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So I got my blood work results and my ANA test was positive. *sigh* She said that doesn't necessarily mean that I have Lupus, but I am being sent to a rheumatologist. I should note that I do not have any joint pain at all. But I did read that symptoms of Lupus can include pain in the chest that make it hard to breathe deeply.
My ESR was 31. The normal range is 0-24. My vitamin D was 49. Do I want my Vitamin D higher? My doc thought it was fine.
So anyway, on top of the MC, I suddenly have fluid around my heart and now possibly Lupus. I feel like my health is falling like a house of cards....
Are any of you familiar with Lupus? What can I expect? I'm trying not to freak out since stress plays such havok on our systems, but it's hard not to be upset.....
Do you have any more info about your ANA result? Do you know the titer or the pattern? For example, mine is 1:1280 (very high) with a speckled pattern. Lupus usually has a homogenous pattern. Many people have + ANA without Lupus. ANA is just the first screening test for autoimmunity. You could end up with an autoimmune condition affecting your heart, but without all the serological markers for full-blown Lupus. However, the treatment-- anti-malarials, steroids, etc. will probably be the same. Make sure you try and find a "good" rheumatologist. I've been to a couple of very disappointing ones.
A Vitamin D level of 49 is enviable. I wouldn't change what you are doing. Anything over 40 is ideal.
Zizzle pretty well covered everything, so I don't have anything significant to add.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I have a positive ana 1:640 with a high titer, homogenous and speckled. I went to the rhuemy and he said it was just bc I had other auto immune things (celicac and MC). Who knows though, you have me thinking now I should have it cked again...He was at rhuemy at Brigham's in Boston.
Jenny
Melanie,
You'll see from my posts in the "Dr. Ayers blog" thread, that I beleive Epstein Barr Virus may be the cause of my MC and generalized autoimmunity. It commonly causes people to have a +ANA without Lupus. I also just read that it can cause pericardial effusion, or fluid around your heart. In fact, a number of other viruses (Coxsackie, influenza, echoviruses, varicella, HIV) and conditions can cause it too. Have you had mono? If so, this could be a reactivation or localized flare of your EBV. You might want to consider asking to have your titers tested along with any new bloodwork they do.
All examinations were negative. However, nested PCR analysis of blood leucocytes and of pericardial effusion revealed the pericardial presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), consistent with a localized pericardial EBV persistence or reactivation. TREATMENT AND COURSE: Follow-up showed a complete resolution of the pericardial effusion without the necessity of further specific treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Although EBV infection is common in the general population, cardiac involvement, in particular in the adult, is infrequent and usually takes an uncomplicated course. The present case report demonstrates a beginning pericardial tamponade due to localized pericardial EBV persistence or reactivation without detectable systemic EBV infection. In addition, the importance of molecular tests for diagnostic accuracy is highlighted.
Thanks guys! That's encouraging. I hope it's just because of the fluid.
Zizzle, I have not ever had mono. But I did some reading on Epstein Barr and it sounds like 95% of the population has had it. So it's very possible that I have. I don't have any other information on my ANA. I imagine my trip to the Rhuematologist will give me more answers.
I also have a positive ANA at 1.4 speckled; test result from 7 years ago. The doctor was trying to figure out why I kept getting shingles. Never got an answer. After 5 times of having shingles I received the vaccine even though I was not old enough for the vaccine. Since then I have not had another episode.
So my ANA was 1:80 which the rheumy said was very small. But he didn't like that I had chest pain and he also thought upon examination that the lymph nodes in my neck didn't match in size. So he ordered more blood tests (sheesh!) but he wants me to wait 4 weeks in case my body is fighting a virus.
With my MC, though, I have swung to C. :( I need a gentle stool softner as I ended up with a fissure this morning. Would you just use magnesium as a softner or is there something better to take that wouldn't aggravate the MC?
The doc at the hospital prescribed ducosate calcium 240 mg when he discharged me after an ileostomy.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Melanie,
Try not to panic over a positive ANA. When I went to the doctor years ago with Reynaud's syndrome (which can be a red flag that there are autoimmune issues) she tested my ANA and it was positive, something like 1:1200 if I remember right - speckled pattern. She gave me a printout listing all the horrible things that might be a part of my future, but none of them ever came about. Since being diagnosed with celiac four years ago and being on a GF diet I've had my ANA re-checked twice, and it's been negative both times. I believe - and someone please correct me if I'm wrong here - that a positive ANA is simply a measure of overall inflammation, which can be caused by any number of things (mine was probably heralding undiagnosed celiac at the time, with all of its accompanying intestinal inflammation). Having a positive ANA certainly doesn't predispose you to lupus, Sjogren's syndrome, RA, or anything else, but it is a warning that there is a lot of inflammation coming from somewhere. If you can track down what's causing it and fix the problem, the ANA may just resolve on its own.
Wishing you all the best,
Cindy
Cindy
2008 Celiac disease
2012 Collagenous Colitis
Family history includes ALS, ulcerative colitis, Lyme disease, mild epilepsy
I feel like my health is falling like a house of cards....
