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Ana - Anti Nucleur Antibodies

MistyRG

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MistyRG Apprentice
MistyRG
Posted

Anyone have an idea on this one?

Of the Celiac panel, 3 of my 5 tests were positive. Endoscopy is positve. So I have Celiac.

However, during the wait, I had my rash biopsied. It came back negative for DH but could be 4 other issues including lupus. So they ran an ANA test on me.

Negative is < 1:40

Mine was extremely positive at 1:640

I am out of town and can't see my doctor for a few more weeks. I am hoping this has something to do with Celiac, but I am now being referred to a rheumatologist for futher testing.

I'm hoping it's just Celiac related . . . otherwise I feel like I may be falling apart!!!!

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Razzle Dazzle Brazell Enthusiast
Razzle Dazzle Brazell
Posted

Anyone have an idea on this one?

Of the Celiac panel, 3 of my 5 tests were positive. Endoscopy is positve. So I have Celiac.

However, during the wait, I had my rash biopsied. It came back negative for DH but could be 4 other issues including lupus. So they ran an ANA test on me.

Negative is < 1:40

Mine was extremely positive at 1:640

I am out of town and can't see my doctor for a few more weeks. I am hoping this has something to do with Celiac, but I am now being referred to a rheumatologist for futher testing.

I'm hoping it's just Celiac related . . . otherwise I feel like I may be falling apart!!!!

MistyRG

My doctor ordered a celiac panel as well as ANA and quite a few other tests. I did some research and learned that ANA is a test that allows doctors to see how much of an inflammatory response with respect to certain markers, celiac causes inflammatory response I hope you dont worry too much over potentially having another autoimmune disease. Also, if another autoimmune condition were to have developed i would think those symptoms would die down once your immune system has time to settle down since in our case celiac was the trigger. I guess the biggest concern in that regard is whether permanent damage has been done to a particular organ as a result. Maybe that is wishful thinking but i can only hope. I am not a doc. but i am hoping my results will come back normal as well. Good luck!

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I think your reading has you a little confused, Razzle. ANA is not an inflammatory marker like CRP. ANA is an autoimmune antibody - it stands for anti-nuclear antibody. Celiac doesn't usually cause ANA, but sometimes ANA tests are positive without any specific symptoms associated with them. My mom has ANA but no specific autoimmune disease, for example. ANA is rarely diagnostic on its own so the rheumatologist will do other tests and also take your symptoms into account.

Did they say what kind of staining pattern it was, Misty? There should be a word like speckled, rim, diffuse, nucleolar, or homogenous on the test.

Razzle Dazzle Brazell Enthusiast
Razzle Dazzle Brazell
Posted

I think your reading has you a little confused, Razzle. ANA is not an inflammatory marker like CRP. ANA is an autoimmune antibody - it stands for anti-nuclear antibody. Celiac doesn't usually cause ANA, but sometimes ANA tests are positive without any specific symptoms associated with them. My mom has ANA but no specific autoimmune disease, for example. ANA is rarely diagnostic on its own so the rheumatologist will do other tests and also take your symptoms into account.

Did they say what kind of staining pattern it was, Misty? There should be a word like speckled, rim, diffuse, nucleolar, or homogenous on the test.

Skylark Thanks for catching what could be a miss understanding. Certainly wouldnt want to lead someone astray. By inflammatory response i was referring to the body's "over response" and unnatural response that causes damage to our tissues. I know it works by seeing by detecting unnatural antibodies. Here is a link:

Open Original Shared Link

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Skylark Thanks for catching what could be a miss understanding. Certainly wouldnt want to lead someone astray. By inflammatory response i was referring to the body's "over response" and unnatural response that causes damage to our tissues. I know it works by seeing by detecting unnatural antibodies. Here is a link:

Open Original Shared Link

Um, that linked to a Google search?

