Question:
Hi. I’m just waiting on the results of an ANA test now (actually I got too impatient and asked the Dr to call me with the reults instead of waiting until next week to see him) I asked for the test because about 8 months after starting on a medication (which I found out earlier this week *can* cause discoid lupus in 5% of patients) I had a rash show up It is usually brown or light red unless I am stressed or hot, (or in the sun) Then it gets bright red. It doesn’t go away with ANYTHING (creams) My first question is, Where does the rash show up?? Mine is on the shoulders and occasionally on my lower arms, on the back of my neck, occasionally on my throat, and down my chest. I had 4 drs look at it 3 couldn’t identify it at all and the 4th dismissed it as "sun sensitivity" my second question is.. Can an ANA test be negative?? Crystal A. Vance
Response:
Hi Crystal. Theoretically the rash can appear anywhere – it is more common where the skin is exposed to the sun or other UV source but this really ins’t a requirement. Unfortunately, many docs will tell you this is "sun sensitivity" without explaining the causes of such sensitivity. It can be an allergic type response or it can be autoimmune such as with lupus. Other autoimmune diseases can trigger a similar rash (dermatomyositis for example). Yes, an ANA test can be negative. Rather than try to explain all that here I recommend you check out the alt.support.lupus FAQ at the website below. If you look through the Table of Contents you will see sections dealing with this precise question. It’s more than just a yes or no. HTH, KCat http://www.ghg.net/schwerpt/aslfaq20.htm On Fri, 19 May 2000 19:23:16 GMT, Crystal Vance – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<cva…@telusplanet.net> wrote: >Hi. I’m just waiting on the results of an ANA test now (actually I got >too impatient and asked the Dr to call me with the reults instead of >waiting until next week to see him) I asked for the test because about >8 months after starting on a medication (which I found out earlier this >week *can* cause discoid lupus in 5% of patients) I had a rash show up >It is usually brown or light red unless I am stressed or hot, (or in the >sun) Then it gets bright red. It doesn’t go away with ANYTHING (creams) >My first question is, Where does the rash show up?? Mine is on the >shoulders and occasionally on my lower arms, on the back of my neck, >occasionally on my throat, and down my chest. I had 4 drs look at it 3 >couldn’t identify it at all and the 4th dismissed it as "sun >sensitivity" >my second question is.. Can an ANA test be negative?? >Crystal A. Vance
Response:
It’s my understanding that with discoid lupus all blood tests can come back negative including the ANA. It can be diagnosed, however, via a biopsy of the rash. BTW, what medication is it that can cause discoid lupus? Are you perhaps referring to drug induced lupus? If so, this generally goes away once the medication is stopped. Sandra
Response:
SCroyle909 wrote: > It’s my understanding that with discoid lupus all blood tests can come back > negative including the ANA. It can be diagnosed, however, via a biopsy of the > rash.
Okay, I"ll have them check that if the ANA is negative, He never got back to me today. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> BTW, what medication is it that can cause discoid lupus? Are you perhaps > referring to drug induced lupus? If so, this generally goes away once the > medication is stopped. > The Medication is Epival, and according to Medscape it is specifically discoid > lupus not drug induced lupus. > Crystal
Response:
SCroyle909 wrote: > Thanks for the link. I’d assume though that the discoid lupus caused by > valproic acid is still a type of drug induced lupus. This type of lupus > generally goes away once the medication is stopped. > Sandra
I assume so as well.. so I’m still holding on to the hope that It will go away a few months after I’m off the medication (I can’t come off it all at once) I’d look for more information on Drug induced lupus but every time I do It just looks for the word "lupus" and ignores "drug induced" Crystal
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