Hi There-
I have had two positive ANA(HEP-2 might say HBP-2,,can't quite read it) tests, one was in April with a titer of 1:640 and the other one was in June with a titer of 1:1280. That rhymatologist said he was confused given some of my other test results that were inconsistent with Lupus. He sent me to a lupus specialist and she ran a bunch of tests including something that was called ANACHOICE SCR, W/REFL IFA ANACHOiCE SCREEN which came back negative. Does anyone know if that's the same test? If so, isn't it weird to have a high positive one time and only about 2 weeks later have a negative? Maybe she didn't rerun the basic ANA test??? Although, she seems to have rerun the others so I don't know why she wouldn'd rerun that one.
I also have elevated counts on C3, C4 and C-reactive proteins, calcium, WBC and platelets (which has been elevated since last November, maybe longer...I know low counts are generally what shows up in Lupus) and a low glucose count (that's something new although I suspect I hadn't eaten for awhile and my blood sugar was down which I think I'm prone to).
My symptoms are muscle and joint pain, weakness, fatigue, achy and stiff. Basic flu like stuff. Memory and concentration problems which I go back and forth between thinking it's just the normal aging process to...No, something's wrong. No temperature. No specific rash, though the doctor said I had some malar erythema. I have always had a problem if I am in the sun too long, it just sort of zaps my energy, but I always thought this was true for everyone.(Being fair and blue eyed doesn't help) Shortness of breath, not where I'm panting but like I can't get enough air so about every 5 minutes I take a very deep breath and that feels a bit uncomfortable in my upper back, not really painful, just there.
I'm seeing the doctor Friday to followup and I'm sure she'll tell me what all the tests mean but I just wanted to hear first hand from some of you what your experiences have been.
The first time I saw the lupus specialist she was leaning away from Lupus and more toward Undifferentiated connective tissue disorder which seems like such a vague dx sort of like fibromyalgia which BTW I was dx with in 2002.
Thanks for reading this and for any help you can send my way.
Best,
Donna
P.S. I am on hydrochlorathiazide for High blood pressure and Fenofibrate for high triglycerides and high cholesterol. and take a vit D supplement for a vit D deficiency. I've recently, within the last couple of months, stopped taking Lexapro (for depression), Analapril (for high blood pressure) and estrogen (HRT) because I thought I was having side effects that could be the contributing/causing my symptoms and frankly when you're taking so many medications it's hard to sort out anything.