know that I probably wont get the results back quick. The Dr. want's to see me next Mon, [ appointment already made after I saw him last week ] lets hope the result is back by then.

bowler

[AndrewT in reply to bowler]

You never know, you might be lucky-oh look a flying pig......Hope you are anyway.

[bowler in reply to AndrewT]

I may be lucky or a flying pig ? ha ha ha

We need a sense of humour don't we ?

bowler

[PMRpro in reply to AndrewT]

You're as cynical as me Andrew! Some years ago I was sent to have an EEG, the appointment was fairly soon, the technician specifically asked if I had a follow-up appointment, I did, oh yes the report would be back by then, must have been 3 weeks later. I walked into the room on Feb 13th and the consultant asked if I had my results - what, ME? In the UK? They then rang to find out what had happened - no answer. Because they were calling a room in another hospital, not the unit that did the reporting. I couldn't drive until I had this result so I was a bit upset - and was thrown out for being aggressive! I finally got the result at the end of APRIL! It wasn't regarded as of any urgency - since it was normal I suspect. It was as well I didn't drive for a living I suppose - but it caused a very unpleasant and difficult 6 months (vasculitis leaving me pretty immobile) until I got the licence back, which in fact I should never have had to give up to DVLA at all they said. Grrrr!!!!!!!

[AndrewT in reply to PMRpro]

NOT Grrrr but GGGGGRRRRRRRRRR, I think! Yes I can be a bit cynical sometimes, I'll admit!

[PMRpro in reply to AndrewT]

That's OK then...

[StephanieDiane]

I was diagnosed 4 years ago with MPA and I am P anca positive, I attended the hospital yesterday for my 6 week check and my consultant informed me that anca had risen to 34,she has taken more bloods for the usual test and sent of for another anca test to keep a eye on it, if there is any problem she will give me a ring at home if there is a problem, and I need to up my steroids. Good luck hope all goes well, I think it is pot luck where you live, I live in Scotland.

[bowler in reply to StephanieDiane]

My main health issue is Giant Cell Arteritis diagnosed 16 years ago, However I have recently been having symptoms of WG so my Dr ordered chest X/ray and some blood tests which included an ANCA. so all this is new to me.

I had a call from the surgery this morning to say that the Dr. want's a repeat of the blood tests I had done last Fri. [ so back to the surgery this Fri.] I can only assume that he has had the results, and something is amiss or not quite right ? or why would he want the same blood tests repeated again in just a week ?

In the meantime he has told me to up my steroids to 20mgs. I hope I will soon get some results.

bowler

[PMRpro in reply to bowler]

Sounds as if your ESR/CRP have gone up indicating inflammation since he's told you to take a higher dose of pred. Either there was something wrong with the sample (ESR is very sensitive to the blood sample being more than a few hours old for example) or he is being very good and checking an abnormal value - you should never react dramatically to a single abnormal test result without checking it first.

[bowler in reply to PMRpro]

Luckily I happened to have had a blood test [ my routine one for GCA] prior to seeing the Dr. re the WG symptoms I am having, so he told me it was up when I saw him [ESR 26 ] not that high but he told me to up the Pred. to 20mgs. however my inflammitory markers are never that high, even when I was diagnosed with GCA it was 36. with a negative biopsy. I'm still having WG symptoms but a little better on 20mgs. I will be glad to get some results. I'm now wondering if I have had WG for a long time running side by side with GCA If this is possible ?

[PMRpro in reply to bowler]

If the truth were told - maybe it is a large vessel vasculitis that first manifested as GCA-type symptoms and is now causing WG-type symptoms. If the biopsy was negative that would fit. GCA is a LVV, not all LVVs are GCA...

[Skipper]

My C Anca test takes about 2 weeks to come back as they have to go to Plymouth separately. I have WG and my C Anca last month was 1:1280 which is higher than normal. luckily I am seeing my Consultant on Thursday .

[bowler]

Hello I posted on here a coupe of week ago re ANCA test.

My Dr. who suspects I have WG still hasnt received the ANCA test result back yet which was done 3 weeks ago ! so in the meantime he said to take 20mgs of Pred. however even on this dose I am still having bleeding from the sinus's [ not heavy ] crusty sore nostrils, headaches, and now joint pain in the hands/fingers, aches and pains in the arms/shoulders, and still having pins/needles in the arms and feet, red eye's, the whites of my eye's look awful.

I am having some relief of the symptoms during the day after the Pred kicks in [ 2 hours ] but notice the symptoms creeping back towards the end of the day and when I wake up.

I'm wondering if I should up my Pred. ? or should I take some pain killers, as I don't see the Dr. again until the 16th Feb. unless he receives the ANCA result before then, he did say he would chase them up

I also have GCA/PMR [ diagnosed 16 years ago ] so I'm wondering if the aches and pains are due to a flare of the PMR ? although at 20mgs of Pred, that would usually take the pain of PMR away.