Mermaid Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Hi Gemma, the formal name of the test isAnti- double stranded DNA IgGI think if your doctor said you didn't meet the full criteria for Lupus then they will have done this test as I believe it's one criterion. The pattern of the ANA is also important. For Lupus, the pattern is homogenous, (mine was this) but I believe that this pattern can also show MCTD, mixed connective tissue disease or UCTD, undifferentiated connective tissue disease. These diagnoses can be given in the case of a continuously positive ANA PLUS auto immune symptoms. If my understanding is correct, they mean symptoms of several autoimmune diseases but not meeting criteria for any specific one. I understand prognosis is good as most people with UCTD do not go on to develop a full autoimmune disease and symptoms often remain mild. Some links below to general infohttp://www.hss.edu/conditions_undifferentiated-connective-tissue-disease-overview.asphttps://www.icgp.ie/assets/9/EB9FF8A7-19B9-E185-830200BC23B0AFCE_document/ANA_43-44.pdfhttp://www.fpnotebook.com/rheum/lab/anstngptrn.htmI hope I haven't spooked you by mentioning this, at least it's something to check for peace of mind when you see your rheumatologist. But from reading generally and from this forum, my opinion is that testing in the US is more advanced and thorough than in the UK. Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mermaid Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 BlueThank you too for sharing your experiences. Not warm today in the UK and I enjoyed a small glass of red in honour of it being the weekend. As you say we have to do whatever we can to get feelings of normal old life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Posted May 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2014 Hi barb. Thanks for all the info, very helpfull. I read all the articles and now have some more questions to ask my doctors. I looked at my blood work reaults and it looks like I was tested for all the main things. I dont understand what heppened to my ANA. First result says 1:160 speckled, second says 1:320 homogenouse. The anti DNA is negative. Do you know if ANA first can show speckled and then homogenouse. Also, the blood work that I did like a month ago says ANA negative. Very confusing and interesting what is going on in my body. Maybe I should go visit rheumatologist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mermaid Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Hi Gemma, probably something to keep an eye on. The only thing I've seen re changing patterns is to do with overlap symptoms, that is mixed symptoms of different autoimmune conditions. Perhaps ask your rheumatologist at your next appointment. I've still not had results of my latest ANA. Will keep you posted.Best wishes Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCP Posted May 9, 2014 Report Share Posted May 9, 2014 I am on the Tricyclic Abtidepressant Nortriptyline, similar to Amitriptyline but less sedative. It does give you brain-fog and many other side-effects and to be honest I think most do to higher or lesser degrees. I take mine for pain and so I can sleep. Having said that I am trying to wean myself of it very gradually. I was on Duloxetine (Cymbalta) SNRI for a year and was very ill and had to come off it and for that reason I wouldn't try another. All of my neuropathy and autonomic problems worsened. My friend in NI (who has POTS/ME) has been on Sertraline for many years (SSRI) and seems to be OK on it although he has had a very tough time over the years he seems to have levelled out and become more stable regarding his symptoms. I don't know anyone who doesn't get memory loss, fatigue, low mood and other issues even ones taking it for depression and don't have POTS. Three of my female relatives are on Citalopram (SSRI) at the moment because of menopause/depression, Hashimoto's and hormonal problems. All seem to be OK with it and coping well with life in general. As with all meds it is trial and error as what suits one person may not suit another. I hope you find one that really suits you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Posted May 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2014 Hi everyone. So I tried half of 25mg of zoloft yestarday. I took it around 12 pm, and felt spaced out for the whole day. Also, felt those weird feeling like my brain turns off and on for a second and I drift away, very scary. I had those feelings when got off xanax. My doctor insists that I take zoloft because when my school starts the stress will come back and my POTS symptoms will come back. However, My POTS symptoms are much less now and I can live normal with whatever I have. I tried zoloft and besided being very sedated I dont feel very bad, but also afraid to continue. I remember some people on here wrote that their POTS symptoms got worse on SSRI, so I am afraid for mine not to return. Maybe I should just wait untill school starts and how I will be able to deal with stress and if it comes back start the med then. I think I am reacting bad to most psychotropic meds, i felt horible on xanax (worst time of my life), really bad side effects like adverse reaction from Lexaprom, very dizzy on Buspar. So, maybe for me all of these meds are no good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueskies Posted May 11, 2014 Report Share Posted May 11, 2014 Hi Gemma, Maybe you should start a new topic with your post. Anxiety about new meds is common to us all. I think this would generate some discussion of SSRIs but also about the anxiety about how we feel when starting new things. Will it make us better? Will it make us worse? How hard it is to start a new med when it serves us up a side effect we've had before on another med? I can relate to stopping meds because they caused something to happen to my body that I did not like, feared it would make me worse and deciding I would try it later, if necessary. In my case, this was not always a good idea. But we are all different. I do think your post deserves a topic of its own. I think this problem may be common to many of us. But I'm too brain foggy to write a coherent response to you today. I've attempted to do it three times now but have not been able to. And I don't want to see your post get lost with only a couple of responses because as I said, (repeating myself here with brain fog), I think many of us feel similarly when it comes to starting new meds. Especially those of us with chemical sensitivies. Posting this whether it makes sense or not. Not even going to reread it to find my mistakes. blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Posted May 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 Hi blue, thanks for advice. I will try to write a new post if I can, feel the brain fog from zoloft now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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