Elevated Ana

[de caps]

I just had my routine celiac blood work done.My celiac test were all normal. My GI doctor ordered an ANA and it was extremely elevated. 1: 1280 ( less than 1:40 is considered negative.) She wants me to see a Rheumatologist to rule out other autoimmune disease like Lupus since having one autoimmune disease puts you at risk for another. I don't have any of the symptoms for Lupus. I do have lots of bone and muscle pain. Some mornings it is very difficult to get out of bed and with three young children it is hard. Has anyone else had an elevated ANA? I can't get an appointment with the rheumatologist until October. I would appreciate any advise or thoughts on this. My husband is very worried about what this could mean.

Thanks for your help.

Donna

[NewB]

...Gobs of people lack certain enzyemes that diget certain foods..it's genetic!!! ANA is buildup of of plasma born proteins--peptides--like fibrins or CRPs...changing your diet alone may not be enough (God I sound like a commercial...but honestly, I have been trying to get feedback about this new enzymatic treatment --newly posted) and it has really worked for me me. I had the shooting pains in the arms and hands....Enzemedica...look at their ingredients, go to Wikipiedia, reference all the open source stuff and then decide.......

[trents]

What does ANA stand for?

Steve

[skbird]

I showed an elevated ANA (Anti-Nuclear-Antibodies) of 1:320 a couple of years back and was sent off to a rheumatologist. No further testing showed anything. Apparently it's not uncommon for a healthy person to have an elevated ANA.

I did find out this summer I have Interstitial Cystitis which some think is autoimmune - there doesn't seem to be any consensus. I'm wondering if having IC would elevate ANA? Or if my elevated ANA means pretty much nothing specific.

For those who don't know, ANA is measured as your sample is diluted, so the "normal" reading of 1:40 is only three dilutions from 1:320 (1:40, then 1:80, then 1:160, then 1:320), and 1:1280 is two more dilutions from 1:320 (1:320, 1:640, and then 1:1280). So the jump from 1:40 to 1:1280 isn't quite as scary.

There are some links of positive ANA to fibromyalgia, however. Your mention of bone and muscle pain could be consistent with that. However, really hard to know.

Good luck!

[de caps]

I was told that I had fibromyalgia by a rheumatologist 2yrs ago. At that time my ANA was only slightly positive (1:80). He didn't think much about my ANA then.

Thanks for your help.

Donna