Labs slightly off

[cat63461]

Has anyone been told your slightly abnormal labs don't mean anything?  I have high ANA and elevated chromatin antibodies, recently labs show slightly elevated granulocytes and slightly low lymphocytes.  Regarding the latter labs, I was told my labs were "normal".  We don't know yet if I have Lupus but I am rather symptomatic, have not yet seen a specialist and seem to be getting blown off by the general physicians in my area.  Looking for another primary care doc.  Has anyone discovered that those slightly out-of-range labs really do indicate something?  I read that elevated gran's and lower lymphs can be caused by virus, Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, only to name a few.  Basic thyroid levels are all within normal limits.

[TrudieC]

With Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and a number of other auto-immune arthritis related diseases, it can take some time for your blood work to prove itself.  You will find that one time things are positive and then negative the next.  It is important that you get to a good rheumatologist who will work with you to find a diagnosis.  

[cat63461]

Thanks, Trudie.  My doctor has put me on a Medrol Dosepak pretty much as a trial.  He is leaning toward a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, but said if I respond well to the steroid treatment, it points him in the direction of a collagen vascular disease.  I'm only on day 2, so I can't really make an assessment yet.
I'm waiting on the results of the blood work, including an ESR.

[Tammy160]

When you know something is wrong and the doctors send you to yet another doctor. I have a mystery diagnosis. My doctor put me on antimalarial drugs to see if they help with whatever this is. It's hard to know what to do when you don't know what you are fighting.

[suega]

I know what your going through!  I have elevated ANA and also positive Smith antibody, aches & pains, muscle twitches, fatigue, malaise, headaches, occasional low grade fevers, etc.  The first rheumy said my blood work must be false positives because lupus patients don't usually go to the doctor with the chief complaint of fatigue- which is why I went.  He would expect me to have a rash or patchy hair loss, lots of joint swelling and pain, etc.  Everything I have read online and in several lupus books state that the Smith antibody is found exclusively in Lupus and cannot be present in someone without lupus. (many people who have lupus do not have anti-smith antibodies, but everyone who has anti- smith does have lupus)  I cannot accept that both my ANA would be positive twice and also my anti-smith and all of those be "false positives" when I also have so many symptoms- none of which are visible, of course.  Obviously, I am getting a second opinion this week.  I wish you luck and hope you can find some answers soon!

[cat63461]

What a ride we're all on!  So many people with so many similar symptoms and no one can figure it out!  Can't help but reach for a bottle full of laughs at this point, huh?