Positive ANA with only Hasimoto's?

I will definitely check it out.  Thanks!

Yes Shelly, I have low grade fevers daily and swollen lymph anterior lymph nodes...  both for like 11 months now.  But I have read that lupus comes in flares and my symptoms are constant.  Could it still be lupus?  I'm sorry, I did get the sed rate, forgat to post.  It was 15 with a range of 0 to 32.  I do not get a butterfly rash.  But I do get a rash from the sun, all over my body where the sun touches, that's a rash and gets really itchy.  As for aches and pains...  my upper back and neck is always sore with lymph nodes that go up and down, and as I lay in bed at night, I have to toss and turn because of throbbing pain in my hips and thighs.  I also get nauseous every time I eat, sever migraines, short of breath very easily(not over weight, 121pounds and 35 years old) I use to jog every day and now I can't.  My lower back throbbs alot also.  I just wish I could figure out what is causing all this that has been going on for 11 months now and fix it, if possible.  Could the positive ANA be just from the Hashimoto's or is there definitely something else going on?  Thank you Shelly!

Oh.. and also still having alot of hair loss and dry skin, brittle nails, only I am not gaining weight, I have lost 5 pounds in the past month for some reason without change in diet.  I am very confused. 

Sorry..lol.  I forgot to mention that my heels hurt laying down with them against the bed and also if i stand too long.

Hello SweetMelissa:

You can have both diseases as one bothers another.

Yes, it seems to act a lot like Lupus. It can go into periods of remission.  Hashi's normally does not cause nausea after eating.

Lupus can bother other organs so it can make your lymph nodes swell and cause trouble to the kidneys and joints and stomach.

ANA test is used for Lupus and if you experience severe joint pain and a skin rash from sunlight that is Lupus. It can cause a red butterfly like  rash on the face but not in everyone. Lupus can effect the heart, and lungs, kidney, and stomach, muscles and joints.

15 sed rate means your body is under attack and I would lean more on Lupus.  Maybe the Lupus is acting up. How long have you had the signs and symptoms?  Can you think back in time when you first noticed them? Lupus can hit you in your teenage years.  I know you say 11 months now but did you have any temps like when you were much younger?

Hashi's can cause fatigue and weight problems, dry skin, but it also causes a Hyper and then Hypo swing in early phases, brittle nails and dry scalp, bruising.

Lupus is normally cared for by a Rheumatologist and Hashi's by an Endocrinologist.

Have you seen a Rheumatologist yet?  Since you have a family history of Lupus - do you have a family history of Hashi's?  I do!  I found out after I was diagnosed that an aunt had it. She did not have it until after her first child.

So you can have both conditions.  It sounds more like a flare up of Lupus.

Please keep me posted on how it goes.

Shelly

 

Hello SweetMelissa:

If pain is unbearable they use corticosteriods in Lupus.  It does help and you may only need it for a short while and once it calms down you can go off it.

It is bad for the body to be on steriods for long term but short term it can help get you through this.

It is not an easy disease to have and you should get a referal to a Rheumatologist soon.

Once your TSH is good, Hashi's should get better, but Lupus does not respond to that and pain can be severe in muscles/joints.

Shelly

I have not seen a rheumatologist yet.  I am going to fax my bloodwork to my doctor and ask for a referal.   Yes Shelly.  I have been sick on and off for many years, but this last 11 months have been the worst.  You have helped me so much.  Thank you Shelly for all the advice and much needed information!  I'm faxing my bloodwork tommorrow, so I will keep you updated.  Thank you!

 

Hello SweetMelissa:

Sounds like a plan. Also put on the fax a family history of Lupus. yes, keep me posted, I care!

