Automimmune tests are back

[missgamecock]

and no real answers!!! My ana (lupus) and RA (rheumatoid arthritis)are negative. Yet my CRP (inflammation) is crazy high. The cutoff is 2.7 and mine was 16!!!! My ensinophils were high too. My other bloodwork is ok. I now have pleurisy (inflammation of the lung lining). This started on Saturday. Blood was taken last Wednesday. She said it is possible that the inflammation is so high because I had emergency surgery last month for the perforated IUD, but she doesn't think that is it. It could be the pleurisy (it's not that chondritis thing because she could hear the membrane rubbing together when I was breathing). However, that started several days after the blood was taken. So basically I got a bunch of inflammation, but we don't know how, why or what is causing it. So she started me on anti-inflammatory meds (it says it is used for RA). She said that the rheumatologist that she consults with says when she gets these type of results to monitor the patient to wait for it to declare itself. Funny that was the PE phrase too. She said it was very possible to have a negative ana or RA factor and have it in the early stages. She said it could take a while to get a positive ana or RA factor. She said that my pe could have "brought" it out. Fabulous, another thing. So I go back in 3 mos and repeat all of my blood tests and stay on anti-inflammatory medicine. She said if I needed pain meds to call.

[kara]

What med do they have you on? The pleurisy is likely causing the inflammation to read high. Are they making any connection to the asthma? I'm surprised that a primary would put you on meds without a rheumie consult. These things don't often present for ages, and even then they can be mysterious and non-specific. And there are additional tests they can run and observations they can make, that a primary would likely not be familiar with. An anti-inflammatory might skew results of additional tests. I'd ask for a referral if I were you.

[missgamecock]

No it's different from asthma. With asthma, your lungs feel like they are on fire when you breathe. You are short of breath. It usually affects both sides. Right now my right side is affected. It's spreading to the left which is why I went in today. It is a really sharp pain. I'm not wheezing or short of breath. She put me on diclofenac. She didn't know if it was the pleurisy causing it, but my WBC was normal. So she didn't really think it was an infection/virus. So wierd. So basically try this med to get the inflammation down everywhere and wait. Then repeat the tests again. I should be used to blood tests by now. She seems to think it is more of an autoimmune thing, but it is guessing at this point.

[kara]

I know pleurisy isn't the same as asthma, I'm wondering if that is the autoimmune connection, or predisposes you to other lung stuff. I didn't think the diclofenec was good for people with asthma or HBP. Seriously, I'd see a rheumie for all this. Pleurisy isn't exactly something to mess around with either, especially with other lung issues.

[missgamecock]

AHH gotcha. She did say something about a connection with PE and endo. She didn't say anything about an asthma connection. Although she did check me out for asthma today. No wheezing or shortness of breath. Just hurts like * to breathe and cough. I can send an email and ask her about the HBP and asthma and the med and see what she says. She said I needed to get the inflammation down like now. My bp was odd today. 125/60... The 125 part was a bit elevated for me - usually it is around 110-115. The 60 part was low, usually around 70ish. He took it twice and said yep, 125/60. He said that it could have been elevated on top because of the pain. My pcp said the PE/pregnancy could have brought this out. I told her I am 35 feeling like I am 90!
:(

[kara]

Rheumies are typically so well versed in autoimmune disorders (that is their specialty) they will be able to check for conditions beyond lupus and RA. Ive had some intensely smart rheumies from about the age of 20. Of course, I've had one or two that weren't so good, too. You'd be amazed what they can tell
about you by examining you. Blood tests don't always tell everything.

[trish]

That's exactly how I felt after my testing! I had it done about 5 months ago my ANA screen found "antibodies present" with a titer of 1:80 & a "speckled" ANA pattern. But I wasn't diagnosed with lupus (or anything). The other tests they ran said I didn't fall "neatly" into any auto immune category but that it indicated I'd have arthritis later on (but not currently). I went in with a weird rash/hives on my lower legs (that I had for over a month that cream didn't help) & with really bad hip pain that nothing showed up on an x-ray.

I'm not on any meds for auto immune stuff & I still need/plan to see a rheumatoligist one of these days. I hope you feel better soon.

[tracym]

A CRP of 16 is elevated but certainly not crazy high. I've had a level of 90 a couple of weeks out from an emergency surgery. It still could be related to your surgery or the onset of pleurisy. I'm surprised she didn't take blood to check it again now.

Keep a close eye on your asthma whilst taking an anti-inflammatory.

[aggie95mom]

Sorry Sabrina for hijacking your post (though I do hope you feel better soon ... has to be scary and annoying to be in pain while breathing and going about your everyday life), but I was just wondering about Trish and whether or not your rash when away.

While I was pregnant, I developed some small red spots on part of my cheek, one on my scalp and one on my arm. After a biopsy, turned out to be discoid lupus (basically lupus on your skin). I do have a very high positive ANA, LA, RA factor, etc, so my situation may be a bit different, but I just wanted to mention it in case you are still bothered by them.

[trish]

Alysha - my rash did go away after about 6 weeks & it was only ever on my lower legs. It just slowly faded. It was like small, flat hives/light redish bruises almost (like 1 cm or less each) not bright red bumps or anything. But what was weird (IMO) was that it was the same spots/splotches in the same place for the whole 6 weeks - not like a rash that came & went from place to place. Thanks for thinking of me!!