Can you have a negative ANA test and still have Lupus?
Hello..
I was wondering if it is possible to have any form of Lupus with out having a positive ANA test? I recently found out I have FM, but I experience so many of the same symptoms of Lupus, mostly the fatigue and redness across the checks and nose (Its not quite "rashy" looking but it looks as though it could turn into bumps), and I hurt all over. Anyway, from what my DR said, I have no signs of lupus because of my ANA test and my SED rate was fine. Infact, all my tests came out ok. He did say that I had an "elevated calcium and protein level", but he never really explained what that meant. Any ideas? Thank you for your time.
i have just recently been diagnosed so i am not exactly an encyclopedia book of knowledge, but i have read 98% of people with lupus have a positive ana. i also know it can take time for it to show up in the blood. good luck
sha
[This message has been edited by moderator1 (edited 10-15-2003).]
The ANA is just an indicator, but a good one. It can
go up and down all the time so sometimes it just doesn't
show positive. I know from reading over the years that
you can have Lupus and it not show up all the time in a blood test.
Thank you both for your reply. I am so frustrated with the whole process of trying to find out what exactly is wrong with me. I am tired of feeling so horrible and I miss the old me. I guess I really need to stop worrying about "what" I have and concentrate on how to manage it. Thanks again for your reply.
Tell your Dr. to give you a CBC blood test and Check your Urin count 24 hr test this will tell you if you have Lupus remember Lupus is very hard to pick up and detect it can take on many faces like Cancer, Lukemia, Alstimers but its just Jpus in the end.
If your Dr. is just not being serious about this then get a NEW DR. then a REUMOTOLOGIST.
hOPE THIS HELPS GOOD LUCK
Sal
Quote:
Originally posted by JDtweety: Hello..
I was wondering if it is possible to have any form of Lupus with out having a positive ANA test? I recently found out I have FM, but I experience so many of the same symptoms of Lupus, mostly the fatigue and redness across the checks and nose (Its not quite "rashy" looking but it looks as though it could turn into bumps), and I hurt all over. Anyway, from what my DR said, I have no signs of lupus because of my ANA test and my SED rate was fine. Infact, all my tests came out ok. He did say that I had an "elevated calcium and protein level", but he never really explained what that meant. Any ideas? Thank you for your time.
I have been diagnosed (by history) as having lupus since the age of 12 years....and by active symptoms since I was 31 years old. When I was first dx'd by active symptoms, the MDs used a 10-point check list. I was positive on 9 of the items. Since then, the technology has improved. I continue to have the symptoms but much fewer exacerbations. I have had my pericardium removed due to inflammation caused, according to the MDs, by the lupus, suffer from arteriothrombosis in my legs, and have had other issues related to lupus. HOWEVER, when I have been tested via blood panels on five occasions, three of 5 times, all results came back as negative. My brother has been positively dx'd with lupus as was my father, grandmother, niece and sister (we are native american). All of my living relatives who have lupus have also experienced these alternating results. One of my MDs--my rheumatologist--stated recently that there seems to be growing evidence of a transient form of lupus. Hence the intermittently positive/negative results of the testing. Denise--since you seem to be well informed on lupus--have you heard/read anything about this? Can being over 40 years old now (I have read that the disease goes into remission after the age of 40 for many sufferers) contribute to the recent intermittency of my test results?
Hi, Sorry it took me so long to reply. Man with Lupus, I did have every blood test ran and the only thing that came up a little unusal was that I had a high protein and calcium level in my blood. Nothing really indicated Lupus, other than I have the fatigue, rash on my face and my body aches all the time. I did go to the Rheumy and she said it was more than likely Fibromyalgia and possibly Raynauds because my hands hurt so bad. Thanks for everyones input..
I was diagnosed in 1994 and always had a high ANA...until now. While my WBC was still low, thyroid antibodies high, low platelets, mono high, blood in the urine, very low C4,etc...were still there, my ANA came up negative! I was shocked. I'm nearing 40 (37), but know the lupus is still present.
So this is new to me as well. I don't have a professional answer, but am interested in what my rheumy will have to say about it. I'll write back after seeing her.
Yes you can, my gram, & I both have been diagnosed without it. My gram had extensive damage to her kidney's & liver, & an ana never showed for 8 years. She was anemic, & had gout.
I have CNS Lupus, Vasculitis, which is causeing all sorts of stuff, I do have 5 brain lesions & siezures, paralysis, with attaches, weakness, loss os speech, nerve damage in my arms ,hands, legs & feet. With NO ANA. Some doctors have learned it is impossible, others know different, & treat symptoms, till it does show. It is very rare, but does happen. With my CNS LUPUS it states there is normally no ANA, with it. Who knows enough about this auto immunething? If you find the doctor that does, there will be a cure ! lol...
SLIK
Never read anything about a NEW FORM of transient Lupus.
As far as I know Lupus has always been kind of transient.
By this I mean that Lupus has long been known to come
and go. That is one of the reasons it is so hard to
diagnose.Lupus can go into remission for short or
long periods of time. I do think that Dr's feel that
once you have Lupus it will always be a health concern.
