Very Unusual

[Guest guest]

Those are two words you really DON'T want to hear in a doctor's

office. Apparently, I have a classic history and current symptoms

of lupus, but my latest bloodwork (a month old, now) just doesn't

support it, and certainly not cerebritis. I saw the bloodwork

earlier this week, and I had to agree...I was telling my husband and

mom that it was really inconclusive. My ANA DID finally test

positive, but at a low titer (1:80), and a speckled pattern, which

is not indicative of lupus. My dsDNA was positive, but well within

the normal range, not high like my test in June. AND, my C3

complement is high, not low as is normally seen in lupus and

cerebritis. I do plan on discussing this with my neurologist, since

I've been reading that some researchers believe that C3 proteins are

major facilitators in demyelination in MS. He has ordered a new set

of labwork, and is going to have me screened for hereditary

thrombosis, since my dad had a rare disorder which causes excessive

clotting...we had only found that out after he died of a massive

heart attack. I have an EEG, echocardiogram (to rule out blood clots

and check for vasculitis within the heart muscle), and a spinal tap

on Monday. Hopefully that will clear things up. As for now,

everyone is scratching their heads, and wondering what to do with

me, while I'm forced to play referree between my husband and my mom,

since she is down to help, and they can't stand each other. What

fun.