Autoimmunity causes inflammation, but ANA is NOT a measure of inflammation. It is a test for the possible presence of autoimmunity. Autoimmunity is only one of many different underlying health problems that can cause inflammation, but the presence of autoimmune antibodies does not guarantee that there is an active autoimmune disease, or that there is much inflammation. Tests like CRP and ESR are direct measurements of inflammation.

cahill Collaborator
cahill
Posted

My ANA came back positive.

I was negative for lupus but my hashimoto's antibodys were thru the roof.

GET A COPY OF YOUR LAB RESULTS!!!! ,,* sorry to yell but it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IMPORTANT to get a copy of your lab results **

Look at the lab results and talk to your doc about them.

Razzle Dazzle Brazell Enthusiast
Razzle Dazzle Brazell
Posted

Um, that linked to a Google search?

Autoimmunity causes inflammation, but ANA is NOT a measure of inflammation. It is a test for the possible presence of autoimmunity. Autoimmunity is only one of many different underlying health problems that can cause inflammation, but the presence of autoimmune antibodies does not guarantee that there is an active autoimmune disease, or that there is much inflammation. Tests like CRP and ESR are direct measurements of inflammation.

Thats weird idk why it did that.youre right it doesnt measure inflammation it detects possible autoimmune markers. Anyway this one site explained an

Inflammatory response as: a response of the body to an injurious agent. It said ANA showed the markers our body creates to what it views as an invader.

Hhhhsorry about that :(

Yeah my docordered those specific tests to actually measure the amount of inflammation too. I think i may just get those done and see what he says. They think lupus is unlikely.

Question skylark since you understand more of how this all fits together. How can we have antibodies specifically made to target self and yet not have auto immunity actively happening? Is it something that has or can be triggered though it has been dormant?

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Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Question skylark since you understand more of how this all fits together. How can we have antibodies specifically made to target self and yet not have auto immunity actively happening? Is it something that has or can be triggered though it has been dormant?

Antibody tests don't directly measure what the immune system is doing in the way you seem to think. This is why food intolerance testing is so woefully inaccurate. All antibody tests show is that you have an antibody that *might* trigger autoimmunity and the resulting inflammation. False positives on autoimmune tests like ANA or TPO are not that unusual particualary with certain staining patterns on the ANA. That's why I asked OP for the rest of the information on her ANA test. She seems to have left the forum though.

Razzle Dazzle Brazell Enthusiast
Razzle Dazzle Brazell
Posted

Antibody tests don't directly measure what the immune system is doing in the way you seem to think. This is why food intolerance testing is so woefully inaccurate. All antibody tests show is that you have an antibody that *might* trigger autoimmunity and the resulting inflammation. False positives on autoimmune tests like ANA or TPO are not that unusual particualary with certain staining patterns on the ANA. That's why I asked OP for the rest of the information on her ANA test. She seems to have left the forum though.

Yeah iknow. Idk where she went its just u and me lol. I just thought it was a little different from antibody testing because it is antinuclear antibodies but i suppose just like any antibody, it doesnt mean it is active or doing anything. That makes a lot of sense. It is almost like whats the point in getting tested though. I guess even the scientists arent really sure what theyre doing either because there is so much conflicting info out there even with reliable sources :blink:

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Yeah iknow. Idk where she went its just u and me lol. I just thought it was a little different from antibody testing because it is antinuclear antibodies but i suppose just like any antibody, it doesnt mean it is active or doing anything. That makes a lot of sense. It is almost like whats the point in getting tested though. I guess even the scientists arent really sure what theyre doing either because there is so much conflicting info out there even with reliable sources :blink:

Testing is only one part of the story. Doctors use your symptoms, history, family history, genetics if they're available, all sorts of tests, and even details like places you've visited (for tropical diseases) or environment to arrive at a diagnosis. This is why doctors are so cagey when all you have is a diagnostic test result - they are only a small part of the picture and they are looking for other details. Interpreting ANA is nothing like looking at an X-ray and seeing a broken bone.

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