So in remissions there is always the chance it can come back. As far as 40 years old having to do with Lupus
remission, I'm not sure about that. But, many studies
suggest that Lupus and Hormones might be related so as
a female gets older and hormone levels decrease this
may also lessen Lupus symptoms. There are concerns
about taking hormone suppliments during menapause
for Lupus patients.
Hi. I was dx with lupus three years with 9 of 10 sym
but my ana remains negative. I have had trouble for years and didn't know what was going on because my gp throught you had to have a positve ana. My rehumy said that it is a low percentage that is neg but it does happen. My mother has anklosing spondylitis so that was what he was looking for. Since then my cousin have been diagnosed with a high ana and I have found out that several 2nd cousins have lupus both with a positive and neg. Good luck and don't get down.
I have heard other people had neg. ANA readings, but it seems more & more are coming out of the closet!? By that I mean, years ago if you didn't have an high ANA reading, Dr.'s told everone " YOU DO NOT HAVE LUPUS" Time & cases of physical damage with no ANA is changing things I think !
I was dx with Lupus in 1996. I had a Negative ANA but i was positive for anti Ro antibodies. I was tested recently but my ANA was negative again. My Rhuematologist told me that people with positive Ro antibodies can either have lupus or sjogrens syndrome. He performed the schimmers test and i didnt have sjogrens. I am confused about negative ANA. I know that I did meet like 6 of the criteria for lupus. Malar rash ( it looked like the hives), low grade fevers, swollen lymph glands, fatigue, joint pain with swelling, and skin lesions. I wonder sometimes did they make a mistake because i have a positive ANA.
I have a negative ANA,DNA,SSA, but low C3 & C4,low WBC,low platelet,elevated liver function test, kidney tests off a bit,debilitating joint pain & stiffness,muscle swelling & weakness,amazing fatigue, butterfly rash, erythema nodosum...basically just waiting to find a doctor who will diagnose me clinically without positive tests. I asked the rheumatologist what else could cause low complement levels, (I've looked into complement defficiency causing a Lupus-like syndrome, but my Ch50 was normal...) and she said only Lupus. She said that at this point I have an "undiagnosed autoimmune disease"...isn't diagnosing what the rheumatologists are for?
I wouldn't wait but would do everything I could to find a competent lupus doctor with enough clinical experience. Get a skin biopsy of the rash or skin from inside forearm which can show likelihood of lupus. You certainly have a lot of signs of lupus and related conditions.
The main thing is to get some sort of treatment but of course the diagnosis determines the best medications. It is always a good idea to have tests run again maybe look for an immunologist for the complements.
I just wanted to throw my "two cents" worth in here as well. There is such a thing as "sero negative Lupus" because all of these tests fluctuate every day. You can be positive one day out of 40 pretty much (in some people!) There are 5% of people that do have no positive ANA etc. Have you had your Anti-Dna tested? Sometimes people are positive for that and never pos for the ANA. I was just recently diagnosed by Dr. Hughes in London ( I flew there from Canada) who is the world's best. I have had a positive Anti-DNA in the past, but those tests were negative when he saw me. I also was diagnosed with Antiphospholipid syndrome, which is "sticky blood" and causes MS like symptoms. As well, I have Sjogrens Syndrome and Raynauds Phenomenon. You can be diagnosed with Lupus with a history of symptoms. Have you ever had low blood lymphs? Those can indicate, and in fact there are many things that do. Hope this helps, it is such a long journey to get diagnosed properly!!!
Angelic
[This message has been edited by moderator1 (edited 10-15-2003).]
Hi, My name is Allison and I have been sick since April. My complaints are hair loss, fatigue, joint pain, diarrhea, heart palpitations, and a knot on my wrist and ankle. My family doc. suspected Grave's and sent me to an endocrin. She told me I was having anxiety attacks and shoved me out the door. A girl I go the church with told me about her endo. so I saw him. He found protien in my urine and high sugar in my blood. He ordered a 3 hr. fasting glucose that showed protien in urine and high sugar but it also dropped down to 57 in the last hr. I go back to him on Sept. 10. Meanwhile I had a knot pop out on my wrist and ankle and while don't hurt to touch, it hurts to rotate my ankle or wrists. My hips also feel stiff after driving and upon getting out of car or sitting for awhile and then standing. I am 31 yrs old and feel 71. I'm tired all the time. My family doc. has run blood work (thyroid, ANA, RH factor, CBC, and urinalysis) all have come back normal. I think he now thinks it is all in my head too. What do I do now????
Someone write back soon.
HI, yes yes yes you can have a negative test and still have Lupus. Only one thing showed up to confirm that I had lupus and that was only after we pushed to get me referred to an immunologist. Don't give up hope, there is no cure but I've been in remission for 8 years now due to a variety of complemntary treatments. Got off the steroids after 2 years. Keep pushing... Let us know how you go!
Can you have a negative ANA test and still have Lupus? 
I guess I really need to stop worrying about "what" I have and concentrate on how to manage it. Thanks again for your reply.
