Last 4 ANA test 3 months apart were positive with a titer of 1:160 Homogeneous, sed rate sometimes 5 sometimes 12, this last one ANA neg <1:40(didn't give titer)sed rate 4. My WBC is always low anywhere from 2,000 to 3,200. How can this be? These last 2 months in particular I have been the most fatigued ever(I'm a get up and go to the gymn every morning type person)where just walking on treadmil for 25 minutes is enough, constant headache in back of neck, my joints ache, especially fingers and low back and neck. I know I have some osteoarthritis as it shows in the fingers and toes but that can't possible account for positive or negative ana can it? I also have pernicious anemia (B12 def)and I'm wondering where to go to next, should I have my rhemuy give me tests when I see him next week? (these other tests were ordered by my primary care Dr)I'm long past blood loss from periods as I'm 55 and way post menopausal, up through July I was just fine but it hit me like a brick suddenely and only 3 days out of this month I felt energetic. I had ulnar nerve decompression on the left hand last May which is healing very slowly with some residual parathesis and pain, not diabetic no low RBC or hemoglobin so I can only think of thyroid which seems ok. Any suggestions? PS" My Dr had been leaning toward Lupus, haven't talked with him yet just got the numbers from the receptionist.

[This message has been edited by NancyH (edited 09-17-2003).]

Hi Nancy,
I don't know what to say on the various readings other than Lupus does that..one hour you can be positive and the next negative. I have had Lupus for 20 years and my doctor randomly runs tests at various times and they fluctuate. As for being negative and being fatigued, well that happens a lot too...and sometimes I think the lab results aren't always accurate. After so many years I can normally tell when I am flaring. Even something as simple as what you consumed for breakfast can trigger a flare or it can receed a flare coming on. And sometimes it doesn't matter and the body flares....but normally that would be due to depleting the body of it's energy which isn't a grand scale affair with this disease and it sounds like your much like me in that I have plenty of energy just not what I think I should have! ha! The first 15 years I was extremely active but quite young as well, I was diagnosed at 24 yrs. of age....at any rate I was able to work out and stay active but at 44 I'm starting to slow down...however! I am more active than most people I know who are perfectly healthy....but that is a lot of work on my part, another words they are just lazy and if I had their health I would run circles around them! LOL. I eat organics, no sugar, no dairy, no chemicals of any kind in my home or on my body...etc. It's a great deal of effort but it's worth it to have "quality" life than just living to live and feeling rotten all the time, plus I don't have to take any of those rotten medications, I REFUSE!! Continue to take good care of yourself, it is well worth the effort. Good supplements are an absolute necessity as well.
Don't sweat those tests, Lupus is an immune disorder and it's a complex system and hard to get a complete profile on. The first five years I had this I was positive the whole time and with a great deal of effort described above, I was able to put it into remission in longer and longer spurts which is what happens with the tests, one day it's there the next it isn't, so if you do have Lupus, then you are already a great deal ahead of things with treating your body kindly. Best of wishes to you and make sure you are not taking a prescription drug that could be inducing Lupus.

Thanks for the reply, my dr has since told me Lupus is a complex disease and he has always felt I may have it but wanted to watch my readings for a few years as they do fluctuate, did another test 2 days ago and it was positive. Last 2 days I had enough energy to fly with and today I feel like I have a hangover plus(I don't drink and haven't for 20yrs)everything hurts and my body is weak, tomorrow I'll probably start to feel ok again. To me its's a "I'll let ya know how I feel tomorrow" kind of disease right?