Positive Ana Test Twice & Positive Scl-70 But No Symptoms.

[kristinexdee]

this is my first post, so please bare with me. im seventeen years old, and in december of 06, i got blood taken for allergic reactions and my allergist also tested me for ANA because of raynauds. my ana came back 320, and speckled. i went to a rheumatologist (sp?) and they ruled out lupus because i have no joint issues or any of the symptoms. i was a cheerleader for 12 years and not once had a problem moving around. i still dont. later that month, i got tested again because i was on prednisone at the time and they though it might mess up my ANA. that time, the test came back 160, speckled. they said to just wait it out, get tested in a year, and bye for now. so i just got retested on december 22 of 2007. my ANA was 160 and speckled.. again. but this time, my SCL-70 came back positive. it was like 86 or something? they thought it could be scloderma. but i have no symptoms of that either. no joint issues, rough oval patches, tightening of the skin, ulcers on my hands. absolutely no problem with any part of my body. my rheumatologist called and said she doesnt think its much to worry about because i have no symptoms what-so-ever but we should keep an eye on it.

does anyone have feed back on this? i don't know what to think. and it scares me thats im 17 and could have these diseases. im scared it'll kill me but my doctors keep telling me not to worry because there is nothing else for them to prove i have it because ihave no symtpoms. i dont knowww

(the topic is supposed to say positive ANA 3 times. sorry)

[hapy4dolphins]

HI,

I've had +ana too for the last 15 years and they have checked repeatedly many things for me too. This was before I found out I had celiac. Try getting your vit. d checked. My rheumatologist put me on vid. d due to deficiency and a year and 1/2 later or so, my ana came back negative for the first time in 15 years. I've always had an rh factor too for r.a. I was in early college when I started getting tests done, trying to figure out why I was sick all of the time. SO that's what started that journey and it was no fun at that age. I had panels done too for sle, scloderma, crest, you know the drill.

How long have you been gluten-free? Truely, I think that had a lot to do for me. Of course there was smoething inflammed, my intestines and stomach! But not one doc knew that at the time. I wouldn't get to upset abuot all this yet. Give the diet some time and get some good vits along with your vit d and b's taken and go from there.

Nicole

[Gemini]

HI,

I've had +ana too for the last 15 years and they have checked repeatedly many things for me too. This was before I found out I had celiac. Try getting your vit. d checked. My rheumatologist put me on vid. d due to deficiency and a year and 1/2 later or so, my ana came back negative for the first time in 15 years. I've always had an rh factor too for r.a. I was in early college when I started getting tests done, trying to figure out why I was sick all of the time. SO that's what started that journey and it was no fun at that age. I had panels done too for sle, scloderma, crest, you know the drill.

How long have you been gluten-free? Truely, I think that had a lot to do for me. Of course there was smoething inflammed, my intestines and stomach! But not one doc knew that at the time. I wouldn't get to upset abuot all this yet. Give the diet some time and get some good vits along with your vit d and b's taken and go from there.

Nicole

Good advice! I recently had blood work done and my ANA and Rheumatoid Factor came back very high. As I have absolutely no symptoms of either disease, I am not worried about it. I saw a hematologist a few months back because my gamma globulin/protein levels are elevated. I was lucky in that the doctor I chose seemed to be extremely knowledgeable about autoimmune issues. She adamantly told me that just because you have these wonky test results, it does not mean you have these diseases. I then got another opinion from my integrated medicine doctor and her advice was that both of these tests are just general tests and not very specific. I guess with RA, it's extremely unusual for someone to test positive via blood work with no symptoms....usually it happens the other way around if you have the disease. Symptoms first and then a positive test.

What I have learned over the past three years is that having Celiac Disease almost insures wonky blood work. Autoimmune disease affects almost every part of your body and will show in your blood. While going gluten-free will absolutely help knock down the response and subsequent symptoms, you still may have weird blood results for the rest of your life. What has to happen is that you need to trust what your body is telling you and if there are no symptoms, don't sweat it. Doctors will keep testing till the cows come home and scare their patients into thinking they will develop these diseases so they can monitor them and make money off you. Medicine is a business, after all.

I would relax and keep in mind you have an autoimmune disease and strive to follow the diet to a tee. If symptoms develop, then you can tackle the problem then but don't go through life worrying about it because it may never happen. I know it's scary when you're young but you also have the added benefit you have started your gluten-free life at an early age and that cuts way down on the odds you'll develop these problems.

[loraleena]

Any autoimmune disease can cause an elevated ANA, so if you have celiac that can explain it.