Positive ANA screen (please talk me down)

[frantastic]

After months of feeling exhausted/fatigued, I had bloodwork done this week.  I just got the results of my antinuclear antibodies (ANA) screen through the automated system, and it's positive. 

My doctor had said that if anything came back positive, she would contact me as soon as she's able.  So I am waiting to hear from her.  (Of course it's Friday afternoon.)

If you've had a positive ANA screen, please tell me all the things.  The results of my first google search were not promising, so I'm trying to back away. 

[cagoldi]

I've had positive ANA for lupus and Sjogren's three times in a row and then, nothing.

Turns out I'm still not "healthy," because further testing concluded I have elevated anti phospholipid antibodies and primary immunodeficiency (among other things) But still, no lupus or Sjogren's.

I know it's unnerving to see those labs, but I would try not to panic until you get to talk to your Rheumatologist and they can tell you next steps.

IIRC, mine wanted to run the same labs every 90 days at least four times for confirmation.

I'm sure if I had protein in my urine or something, they would have been a little more aggressive about concluding I had lupus. Thankfully that's never been the case.

According to my Immunologist, chronic or acute infections can also cause you to have positive ANA results.

[flaviadeluce]

Something like one in 5 people have a positive ANA. Not all of them or anywhere near all of them have a disease related to it. It is sort of a crummy test in many ways.

[lucylou]

When DS1 was about 5 months old I was having a lot of joint pain. My bloodwork showed a super high ANA. Went to a rheumatologist who ran some other tests and basically said since I'm not having other symptoms, she wouldn't give me the dx of lupus but that I'm not out of the woods for having it in the future and if I had more symptoms to see her again. Pain eventually eased and I forgot about it.
DS2 is 4 months old and I've got the same pains again. I'm guessing if they ran bloodwork, it would show a high number again but I'm not sweating it too bad.

All that to say, I think hormones and different things can play a role. I vaguely remember her saying if you test women at certain times of the month around their cycle, it can be a lot higher than it would be at other times.

[karabear]

It's my understanding that it's possible to have a positive ANA and not have an autoimmune disorder. It can sometimes come back positive from an infection or a false positive.

However, when part of a bigger picture, a positive ANA is one sign out of many others that point to an autoimmune disorder. I have had one positive ANA in my life. I have a definitive diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome and the possibility of lupus, but while I have many of the symptoms, I don't meet all of the criteria for an official diagnosis.

I agree with trying to stay away from Dr. Google and wait to see what your doctor has to say. They may want to wait a few weeks and repeat the test, or they may want to proactively send you to a rheumatologist to rule out an autoimmune disorder. Good luck! I hope you hear back from her soon, and try not to spiral!

[sweetc129]

When any of my autoimmune diseases is active I test positive for ANA, but in remission it goes down. I haven’t followed your story, but is there any specific AI diseases they are looking for? There is such a wide range of ones and wide range of how they effect each person. Hope you can get some answers ((Hugs))

[joy]

My daughter is ANA postive. It was part of a bloodwork panel done during her toxic synovitis situation (lol - see that post below). We’re repeating it next month. If still positive, she’ll be referred to a pediatric rheumatologist for more testing.

Positice ANA is not diagnostic of anything. Healthy people can be ANA positive. Relax for now. If possible.

[katelou]

Ask for the titer, or ask to have it done. It is given in ratios that double- 1:40, 1:80, 1:160, and so on. 1:80 and below are considered low and not really clinically significant. 1:640 and above are highly suggestive of active autoimmune disease.
Fwiw only half of people with an positive ANA will have an autoimmune disease. And ANA can change, I've been 1:320 and negative within 9 months. GL.

[Cher]

After my loss, I had a ton of screenings done. I had a positive ANA. I went to a bunch of specialists, had more screenings, had some more irregular things come back annnnd nothing was wrong. I have to go back in a couple of years just to check but all is fine. I know it’s easier said than done, but try not to worry until there’s something to worry about.

[frantastic]

Thanks everyone! All of this helps.

One thing that has me thinking--I received a blood transfusion after I had DS1. When I was pregnant with DS2 and had bloodwork done at my OB, antibodies were detected, but could not be identified because it was such a trace amount (this did not happen in my bloodwork with DS1). So I'm wondering if I "inherited(?)" the ANAs from my blood transfusion.

Anyway, I'll hopefully hear back from my doc soon and we'll go from there.

ETA: my ratio is at 1:160.

[thatgolfb]

Feb 2, 2018 13:51:51 GMT -6 flaviadeluce said:

Something like one in 5 people have a positive ANA. Not all of them or anywhere near all of them have a disease related to it. It is sort of a crummy test in many ways.

Yes, this. We run them in my department. They are very nonspecific and many times it means nothing!

[trtlcrzy]

I had a lot of joint pain and fatigue after my first daughter was born. The doctor ran a bunch of tests and the ANA was positive so she sent me to the rheumatologist. Along with that being positive we found out my Vitamin D level was very low. I started the vit D supplements before seeing the rheumatologist and most of my symptoms were gone by the appt so they didn't end up doing further testing. This was a few years ago and I have not had that testing since, but if I stop taking my supplement I can tell because my joint pain and fatigue return.

[frantastic]

Feb 3, 2018 17:13:43 GMT -6 trtlcrzy said:

I had a lot of joint pain and fatigue after my first daughter was born. The doctor ran a bunch of tests and the ANA was positive so she sent me to the rheumatologist. Along with that being positive we found out my Vitamin D level was very low. I started the vit D supplements before seeing the rheumatologist and most of my symptoms were gone by the appt so they didn't end up doing further testing. This was a few years ago and I have not had that testing since, but if I stop taking my supplement I can tell because my joint pain and fatigue return.

I did have my Vit D checked, and it's normal. The ANA screen was the last thing to come back; everything else falls into the normal range.

[cagoldi]

Feb 3, 2018 18:15:54 GMT -6 frantastic said:

Feb 3, 2018 17:13:43 GMT -6 trtlcrzy said:

I had a lot of joint pain and fatigue after my first daughter was born. The doctor ran a bunch of tests and the ANA was positive so she sent me to the rheumatologist. Along with that being positive we found out my Vitamin D level was very low. I started the vit D supplements before seeing the rheumatologist and most of my symptoms were gone by the appt so they didn't end up doing further testing. This was a few years ago and I have not had that testing since, but if I stop taking my supplement I can tell because my joint pain and fatigue return.

I did have my Vit D checked, and it's normal. The ANA screen was the last thing to come back; everything else falls into the normal range.

I don't know if this helps you feel any better, because again, there isn't much to go on here, but my Immunologist said that if someone has autoimmune illness they are almost certain to also have a vitamin D deficiency.