ANA positive 1:160, hair loss but no real answer!

[Supers1976]

Hi I am a 32 yr old mother of 2 and I needs some advice, I have a swollen lower neck on the right side, I also have an enlarged tonsil on the right side.  My salivary gland also looks a bit swollen there too. My hair is thinning dramatically with an itchy stinging sensation at the roots, and I wake up feeling anxious but I don't know why, although it could be because I am worried, but I some times get this feeling even when I'm feeling good. I had blood test done an it indicated everything was normal including my thyroid, the only thing that came back abnormal was my ANA which were positive 1:160. The DR did a further test (ENA) and this came back slightly abnormal too, indicating I may have some unspecified Auto Immune issue. If I where a tight collar on my shirt I feel as if it's pressing down on my throat. Around my right ear it also feels tight. I have been previously been diagnosised with Sinus issues(X-ray showed my right side was full a few years ago) an a sludgy gallbladder(Functioning at 37% when it was bad a few years ago) but it hasn't bothered me much in the last few years until now. It is starting to give me small stitch like pains under my ribcage again.  My menstrual cycle in the last 4-5 months has also gone from  a regular 27day cycle down to a 20, 21,23 day cycles however the bleeding is about the same, I also get ocassionally constipated too. I am slightly worried, and I have made an appointment at a different DR for next week as the one I have now does not seemed to be wanting to pursue this any further unless I develop more symptoms(which I think is silly). Can you please give me some sort of help so when I see the new DR next week I can give them something to look at first.  I have a cousing that a few years ago had thyroid cancer also. Can you also have a thyroid issue even if the initial blood results comeback normal?  Are there further blood tests that can be done for a thyroid problem instead of a regular blood test?

[Totie]

Have they done a CT scan of the neck area?

[kmil1999]

  I can understand your frustrations.  Years & years ago, I went to rheumy bc my ANA was positive at 1:40. Back then he said that was just slightly postive and he wasn't worried until it was 1:80.  6 years after that it went to 1:80 so my pcp sent me back.  This time he said that 1:80 was not really positive and not to worry.  (not to mention all the symptoms are dismissed)  Fast forward 5 years now my ANA is 1:160 mixed pattern speckled and homogenous.  And yes,  you guessed it!  1:160 is not diagnostic forget it and the symptoms!!  

  Pick up copies of all your test results and have a good timeline when you see the new doc.  Don't give up and press him/her for answers. If the doc says no, then ask what then?  

  Hang in there!  Hope you get answers!

Best of luck & prayers

Karen

[Supers1976]

Sorry noticed an error I did there!

That's "no real reason". I do that alot too, put the wrong word in when I am typing! UGH!

[Supers1976]

It does help, thanks so much for replying to me too!

I do not have a copy of my blood results but am about to ring the DR and ask him to fax them to me.

I truly believe it's my thyroid now, to many symptoms for it not to be.  I shall right these tests down and get my new DR to run them for me, I will be seeing her on Monday.  I feel as if my DR is basing it purely on the Numbers too and not my symptoms, but hoping that this new DR will be different and want to take it further.

Other symptoms I get are:

Cold hands and feet
Wake up anxious/nervous for know real reason
constipation(Sometimes)
forgetfulness, lack of concentration

thanks for your reply, it does help a great deal, especially having someone actually listen o my concerns. I will get the results of my blood test and post them soon.

THANKYOU!

[JenB12]

If you don't mind me asking.... what were your thyroid levels? To answer your question, YES people can have thyroid problems and the doctor will tell them their levels are normal. When they are, in fact, slightly off. Also, labs narrowed the range for THS from .05 - 5.0 to .03 - 3.0 so if you have a TSH of 4 something it can cause you to feel hypo thyroid. When i was diagnosed with Hashimoto's (Autoimmune Thyroiditis) my TSH was only 4.62 AND my T4 was in range (granted on the low side), and I was experiencing fatigue and my hair was falling out like crazy.  Many Doctors might have dismissed my thyroid based on my numbers and not my symptoms!

Your doctor should be testing you for thyroid antibodies.... TPOab TGab...  and he should probably be testing Free T3 in addition to Free T4 and TSH. If you have positive TPOab or TGab and your other levels look "normal" you might have subclinical Hashimoto's... or rather: Hashimoto's with subclinical hypothyroidism....

Anyways I hope this helps.....

[Supers1976]

Sorry I forgot to add, Yes I did tell him about my cousins thyroid too, but it was just another thing that he dismissed. Very frustrating indeed!