Positive ANA test w/high titers

Tamaraannie · Post by **Tamaraannie** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:23 pm

Good afternoon all,
I'm new to the forum and was just diagnosed with MC. My question to all of you is have any of you tested positive to the ANA test? My results are positive with very high titers of 1:1280 which my gastro dr said is too high to be a result of just the MC. Rheumatologist says it's caused by the MC. Who do you believe????? AAAHHH anyway, thanks in advance if any of you have any personal experience with this as well.

JLH · Post by **JLH** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:29 pm

Tamara. I don't know one thing about it but I'm certain Tex does.........

Tamaraannie · Post by **Tamaraannie** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:34 pm

Thanks Joan for the welcome!!!

Post by **tex** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:46 pm

Hi Tamara,

Welcome to our online family. Without going into detail - believe your rheumatologist. Believe it or not, at this stage of the game, as a group, they seem to know more about MC, than the average GI doc. As a specialty group, what the GI docs don't know about MC, could fill volumes. There are a precious few who are beginning to learn enough about the disease to be able to intelligently discuss it, and hopefully, some day the rest of them will learn, but right now, it's rather difficult for most of us to find a GI doc who is very helpful in treating MC.

Again, welcome aboard.

Tex (Wayne)

P S Yes, an elevated ANA level is not uncommon with MC.

Tamaraannie · Post by **Tamaraannie** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:52 pm

Thanks Tex!! In my research I could not find MC linked to a high ANA so figured best to ask those who actually have it. I consider myself lucky since my MC was diagnosed very quickly by GI who immediately did extensive tests.

JLH · Post by **JLH** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:07 pm

You ARE very lucky.

Post by **tex** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:06 pm

Tamara,

Your ANA result really was quite high, (about 32 times the normal), but as your rheumatologist mentioned, an elevated ANA result simply means that you have an autoimmune disease, and if you're like most of us, you may well have several autoimmune diseases, since they tend to appear in multiples, or you may just have the symptoms of them. While we are reacting, many of us sometimes have the symptoms of RA, CFS, SLE, etc., but the symptoms usually go away, as we achieve remission of our MC symptoms.

Tex

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:27 pm

WELCOME TAMARA!!

You've reached the right place if you're looking for help with your MC. There is a lot of accumulated knowledge on this website. Take some time to look at some of the posts and be sure to look at the Information section, posted here: http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/index.php?c=4.

Don't be afraid to ask any questions - nothing is off-limits. We've likely been there and won't be shocked.

Gloria

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 6:56 am

Welcome, Tamara!

As an MD with MC (kinda has a nice ring to it, no?) I'd go with the rhematologist, too. And I'll bet the ANA comes down once you get the MC under control.

Love,

Polly

Littlekicker · Post by **Littlekicker** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:34 am

Good morning Tamara,
Welcome!! You've come to the right place!!
Good luck with your recovery. Don't ever stop thinking that remission won't happen; we just have to be diligent. Whenever I start thinking "why me" I tell myself "because I am strong enough of a person to handle this disease!!"

Post by **tex** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:29 am

Polly wrote:As an MD with MC (kinda has a nice ring to it, no?)

Yes it does! Thanks for a good chuckle. Actually, that really would make a great name for a website, or a blog, IMO.

Speaking of blogs, if you, (or anyone), would like to set up a blog, I believe I can add some code to the board that would allow anyone and everyone who is a member of this board, to have their own individual blog, (or blogs), on any topic/s they choose. These would be full-featured, separate and distinct, blogs.

I'm wondering if there would be any interest in this. Does anyone here have any interest in becoming a blogger?

Love,
Tex

Tamaraannie · Post by **Tamaraannie** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:01 pm

Thanks to all of you for making me feel right at home! And yes I did like the ring to the MD with MC...You should do a rap song. LOL My concern was that my Rheumatologist actually told me that I didn’t have an autoimmune disease but he did do additional blood tests to make sure. But from what I can tell MC is basically an autoimmune disease on it's own????? I have the achy, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes mostly as my symptoms. I'm hoping that you are right Tex and as the MC is controlled the other junk will go AWAY...Far far AWAY. I have not changed a thing in my diet as of yet but hubby told me to bring home GF info and we'll start that to see if it helps as well (since i see most of you are practicing GF's). It is great that nothing is off limits here, and again thanks for the warm welcome.

JLH · Post by **JLH** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:25 pm

In addition to the great info here on this site, check out http://www.webmd.com/diet/slideshow-gluten-free-diet

I always thought Tex and the Potty People would be a great name for a group.

Singers or rappers..........

Post by **tex** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 1:00 pm

Tamara,

Many/most of us have had achy joints and muscles, along with extreme fatigue, and brain fog, and I'll bet that a number of us have also experienced the swollen lymph glands. I know that I did, and whenever the lymph glands under my jaw were swollen and inflamed, I had TMJ so bad that sometimes I could barely force my mouth open far enough to get a spoon full of soup between my teeth. Eating a hamburger would have been totally out of the question.

Tex

Post by **tex** » Fri Feb 06, 2009 1:05 pm

Joan,

I can visualize the headlines now:

Coming soon, to a bathroom near you - The Potty People.

(Bring your own porta-potty - toilet paper available at the door.)

Tex