Lupus Support Group
Lupus is an auto-immune disease in which the immune system cannot distinguish between threats (like viruses and bacteria), and healthy cells and tissue. As a result, the body produces antibodies that inflict cell damage, most commonly targeting joints, skin, kidneys and the nervous system. Join the group and find support for coping with lupus.
Hello!
I am just trying to find some answers. I few years ago I c/o to my pcp about what seemed like joint pain. She ordered an ANA as well as rheumatoid factor serum which was negative/normal. My question is, could an ANA be negative and then maybe test positive now when symptoms are more prevalent?
I now feel I have more severe symptoms, I have pain in fingers, hands, toes, elbows and knees. The pain is short but felt daily, sometimes it's an 8. My hands do get very red , I also had a rash over my cheeks and nose twice when my face gets really hot. I have nausea almost daily, headaches daily but also have migraines. Temp will sometimes be 99 I am usually 97. I get abdominal pain the radiates down my leg as well as cramping. I also get pins and needle like pain in feet and hands.
https://www.lupus.org/resources/what-doctors-look-for-to-confirm-a-diagnosis
ANA fluctuates over time, and elevates during flaring but subsides when the lupus is quiescent. If you have a negative ANA originally, your ANA level may not increase during flaring, or that it may increase over time as your autoimmune disease develops further.
The pain in the fingers, hands, toes, elbows and knees is called arthralgia, and it appears in other autoimmune diseases other than lupus. Those who have Raynauds syndrome have pain in fingers and toes as their blood vessels in the hands and feet contract as a reaction to the cold. Sufferers of Raynauds have white to blue fingers and toes as the blood vessels contract, which then become flush red as the blood vessels dilate to allow the blood to return.
A malar rash on the face spreads over the cheeks and nose bridge to create a pinkish butterfly shaped rash on the face.
If you have pain in the joints (hands, fingers, knees, elbow), a malar rash over your cheeks and nose, nausea, fever, neuropathic pain (radiating pain, pins and needles, cramping), experience as a lupus sufferer would tell me that you have an autoimmune flaring. As to what type of autoimmune disease it is, you must consult a rheumatologist who will order an autoimmune panel via a blood test to confirm an autoimmune disease, and distinguish what kind of AI disease it is. Once a diagnosis is made, the rheumy will be able to prescribe medications to treat flaring.
Lupus disease at onset would cause mild symptoms, but accrues more apparent +/- severe symptoms as time passes.
I hope the above would answer your questions. If you have further questions, please feel free to write us a post, or message me. I will be happy to answer the questions based on my experience as a lupie veteran of 20 years.
Take care, Marie.