XO Shelly

Hi. I ran across this forum and wanted to see if someone could help me understand my lab results. I am confused about the bilirubin showing in the urine dip. It says small, I am finding different info online and not understanding any of it. Just curious if I need to go to get some more tests ran or something. Urine dip results are:

Glucose: neg

Bilirubin: small

Ketones : trace

Spe gravity : >=1.030

Occult blood : neg

Ph : 5.0

Protein : neg

Urobilinogen semi qn : 0.2

Nitrite : neg

Wbc esterase : neg

On my glucose test it reads 95.

Hemoglobin aic reads a 5.3%

Vit D, 25hydroxy test reads 21.6 (30.0-100.0 ng/ml)

Tsh +free t4 test reads: tsh 1.520

T4 free (direct) 1.40

I also got a comp. metabolic panel (14) and a cbc with diff/platelet done. I'll send all that info if you need those. Thanks

Shelly, I just ran across this forum and I too are having some issues with send rate 66, positive ANA, and possible nodule on thyroid gland. They are suspecting Lupus. With all that Lupus can affect, is a person still able to live a normal life? Are there any ways to control it naturally? I'm not much for medication. I have been referred to a rheumatologist.

Hello  Kdi3555:

SED RATE  (Sedimentation Rate is the full name), can be from Hashimoto's Thyroid Disease and Lupus and some cancers.  It measures the amount of Red Blood cells settle in a given period of time.  66 is way too high.  A high number shows a problem.  It is a good indicator test to see if the immune system is inflamed or damaged and is a quick snap shot of what is going on inside of you.  A high SED RATE is a sign of 1 of 3 conditions and a smart test to do to rule out Hashimoto's, Lupus, & Some inflammatory cancers.  So having that test done was a good decision by your MD.

Lupus:  You have similar symptoms to thyroid, fatigue/tired all the time, but you can get a red masked type butterfly rash on the face. You can gain weight easy also.  You can have muscle aches and pains. Period problems, &  Skin problems.  They have a medication called Plaquenil for Lupus.  You can live a good life and be okay as Lupus can have long remission periods. I know a few people who have this and they are living a good life.

ANA direct is used for both Lupus and Hashimoto's both are autoimmune and run in family lines, so see if anyone in your family has Lupus or Thyroid problems.  You can have both.  It is a gene that is passed on and can hit in women during ages 20 to 45 usually.

It has to do with a problem in the immune system.  You could eat a gluten free diet and that has been known to help. See a Naturopath for guidance on diet and lifestyle changes.

Thyroid:  nodules can damage the thyroid and many are not cancerous.  Always have a Fine Needle Biopsy to make sure.  Thyroid medication will replace any T4 or T3 you do not have, if blood work shows you are low.  I have 3 nodules and I am 56 and have lived a good life on meds.  Of course nobody wants meds but if you need them you must have proper thyroid levels.

Low thyroid symptoms:  Weight gain, muscles are sore, low temp, low pulse, tired, sleepy, dry skin, hair loss, skin problems, bruising, no periods, dry tongue, hard to concentrate or so school work, nails that break easily, feeling old before your time, and many more.

Lupus can damage the liver if left untreated for long periods of time and that is why it is important to see a Rheumatologist as that falls under their specialty and there are new meds on the market for this so please see the  doctor.

Thanks for contacting me and if you have a question just ask,  I am happy to help.

Regards,

Shelly

Hello Audrey2017:

My apologies for the delay in seeing this post.  I never saw it was here.

I looked over your results,

Glucose 80- to 120 is good and you are at 95.  Okay there

A1C 5.3 %  % to 6.8 is normal.  Okay there

TSH  0.45 to 4.20 is normal yo are okay there at 1.5 or 1.6 if you round up.

Occult blood (hidden blood ) NONE or NEG is great.  None should be there.

Protein/ketones should be NEG. SO should Nitrates. all good there.

Specific gravity  Normal at 1.030

Bilirubin is supposed to be NONE.  So if you drink or have fatty liver disease,  Watch your diet.  No alcohol and high fats in diet.

If you ask the doctor to test you in another 3 months it should go down.

All the rest is good.

Shelly