Hello,
it's been really helpful reading through
all of the notes.... I, too, am wondering
if I have lupus. Back in september I was
sent to the emergency room for what they
thought were kidney problems - test
results showed no infection or stone. I
have never been so sick in my life - pain
all over my body that still bothers me in
strange places (my shoulders, backs of my
knees, joint pain in my hands). I have
rashes, headaches, horrible anxiety,
fatigue, hair loss & high blood
pressure for the first time in my life - I
feel crazy! My sister thinks my first
pregnancy 8 years ago was my first flare
b/c I had the butterfly rash on my face
& was terribly fatigued and sick. The
doctors dismissed it to the pregnancy
& I never gave it a thought. I did
have a horrible delivery - I was so
eclamptic that I was having seizures &
they had to do a c-section. I wonder if
that was b/c of the lupus? I have had
several miscarriages since.
I still have trace amounts of blood in my
urine & have been referred on to a
nephrologist and a rheumatologist. The
first round of tests showed everything was
normal but I did have a positive ana, but
a low reading (1:40). The rheumatologist
just ran some more tests (dna, etc... -
the full panel) & I am hoping to get
those back soon - but she seems to think
it is lupus.
My question is this - if these tests come
back "normal" could I still have the
disease or are there some conclusive
tests? It seems like everything I read is
conflicting. Some say ana is it, some say
it isn't.... Not sure what to believe.
Thanks,
k
|
LadyBrannon
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 506 Location: TX
Posted: 01-11-04 08:08am
Welcome!
Diagnosing lupus is not based on any *one*
test. There are a host of tests that are
done...Combine the results with past
medical history, and that is how a doctor
can make a diagnosis of lupus. And yes,
there are some of us with "conflicting"
test results, and not just with the ana.
Furthermore, I can pretty much guarantee
you that all of us here with lupus have
different test results from the host of
tests that have been run on us and some of
us may or may not have the same symptoms,
organ involvement, and/or level of organ
involvement.
Recall, also, that there is a criteria
list (a.K.A. Symptom) from the arc that
lists 11 items. Of those 11 items, having
four can put you in a "likely lupus"
category. Only your doctor can diagnose
lupus...And there are other autoimmune
diseases that are somewhat like
lupus...Mctd for one.
I hope this helps...I wish you the best,
ladybrannon
