Hi, I was diagnosed with hypothyroid mainly because of symptoms, blood test was borderline. anyway, i have many sypmtoms that have not been helped by treatment for this. I have been wondering about lupus. I have had an ANA which was negative, but have read that that is not relative. anyway, here are some of my symptoms, note that these may come and go.... swollen, puffy eyes, achy legs in morning, bouts of fatigue, bouts of total body achiness (like flu), nausea that comes on without warning and with no relatable cause, diarrhea, migraines inspite of treatment, moodiness, pains in stomach, problems with sinuses, problems with ears plugging up, eye twitches, problems driving because i sometimes get so tired, lately problems going to sleep,pains in neck and back, i think i got them all. anyone with any advice? or next step, i am going to doc that treats my thyroid on friday.

thanks to all!

Hi...all those symptoms can be the thyroid, it can take 1-2 yrs to get your dose exactly right.... you also might want to change thyroid meds.

If your ANA was neg, there is only about a 2% chance you have Lupus, and it would be more likely if you had kidney or pleurisy things going on, with having a neg. ANA.

Hypothyroid can cause all that stuff (I'm hypoT too) but it could be allergies, RA (beginnings or signs of rheumtoid arthritis maybe?) or any one or combination of autoimmune disorders - which Hypothyroidism is...

Have you seen a rhematologist? or had any special blood work for possible autoimmune things going on in your body?

I had a negative ana & those symptoms for years - now my ana is very high positive.. unfortunately sometimes is takes years for a specific disorder(s) to manifest itself fully so that it truly can be seen in tests and therefore diagnosed and treated... Such is the course often... And if you have one autoimmune disorder, it can (doesn't have to but can!) be a predilection for others in the future - such is me now.

But if you have had ALL the proper tests - and they are neg. it may be CFS or fibromyalgia (which again both "SOMETIMES" precede other autoimmune disorders such as lupus). My best friend has CFS and though I am strongly suspected to have lupus now, she suffers much the same as I do.

Keeping watch with intermittent testing is important - as long as you keep having any symptoms and if no relief, I recommend seeing a rheumy. This can be a long tuff road... check into the lupus board - many folks have similar complaints but negative ana... maybe those will help you.. :angel:

Hope this helps!

hewie